Photo courtesy of Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz), Wikipedia
Last weekend’s mass shooting in Las Vegas was yet another gun tragedy in this country. Each new shooting is seemingly labeled the ‘worst shooting in U.S. history,’ and it is reasonable to wonder what it will have to take place before gun control reform is put in place.
Something needs to be done. It’s clearly too easy to obtain a firearm in America and use it as a weapon against scores of innocents. This is, of course, an argument that has been made time and time again; but when dozens are killed, hundreds are wounded and a resounding call for action is not heard from our lawmakers, voices must be raised.
The American government is too relaxed with their screening of citizens who want to buy firearms.
In New Jersey, all one must do is fill out an application, get fingerprinted and sign a waiver releasing mental health records. Citizens can walk into a Wal-Mart and walk past the pacifiers and Kotex to purchase a firearm – a prime example of one-stop shopping at its finest.
In Nevada, it’s legal to own assault weapons and large-capacity magazines for ammunition, per CNN. For what reason would a customer purchase an operable machine gun, other than to use it against others?
According to the New York Times, there were 8,124 homicides in 2014 in which the murder weapon was shown to be a gun.
There are 27 firearm-related deaths a day in the U.S according to a New York Times report. That statistic is ridiculous.
Australia banned guns in 1996, after a single mass shooting and there has not been another such incident within the country since. The New York Times also reported that in Japan, being shot and killed by a gun is a one in 10 million chance, the same as being struck by lightning.
There are alternatives to guns if people are worried about their protection.
Too many innocent people are being murdered for doing absolutely nothing.
The main stance of the Black Lives Matter movement is to protect innocent black victims from being shot by overzealous officers. In England, cops do not even carry on patrol.
There are a plethora of efficient examples of gun control for the United States to follow if they finally decide to do something. Personally, I would love to be able to walk out my door and not have to worry about being shot.
dwehmann@ramapo.edu
