On July 20, a quiet but successful medical student posing as the Joker walked into a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. With a semi-automatic firearm, he shot into the crowd, eventually killing 12 people and injuring 78. After the gunshots subsided, what remained were anger and a rekindling of the gun control debate.
Mass shootings are still a very current and stubborn issue, and many cases are still clear in the current consciousness. But at the same time, weapons regulation has lowered. Conservative politicians have advocated gun deregulation as the necessity for the protection of constitutional rights. They fear the rise of government legislation will lead to the decline of American independence.
However, that argument is partially fueled by political opportunity instead of being purely a concern for personal rights. The Republican Party, who has been the voice of deregulation, has used this issue to gain support from conservative citizens, like the National Rifle Association. In the process, they sacrifice objective judgment and compromise. These people are denying the dangerous and violent consequences of such deregulation, all for the sake of image.
Of course, there are many factors in the creation of a violent shooting, for example psychological illness or exposure to violence. But while these factors are almost impossible to control without surveillance and greater violations in political rights, governments can control the sale of firearms. Currently, the availability and presence of firearms is dangerously high. Purchasing guns at gun expos require little to no background checks, while purchasing guns in stores does require them. Forty-eight states allow citizens to carry guns openly in public. And in Florida, the Stand Your Ground law, which allows civilians to use guns in public for self-defense, has led to mishaps and controversies like the Trayvon Martin case.
People must forget the paranoia about losing personal liberties in favor of gun control. Regulation will not eliminate the right to own firearms, nor will it hurt the independence of the American people. Instead, it is necessary to protect the security of the country. Conservatives accept the ideas of the liberals, and both must compromise in order to enact change.
I totally agree with you in that we need to consider stricter gun control. Awesome job!