Gun Violence in America: How We Can Stop It Together
By: Shivansh Sharma
Amongst the many issues prevalent in American society, none is more so than the looming carnage of gun violence. Since 1791, when the second amendment was passed by Congress, Americans have been abusing this right. The second amendment states that that the right of the people to maintain and bear arms so that they can maintain a militia, America has twisted those words, and now, greedy corporations such as the NRA are banking off of the fear that the government will “strip Americans of their rights” by repealing gun laws to decrease gun violence in the US.
Statistics show the bloody mark gun violence has left upon an otherwise developed country, the United States. Over 40,000 Americans die each year from gun violence, which averages out to around 100 a day. This horrifying statistic is not the proof of gun violence’s deadly rampage. In fact, a US citizen has a 25 times higher risk of being shot than in another developed country, the government is surprisingly lax about gun laws, and the US has the most guns: over 393 million of them. The sad thing is, all of this violence is not directed solely towards adults. In 2012, Adam Lanza shot and killed 26 children at Sandy Hook Elementary school: 20 children between the ages of 6 and 7 years old, and 6 staff members. This type of violence was completely uncalled for, and it prompted serious consideration into gun rights, and even prompted the background check method that all gun stores have now implemented into their security programs.
One of the ways that we can combat this issue in our country is by appealing to the NRA. If enough people appeal against the organization and demand that it changes its laws and its procedures of selling guns, it might do that, and it might even ban the sale of guns altogether. The US can even go so far as to petition against the second amendment and to get it re-written to be completely erased, for that matter. By doing so, Americans can get more control on gun violence ,which is spreading across our nation like a plague.
Another stigma that affects gun violence is our mental healthcare system. Even though mental institutes in the 20th century were almost like little islands of hell, the healthcare systems today aren’t much better. Many mental conditions, such as bipolar disorder, go easialy undiagnosed, which leads to tragedy. Adam Lanza, the man who shot up Sandy Hook Elementary School. In addition, medication for these mental diseases is costly, and many Americans cannot afford them. All of these combine to form a dangerous brew of violence and unrest that ends in tragedy. We can stop this by changing the mental healthcare system. By making medicines less expensive and bty making diagnosis processes more advanced, this also can be eradicated.
Acts of gun violence are daily tragedies affecting people’s lives every single day all over the globe. Statistics have shown that more than 500 people lose their lives every day because of violence committed by firemen. Gun violence can affect anyone, but in certain situations, firearm violence disproportionately affects communities of women, color, and other marginalized groups of society. Sometimes, the presence of firearms makes people feel threatened and fearful, and the act has long term psychological effects on individuals and the whole community.
Acts of gun violence are not only the murder of an individual. Suicide, domestic violence, intentional homicide, robbery and assault, police brutality, intentional homicide, accidental fireman deaths are also accounted as acts of gun violence. The state is obligated to maximize the protection of human rights, try and create the safest possible environment for people – especially those who are considered to be at great risk. Suppose a state fails at exercising adequate control over the possession and use of firearms in the face of prevailing gun violence. In that case, this could lead to a breach of their obligations under the international human rights law.
Gun control is a set of laws established by the jurisdiction of the country regulating the manufacture, transfer, sale, possession, modifications or use of firearms by civilians. Most countries have restricting fireman guiding policies out of which only a few legislations are categorized as permissive. Owning a gun is a licensed act which requires a lengthy procedure. Civilians are allowed to own a gun if the government thinks that he is eligible to be entitled to one. However, civilians are allowed to own only a few specific kinds of guns specified by the government. Jurisdictions restricting access to firearms typically restrict access to only certain categories of firearms. Then categories of persons are restricted who will be granted a license to have access to a firearm.
The goal of gun control is to prevent someone from willing to harm themselves or other people to have access to a gun. However, gun control is not the answer today’s world is looking for. The most heinous firearm crime is a mass shooting and gun control is not the answer to public mass shootings. Gun control has today become a social issue as it not only affects the victim but also the family of the victims, friends and community. Gun violence and gun control are seen as a social issue, as the impact of shooting is much larger than one person. Instead, it affects communities and families, and the simple shockwave of the death of just one person sends out a shockwave that shakes society to its core. That is why it is extremely important to eradicate gun violence in our country, down to its last, tiniest roots.
When people are frightened of gun violence, it can harm people’s health care or even the right to education. This is because people are too afraid of sending their children to schools or avail health facilities – when these activities might not fully function due to fireman violence in their community.
Originally published on 2/23/2022.