The Almighty Gun Or The Almighty Dollar?

In the past few years, there have been too many crimes that have involved firearms.

From the shooting at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas on April 2, 2009 to the rampage that broke near Santa Barbara University in California on May 24. On October 24, a school shooting occurred at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Washington State.

Though all these events are unrelated, they remind us of a national issue that has apparently been given little to no serious thought. How did 14-year-old Jaylen Fryberg have access to a 40-caliber handgun? This made me curious as to what other people thought about this issue. So I randomly asked a few students to share their thoughts on gun control.

Students who were against gun control argued that people will always find some way to obtain guns despite the government’s policies. Another argument was that crimes would be prevented if endangered citizens were armed and able to defend themselves. There was the popular statement of our “untouchable” second Amendment as well as the occasional: “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.”

Although they all made interesting arguments I could not shake the feeling that I had heard it all before. They were being regurgitated like a broken record and none of these arguments held tangible reasons for why owning a handgun is OK. Having solid gun control legislation could have prevented the tragedies at Sandy Hook elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, The Batman rampage in the Century 16 theatre in Colorado and Jared Lee Loughner’s shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in January 2011.

So when are we finally going to take this issue seriously? How many shootings will it take for society to wake up? When will legislators understand that the enactment of laws must be aimed at the well-being of people, not dollar profits.

I am all for gun control. I believe that corporations that sell firearms should be put under strict watch by the government with a council enforcing all guidelines such as who to sell guns to and how many they can obtain.

Each civilian who buys a gun will undergo a thorough process to be permitted to carry it. They will be thoroughly investigated and put under psychoanalysis before appearing in front of a city panel to present their reasons on wanting to own a gun. Failure to comply with the guidelines will lead to fines, seized weapons and permit withdrawals.