This post has been rolling around in my head for most of the last week. I've been listening to the calls for gun control laws. I've been listening to the anti-gun control crowd blame people with mental illnesses and point out that crime will continue, with or without gun control. I just don't understand the opposition to an assault weapons ban.
Sure, people will continue to get guns and use them. Heck, people still drive under the influence and maim and kill people while doing it. However, the number of DUI-related incidents has decreased with increased laws and awareness.
SCOTUS has upheld that the 2nd Amendment protects an individual right to bear arms. Keep your handguns and your hunting rifles if you must, but tell me what the HELL you need an assault rifle for? According to Wikipedia, an assault rifle is "standard service in most modern armies." These weapons are made for the express purpose of killing people. Continuing from Wikipedia, "the term 'assault rifle' is a translation of the German word Sturmgewehr, literally 'storm rifle', as in 'to storm a position'." What, in the name of all that is good, does the average person need such a weapon for? Hell, there are common-sense exceptions to the 1st Amendment. You can't yell "FIRE" in a crowded theater! How about some common sense with a weapon that is made to kill people?!?!
The NRA's statement, not surprisingly, was disappointing. Armed guards in schools? That's been tried and hasn't worked. Instead of blaming everyone else, I would like to hear the NRA, for once, admit that guns are part of the problem. I'm not saying guns are the sole problem, but it seems that the anti-gun control crowd doesn't take ANY responsibility when tragedies happen.
To the people who said that movie goers with guns might have helped in the Aurora shooting, you've got to be kidding! It seems that in a dark movie theater, with multiple people shooting, there's a chance for more casualties from "friendly fire".
If you think I'm just another liberal who doesn't know what the hell I'm talking about, you're right, that I'm a liberal, but I have some perspective.
I have been on the business end of a gun and of a knife (twice). In one of the knifing incidents, there was nowhere to run. It was by sheer force of will that nothing happened. That incident is proof that anything can happen at any time.
However, work with me to compare and contrast the second knife incident with the gun incident. The person with the gun was farther away from me than the person with the knife. In that case I was in an open space and had room to move away from the dude with the knife. While all three incidents scared the crap out of me, the gun was scarier than the second knife incident. I could possibly outrun the person with the knife, or at least make an effort to get away. However, I can't outrun a bullet!
So, yes, gun control will not stop crime. But can we put something in place that makes it more difficult to get these killing weapons? Not that I was ever in favor of guns, but, honestly, when you're on the business end you definitely get perspective!
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