So we’ve had another mass shooting. This time at a community college in Oregon. I realize that people get testy about gun control, but like President Obama, I’ve had enough, and I’m tired of hearing about preventable gun violence. And most of all, I’m tired of everyone pushing back against gun control, and pushing a pro-gun agenda in the wake of tragedy.
The main reason people think we need more guns is for self-defense, but this idea is completely misguided and gives average people far too much credit. But how many times are guns really used for self-defense?
Yes, the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights contains the right to bear arms. But I think it’s important to consider that the Bill of Rights, and the Second Amendment, was written in 1791. Back then, America had recently broken away from the British, most of the country was unexplored (and not yet part of the United States), and people were still regularly getting eaten by bears (probably). The point is, people were made of sterner stuff in 1791, and needed guns to defend themselves. The difference between defending yourself in 1791 and defending yourself in 2015 is that the people in 1791 knew how and were willing to do so.
The people of 2015, not so much. I don’t care how level-headed you think you are, or how much hunting you do, or how many times you’ve shot a gun in your life. Shooting a deer is not the same as shooting a person. Neither is shooting a target. Everyone likes to think that if they were only allowed to carry their precious gun with them all the time, they could pull it out and be the hero if they were ever in a situation facing a gunman. But these scenarios of foolish bravado fail to consider how different shooting at a person is, and how shocked and terrified 99% of the population would be in one of these situations.
Chances are, you wouldn’t be the 1% that’s mentally capable of saving the day. You’d be paralyzed with fear just like the rest of us. And if you did still have the presence of mind to reach for gun and aim it, you’re hands would probably be shaking. There would be people around you, screaming, crying, and distracting you. You’d be aiming at another human being, not just a target. Now tell me how quickly and easily you’d be able to pull the trigger.
The other problem with adding more guns to this situation is that now more terrified people have guns. Everyone that’s trying to be a hero would be pulling out their gun, trying to aim it with their shaking hands, probably hitting bystanders instead of the gunman. Because that’s another thing that makes people different targets, especially scared people—they tend to run around and move a lot. Therefore, more guns = more injuries.
If I still haven’t convinced you that more guns isn’t the answer, consider this: do you really want everyone else around you to have a gun? I don’t. For anyone that doesn’t know, I attend Drake University, which isn’t exactly in Des Moines’s greatest neighborhood. Just this year, we’ve gotten multiple alerts about shootings in the surrounding area. It’s never been on campus, and I’ve never felt unsafe, but I can’t speak for everyone. Do you think that everyone on my campus should be given a gun, in case they’re out at night and find themselves in threatening situation? Do you think our parents want us all carrying guns to class just because there’s a one in a million chance that something might happen? For those of you that know me personally, do I strike you as the type of person that would be capable of defending myself with a gun?
The answer to all of these questions is a definitive no. It should be obvious to everyone that giving guns to a bunch of college students is going to cause many more problems than it would solve. Now, why can’t we apply this logic to the public as a whole? Handing out guns like candy for “self-defense” just makes it easier for someone to get their hands on one to commit a crime. Therefore, we need stricter gun control laws, and we need to stop fighting the people that are suggesting them.
People that can prove themselves responsible enough to own a gun should be allowed to have one, but you should have to prove it, because clearly, as a country we’re not collectively responsible enough to prevent gun violence with the current laws that are in place. And stricter gun control laws aren’t the key to stopping gun violence, but they are a crucial step. So it’s time to stop fighting gun control. It needs to happen. And if you’re still not convinced, ask yourself—is your personal arsenal more important than human lives?
For more information on this issue, I would recommend watching President Obama’s response to the shooting in Oregon, available here, and also an article written by Alison Parker’s father, Andy Parker, found here.
