Private Gun Ownership - Good or Bad?

[peacetraveler22]

Last week, we had another mass shooting in America. A young college student deeply rooted in misogynist mentality, and frustrated by female rejection, decided to take a drive through a California college town and open fire, killing six people and wounding numerous others. As you know, guns are deeply rooted in American culture, and always have been. So why the recent proliferation of school and mass shootings over the last few years? I think in large part these tragedies are not a result of guns, but the sickness of society in general. After all, Americans have always been armed but the proliferation of mass shootings has been rather recent. Twenty years ago, or even ten, we didn't hear about such tragedies on a consistent basis.

People sometimes forget that the right to bear arms is expressly enumerated in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Private gun ownership is a principle upon which my country was founded. We are the most heavily armed civilian population in the world, with close to 300 million firearms in the hands of civilians, including my family members. I am completely pro gun, and have always been surrounded by firearms. I shoot Rifles, a 9mm glock and .357 Magnum Revolver at the range under the supervision of my father. So, where is the delicate balance between respecting the Constitutional rights of U.S. citizens and preventing mass shootings?

I can't say there are any easy answers, nor do I know the best solution. For instance, in the most recent shooting, the culprit had a long history of mental illness. Police officers had even visited his house after worried calls from State mental health officials. Yet when they arrived, the shooter was completely calm and convincing. Thus, they had no legal grounds upon which to enter the home and search. If they had entered his room, they would have found his guns, his detailed plans for the massacre which he had been cooking for over a year, and other clear signs that something sinister was brewing.

People all over the globe are suffering from depression and other forms of mental illness, and they should not be under constant suspicion for seeking treatment. One simple way to mitigate widespread gun violence is to have tighter and consistent controls. Currently, gun laws drastically vary from State to State, and I don't claim to be an expert in nationwide legislation. Such knowledge is almost impossible. California is known as the strictest State, and Texas and my home State of Virginia are considered two of the most pro-gun locations in the nation. This is not surprising given that the National Rifle Association is headquartered only a 1/2 hour from my apartment. In Virginia, private citizens can openly carry firearms and I've seen it in restaurants, particularly in rural areas. Is it necessary? I don't think so. Only Washington, DC and Hawaii require all firearms to be registered.

Our founding Fathers made certain that private gun ownership will never completely become extinct in America, but this doesn't mean that laws shouldn't be changed. Some of the most strongly advocated solutions include:

(1) Background checks for all firearm owners
(2) Waiting period
(3) Registration of ALL firearms in every State
(4) For schools - allow teachers to carry firearms into the classroom and train them on use

What do you think? Do you wish Russia had more lenient laws for private gun ownership? What should America do to prevent these tragedies? I sometimes wonder if it's really possible to truly prevent a deranged person from committing these acts of violence. Even if tighter gun controls exist, they would likely still be able to obtain firearms on the black market. In the end, we cannot mandate good and evil, though an attempt should at least be made to control evil to the greatest extent possible.

Comments

[anna-sollanna.livejournal.com]

Hi Shannon!
You know, my husband completely agrees with you about a private gun ownership. He adores a story about one Texas's citizen who killed a robber and when the police arrived the only thing he was told was "Thank you, sir!". As for shooting at schools - my husband thinks that the only way to prevent it or at least reduce the number of victims is to arm all teachers and staff with firearms and train them to use them.
As for me - I agree with you that the root of recent shootings is not in the private gun ownership, but in people's mental state. If a person is on a verge of a nervous breakdown and wants to kill or injure somebody just to feel better - he or she will do in spite of any laws prohibiting firearms or other weapons, with any accessible tools. So the root of the disease, but not the symptoms should be treated.
Btw what do you think about smoking prohibitions everywhere? I am not a smoker, and I think that non-smokers should be protected from smokers, but smokers do have their own right to smoke when and where they do not cause inconveniences of people around them, and I am afraid that nowadays this right is already violated...

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Your husband has a very American view toward guns. :) Re smoking, I really hate it! I remember during my first journey in Russia going to a pub and being completely engulfed in smoke. It irritates my eyes, and leaves a horrible smell on clothes and hair. So, I support full smoking bans in restaurants, airports, stores, public transport, etc. As you probably know, in America we have had smoke-free environments in public places for a long time. However, I understand the prohibition is very recent in Russia. Do citizens actually obey the law, or do people still smoke in pubs? In many bars here, there will be an outside space dedicated to smokers, and almost all American airports have enclosed smoke rooms for travelers, so there are still options available to smokers, but they are limited. Smoking is much less popular in America than overseas.