For years, the issue of firearms has been discussed due to repeated misuse of weapons, specifically in school shootings, and acts of terrorism. But the issue hasn’t been about what we can do to stop these individuals from hurting others with weapons, it’s been about what we can do to stop weapons from hurting people. This isn’t the correct mentality, and it needs to be addressed.
Weapons come in many different forms, from blades such as knives and swords, to explosive’s such as grenades. But most commonly known, and possibly the most efficient, is a gun. Whether it be a handgun, and semi-automatic, or a fully automatic rifle. All guns, and weapons, are extremely dangerous, and should be handled with the utmost caution. But when a weapon has a bullet in the chamber, but no-one to fire it, is it really dangerous? Sure the gun can go off by accident, but if it’s stationary, how is that going to happen unless something or someone touches it first.
Yes, a solution to the problem of gun control could be to take guns away. But what does that do for our country? It leaves it’s citizens defenseless, even designated officers who own firearms. That is if the police force is allowed to possess weapons. It not only does this, but it completely rejects the second amendment of the Bill of Rights. We as American citizens have a right to own a firearm so that we can defend ourselves against threats close to our home. If guns are stripped from the American people, that gives the criminal population an increased opportunity to successfully commit a crime.
It’s true that guns are only used as a last resort to deal with crime. But it has been the most effective way to deal with rebellious convicts and suspects. What are officers supposed to do if they only have their fists to aid them in a possible knife fight? Even if multiple officers are available, the convict or suspect still has the potential to inflict major or fatal injuries. So even if the people’s guns are taken, the police force still needs to possess the ability to wield firearms to deal with the criminal population.
However, this doesn’t by any means that school shootings and the like can be dealt with by arming the teachers. As stated previously, firearms are extremely dangerous, even if they require a person to wield them. Arming the faculty of any school has the possibility to make students feel uncomfortable at the least. Having a loaded weapon so close to students goes against school policy everywhere. A school’s job is to make students feel safe. At most, school’s should have more than one officer with a handheld weapon on campus. Not all assailants have been under the age of 18. This is not to say that school faculty would be responsible for any shootings that may take place. Arming the faculty simply increases the likelihood of a shooting. Guns would no longer be an abnormality within the school, giving assailants a possible opportunity to smuggle a weapon into the school.
People will always have a dark side to them, so there will always be the risk that there are people willing to commit horrible crimes. But the weapons aren’t the one’s to blame when it comes to who committed the crime. They’re inanimate objects; We can’t put them on trial like a normal human, because they’re not even human. It is true that firearms are used to commit crimes, but there is no possible way that a gun can “commit” a crime. So why is it that some people would argue that if we take away the weapons used for crimes, that the crime’s being committed will cease? It just doesn’t make any sense.
While it is hard to come come up with a solution to stopping the crimes that are taking place, there are multiple angles to try and solve the problem. There is the obvious solution, take all guns away in general. But as said previously, that would only hinder the American people from protecting themselves, and Law Enforcement from preventing crimes. While Background checks have been a big step in trying to solve the problem, there are other ways for people with poor intentions to obtain the weapons they want to aid them in committing their crimes. Guns can’t control what people do with them. But we as people can control what we do with guns.
