Stop Whining — Gun Laws Aren’t Violating Your Rights
No one’s right to bear arms is being infringed upon because of gun control… well, that is with the exception of a few groups. The groups impacted most by gun control laws are domestic abusers, individuals suffering from psychotic disorders, people under the age of 21, and those few individuals intent on causing others suffering. If you fall into any of those groups, then feel free to continue yelling about your rights being “infringed upon.” Consider the below talk and understand the term “space” as “difficult to act” or “increased wait times before an action.”
Gun control laws are not in place to take away your rights as an American citizen. The second amendment has been subject to constitutional interpretations defined using the lens of textualism or continual change. I won’t bother trying to sway anyone’s understanding of such but instead focus on mitigating the harm done by the allowance of firearms.
The argument that guns stop crimes is a fallacy. In reality, guns are more likely to be used in a crime than they are to be used to stop one. Harvard University has presented an assortment of research examining the impact of legal gun possession. Legal possession of a firearm had more significant instances of negative behaviors/outcomes (intimidation, threatening, suicide) compared to the number of occurrences where a gun was used in self-defense.
Gun violence is a severe problem in America that needs to be addressed through reform. Gun control laws are necessary to protect the safety of all Americans. Regulating gun purchases will not solve every problem, as most regulations do not, but it is a step in the right direction. Gun control laws focused on background checks, mandatory waiting periods, mandated training, and assault rifle bans decrease the likelihood of acquisition for domestic abusers and the criminally insane.
All things said, let’s empathize with one another to reduce the amount of pain incurred on our planet.
References
Harvard School of Public Health. (2016, June 30). Gun threats and self-defense gun use. Harvard Injury Control Research Center. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/hicrc/firearms-research/gun-threats-and-self-defense-gun-use-2/
