At the end of 2012, the world was shocked by the news of another tragic school shooting in the US. On the 14 December, Adam Lanza walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School and killed twenty children and six teachers before killing himself. As alarming as the occurrence was, tragedies like Sandy Hook are not uncommon and from 1989 to 2012, there have been 40 such school shootings. Clearly gun control in the USA needs a re-think.
The Bill of Rights gives citizens in America “the right to keep and bear arms”. Although this may have been written in 1778, pro-gun supporters continue to interpret this absolutely and claim gun ownership is a granted constitutional right. However, recent events and the growing problem of gun violence has led to widespread dispute over whether or not this amendment should still remain in force.
The events that took place just last month have caused demand for updated gun laws from the press and public alike. The National Rifle Association have clearly felt threatened and pro-gun supporters even started a petition to get Piers Morgan deported to the UK after he expressed his strong opinions against gun ownership. The National Rifle Association has suggested putting armed guns in schools as a solution to school shootings. However, is the answer to controlling gun crime really to bring more guns into the equation? It seems somewhat contradictory.
Just this week Obama and Biden have announced a string of plans to tackle gun violence, none of which have been welcomed by the NRA. The proposals include introducing comprehensive background checks on gun sales, limiting ammunition magazines and passing a ban on the possession and sale of armour-piercing bullets. He also signed 23 executive orders including an end to gun violence research, none of which require Congressional confirmation. Obama said: “If there is even one thing we can do to reduce this violence, if there is even one life that can be saved, then we’ve got an obligation to try.”
Obama is not naive and realises these plans will face strong opposition in Congress, especially with the campaigns of powerful groups like the NRA and politicians that are susceptible to pressure from special interest groups and public opinion. When announcing the plans, Obama was supported by a number of young children who had written emotive letters urging him to tackle gun crime. Although some people were outraged by the President’s ‘use of children’ to gain support for his proposals, for many people it reinforced the horror of the truth. Gun violence is becoming an increasingly threatening reality to many young children and it is something that they should not have to worry about.
There may be no clear answer on how to tackle gun violence in the US, however, it cannot be denied that it is a big problem. Whether it is the occurrence of tragedies like Sandy Hook or the horrifying truth that there are 300 million guns in the US, one thing is for certain, Gun Control needs a re-think.
Image Credits: telegraph.co.uk, stoptheguns.org, yahoo.com
Source: bbc.com