The argument for gun control.
1 Comments Published by Nisha Chittal on Thursday, October 30, 2008 at 12:59 AM.
Three weeks ago, University of Illinois officials found an anonymous threatening note saying that a student is planning to shoot someone on campus on Halloween. Everyone keeps asking why someone would do it, or if they're really going to do it. But I think what you should really ask is: how do these people get guns in the first place?
The note, discovered in early October, said that the author had shot a window of a car in a parking lot near campus in early October, and planned to shoot someone on Green Street, in the center of campus, on Halloween night. Sure enough, police received a report that night that a window of a car in the exact parking lot mentioned in the note had been shot that night.
We've been getting emails about it all week from campus administration. They've been investigating all month, but haven't made any progress in identifying the author of the note. Everyone on campus is continuing with their Halloween plans as usual, but making note to stay away from Green Street, because no one has any idea what will happen tonight.
It's times like these when I can't even understand the argument against gun control. What is the point? Why are people so protective of their right to own a firearm? What will you (assuming you are a law-abiding citizen) do with it? Hunt? Is that even important? Keep it in your house in case of an intruder? Buy an alarm system. People have way too much easy access to firearms; instead of protecting people the Second Amendment is allowing more gun violence by allowing guns into the hands of anyone, like the author of this note.
Sarah Palin is a life member of the NRA. She loves her Second Amendment-given right to own a gun and shoot as much Alaskan wildlife as she can reach. But wouldn't it be worth giving up your ability to shoot a few more animals if it meant schools everywhere were safer because less people were able to buy guns? Gun violence has to be reduced, and that means that some gun owners in America have to make some sacrifices. But if it prevents incidents like Virginia Tech or the recent shooting at the University of Central Arkansas, I think it's a sacrifice people should be willing to make to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous people.
The note, discovered in early October, said that the author had shot a window of a car in a parking lot near campus in early October, and planned to shoot someone on Green Street, in the center of campus, on Halloween night. Sure enough, police received a report that night that a window of a car in the exact parking lot mentioned in the note had been shot that night.
We've been getting emails about it all week from campus administration. They've been investigating all month, but haven't made any progress in identifying the author of the note. Everyone on campus is continuing with their Halloween plans as usual, but making note to stay away from Green Street, because no one has any idea what will happen tonight.
It's times like these when I can't even understand the argument against gun control. What is the point? Why are people so protective of their right to own a firearm? What will you (assuming you are a law-abiding citizen) do with it? Hunt? Is that even important? Keep it in your house in case of an intruder? Buy an alarm system. People have way too much easy access to firearms; instead of protecting people the Second Amendment is allowing more gun violence by allowing guns into the hands of anyone, like the author of this note.
Sarah Palin is a life member of the NRA. She loves her Second Amendment-given right to own a gun and shoot as much Alaskan wildlife as she can reach. But wouldn't it be worth giving up your ability to shoot a few more animals if it meant schools everywhere were safer because less people were able to buy guns? Gun violence has to be reduced, and that means that some gun owners in America have to make some sacrifices. But if it prevents incidents like Virginia Tech or the recent shooting at the University of Central Arkansas, I think it's a sacrifice people should be willing to make to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous people.
Labels: politics
I feel like this is a circular argument that no one will ever win. People want guns for hunting, protection...but there's no reason for anyone to have a handgun, or even an AK-47 underneath their pillow.
Here's a suggestion: Let's go back to muskets. Everyone has to pack gunpowder in and light a fuse, just like during the Revolutionary War. You can still hunt and protect yourself, but it's a huge pain in the ass. Problem solved.