More than half of our country wants more comprehensive gun control. For the people out there who like their guns, this doesn’t mean the majority wants to take away everyone’s guns, despite what the NRA keeps telling you. In fact, many of those people are gun owners. But the NRA loves saying that, because people who believe them run out and buy more guns. It’s great for the gun manufacturers’ bottom line.
It’s possible those children and teachers in Uvalde might still be alive today if there were background checks, waiting periods, and a higher age limit.
About now some of you might be saying, “If someone wants to get a gun, then they’ll find some way to do it.”
True. But why do you want to make it easier on them? While it won’t prevent all shootings, it will prevent some. And if we save even one life, isn’t it worth it?
I suppose about now some of you say it is YOUR right to buy a gun—any gun—whenever you want, because that’s what the 2nd Amendment says!
But does it really?
The 1st Amendment, which states, “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” means (according to the Supreme Court) that it protects all types of speech and press, even pornography. BUT the court ruled that there are two types of pornography it does not protect, obscenity and child pornography.
So, even though the Constitution never expressly excluded “obscenity and child pornography” when adding the 1st Amendment, the Supreme Court limited free speech.
In my opinion, obscenity is rather vague, but I totally agree with the child pornography ruling, because it is our duty to protect children. Of course, this does not mean child porn laws stops all child porn.
And now, to the 2nd Amendment. Why can’t we regulate guns like we do speech, to protect children? Both guns and speech/press are protected under the constitution. Why should guns be exempt when it comes to protecting children, but speech/press isn’t?
According to what I’ve read, 98% of mass shootings are committed by men—young men, typically under 33, often 18 or younger. Why make it so easy for an 18-year-old male to buy a firearm like the one used in Uvalde?
There is an old saying about not reinventing the wheel. If we want to find a solution to this problem, why aren’t we studying what other countries are doing? Why is it just our country that seems to have this problem?
And I don’t believe this is a state issue—it should be a federal issue. It’s useless to have background checks, waiting limits or age requirements in one state, when all someone has to do is cross the border into another state and buy a weapon.
Congress needs to at the very least open a discussion. But as long as the NRA continues to buy Senators, they will keep avoiding examining real solutions, and continue to focus primarily on more good guys with guns. But we all saw how that worked out in Uvalde.
It’s heartbreaking to see another mass school shooting in America and totally and utterly bewildering to see that States have their own laws when it comes to the important and dangerous issue of gun laws. I live in the UK. My dad and Uncles have all had guns most of their adult lives for hunting rabbits. Yes everyday people own guns here too. The checks they have to go through, police background checks, medical checks – physical and mental, the security in their homes, gun cabinet checks, references etc are very thorough and happen throughout Great Britain. They don’t change county to county. They protect us and so very few shootings happen. They have happened in my lifetime though – Dunblane Primary School in 1996. My husbands family went to that school and his grandparents are buried within meters of the 17 graves of the primary school children and their teacher taken that day. It profoundly affected me and I cannot help but cry if I see anything on an anniversary. If it did that to me what did it do to the children’s families and not just that generation but generations to come? I’ve seen their graves twice. Once a couple of years after the shooting and once again when they would have all been turning 21. 21st birthday balloons attached to their headstones along with birthday messages & cards. Some of our gun laws changed after that, throughout the UK. Wake up politicians of America. Get a back bone, stand up to the neanderthals, stop hiding behind the constitution and defend your children by changing laws, not giving people the right to own more guns.
I agree….