With the lens of public focus staring at South Carolina, the issue of mass shootings in America is bubbling under the surface of the minds of Americans everywhere. It seems strange that after the incidents that have taken place in the last five years alone, that very little meaningful legislation has been passed to attempt to stifle the growing body count in America. It is far past time for serious gun control laws to be put in place here and enacted here in this country.
With the lens of public focus staring at South Carolina, the issue of mass shootings in America is bubbling under the surface of the minds of Americans everywhere. It seems strange that after the incidents that have taken place in the last five years alone, that very little meaningful legislation has been passed to attempt to stifle the growing body count in America. It is far past time for serious gun control laws to be put in place here and enacted here in this country.
The phrase “gun control” has become somewhat of a taboo, or swear word in America. People are quick to spring to the defense of the Second Amendment and their right to bear arms. But, it is important to examine the fact that the amendments written and applied over 200 years ago were written to apply to the situations taking place 200 years ago. The arms that the Second Amendment refers to were mostly single shot muskets and possibly primitive pistols,.
With the fast advancements of weaponry, and the ease with which citizens can obtain and carry weapons in modern times, it is difficult to argue that the 2nd amendment could have possibly be referred to the weapons that we have now. Assault rifles and similar weaponry are more than the average citizen would need in order to defend themselves. People in the military require extensive and proper training in the use of these weapons, but many of the same guns can be purchased privately in the country.
According to the LA Times and an FBI report mass shootings in America have nearly tripled in recent years. From Sandy Hook, to the Colorado movie theater, to Charleston, the body count only seems to rise with little sign any effective change on the horizon. It has become so regular in American society to see these atrocious acts of terrorism in our country, that even our news media will sometimes introduce news bulletins on mass shootings as “yet another” occurrence. This is far from what the proper reaction to this information should be. But it is far past time for this country to put an end to these horrific shootings.
It is time for us as a country to ask ourselves whether it is our right to sell and carry firearms as citizens and if we as a society can maintain our moral integrity while allowing this to happen. American’s must ask themselves if not having gun control laws is equal to the cost of the countless human lives that are lost as a repercussion of our societal negligence and refusal to properly and effectively handle this out of control situation.
Let us amend our laws so that no more innocent civilians will be gunned down by overly armed terrorists on our own soil. Because it is slowly becoming more and more clear that every life that is lost as a result of these shootings must lie on the consciences of every American citizen.
