If we turn on the news today we can see another 20+ children and adults are dead at yet another school shooting in the USA. Not only in this another horrible tragedy, but it calls to mind an argument I had with an American online no more than a few days ago. It was about American "rights" to have a gun, that "gun's don't kill people, people kill people". When I told him that guns make it easy for weak people to kill people he really couldn't disagree, and he wasn't willing to think of a solution which might entail making things more difficult for him to own a gun himself. I can't denounce what has happened enough, and as a teacher myself I really feel for the people involved. But what I can do is tell you, in plain English, why it happened.
It is about that "right" that many American's believe in unquestionably. That "right" to own a gun. We all know it was written during those wars where soldiers would invade the homes of the innocent and rape and pillage just because they were the winners. We all know that sordid part of American history. Yes, it was wise to have a weapon during a period of civil war.
America is of course no longer in a civil war but unfortunately there is still fear, and lots of it, that I'm sure gunsmiths love to play on. Not to mention the self confessed "gun nuts" which love having the power of death at their finger-tips and don't lie, that's what you love, you love that sense of power, of being strong without actually having to be physically or mentally well equipped. There is still a distinct lack of any real gun control. Being able to buy a gun at whatever large chain "everything store" is just ridiculous. But wait. I'm rambling now. Let's have a quick think about what it would be like if America tightened up its gun laws using the power of our imagination.
Gun's would no-longer be so readily available, if it were like New Zealand's laws you can see just how difficult it is to own a pistol or other restricted weapons. And that the police are involved when you want a license. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics_in_New_Zealand#Current_firearm_law in fact, the culture in New Zealand is, that if you own anything other than a rifle for hunting, people actually look at you like you're strange. There actually is no need at all to own anything.
So, with the difficulty of even getting a license to own one of these weapons going up, most people would put it in the too hard basket when thinking about buying a weapon. And, if we really think about it, there would be a lot less weapons out there for people to steal and sell on the black market. Which might just make it harder for crazies like the one that just murdered 20 innocent humans in cold blood, though I'm sure somehow he bought his weapons legally.
Speaking of crime, lets just think about how even owning a weapon without a license would make it that much easier to persecute and invade known criminals and their homes. It would make it so much easier to get those guns off the street's, and while you're at it, find other more interesting evidence of crime in their house.
But wait, I'm sure many of you feel like I am encroaching on your "rights" as written on that often quite amazing piece of documentation. I am not trying to take away rights here. I am simply saying that owning a gun is not a right. It is a privilege. And it should be reserved for the real, trained, professional protectors of your society - NOT Joe Bloggs from down the street that doesn't even have a gun safe, and NOT for the gang banger who is simply going to get told off for not having a permit.
I'm sure this little rant isn't going to convince all of you that you're safe in your homes. I'm sure that many of you agree with what I'm saying with all your hearts. But I'm also sure that if that gunman had invaded that school with only a knife or a baseball bat, the human cost of his tragedy would not have been so high, and there would be a lot more heroes to talk about today; instead of martyrs to America's obsession with guns.
If the President really were going to do "everything in his power" to help the victims of this heinous crime, and to help protect the future children of this country, he would consider fixing this one piece of legislation.
