Gun Violence as a Symptom of Deeper Social Issues: Why Gun Control is a Superficial Solution

There is no denying or minimizing the horror and tragedy of any incidence of gun violence in the U.S., especially the recent, very well-publicized events at a Colorado movie theater and Sandy Hook Elementary School. When reporting these tragedies, many news outlets mourn the loss of an earlier, more innocent, era and express fear at the trend of seemingly ever-growing violent crime. Even though a new shooting seems to happen every day, according to Pew Research, gun homicide is down 49% since its peak in 1993 (“Gun homicide rate…,” 2013). Perhaps the “trend” of seemingly increasing violence is the result of society as a whole being better connected and better informed through social media—incidents that may have previously been swept under the rug are now reported far and wide in real-time.

Regardless of statistics, as long as there are firearms, gun control will be an issue that demands attention. Guns are simply tools that do whatever their owner uses them for, so the risks that come with letting a gun fall into the hands of the wrong person are serious. Many people object to the concept of gun control on the grounds of the Second Amendment, but the Constitution was not written in a time that knew the terrifying power and capacity of an AK-47. The rights found in the Constitution should be upheld as long as the U.S. is a country but they should be modified and interpreted to match the pace of modern life. Of course, people should keep the right to bear arms to protect themselves—bad people will get their hands on guns regardless of legality, so some self-defense safeguard for regular citizens is necessary—but no one should have free, unfettered access to absurdly powerful guns that no average citizen would ever need to use at full capacity. This is why background checks are crucial: if anyone can walk into a store and walk out 20 minutes later with a machine gun, bad things will happen. Background checks ensure that no one with recognized mental health issues can act on unhealthy or dangerous impulses, which is the true root of the gun violence problem. When people debate gun control, they are debating the state of mental health facilities in the U.S. and the consequences of not addressing widespread faults in healthcare.

Reference

Gun homicide rate down 49% since 1993 peak; Public unaware (2013). Pew Research. Retrieved from http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2013/05/07/gun-homicide-rate-down-49-since-1993-peak-public-unaware/