With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I decided to dedicate this column to the truest American romance story: our love affair with guns. However, like any romance, I have mixed emotions and deep commitment issues. Heavy bipartisan discussions, research and American protests for both sides of gun rights have come even further into the light since the tragic Sandy Hook shooting in December.
Gun control is not a new issue — fully automatic handguns have been regulated since 1934. Although the National Rifle Association has been seen as a stifling lobbyist group, they deserve some credit for changing their opinions with time and technology. The NRA was a strong supporter of the Gun Control Act of 1968, which was the start of point-of-purchase background checks.
However, not all bans in the nation’s past have stuck. In 1994, the Assault Weapons Ban was passed but was left to expire a decade later. This ban is being debated again in Congress, which includes looking at the current system for background checks. It is a reform that is, in general, welcomed by both sides (even 74 percent of NRA members support background checks for gun purchasers).
Even some of our most liberal politicians and commentators admit there is not one singular answer to end all of the gun violence in our country. On Thursday, Vice President Joe Biden said, “Nothing we are going to do is fundamentally going to alter or eliminate the possibility of another mass shooting or guarantee we will bring gun deaths down.”
Gun control is an issue which I feel personally conflicted about. When I am constantly seeing mass shootings occur, I become angry and feel like the government should just swoop in and make it better, but that is not possible. At the same time, I grew up with guns in my house and learned about the safety surrounding those guns.
My mom works at an elementary school, and I immediately think of her and all of the amazing staff in the school every time there is a discussion about a mass shooting at any elementary school. It terrifies me. I would completely support her decision to gain a concealed carry permit, just as I have considered obtaining one in the future.
That being said, I think the Second Amendment is not something gun supporters can hide behind anymore. When I hear people say that “it is what our Founding Fathers wanted,” I cringe. I do not believe the framers of the Constitution anticipated the advances we as a society have made to kill each other. We are not talking muskets any more. This is the problem: I do not understand why private citizens need high-magazine clips or armor-piercing rounds.
However, I believe it is not just guns that are a problem. The United States has a huge mental health epidemic on its hands. An increase in mental health screenings partnered with stricter gun control might decrease the mass shootings we see. Next time you are in a pharmacy and see a prescription is needed to buy cold medicine, ask yourself why there is not a prescription required for a gun.
I agree with Biden — there is no way to eliminate gun violence in this country — but I am hopeful we can curtail it. These solutions will not be solely found in Congress, new laws or policies but within the American people taking a step back to look at the culture we all have created.