The United States should ban all guns for citizens. Guns have been around for centuries and are one of the core amendment rights. Gun accessibility being controlled or even slightly mitigated seems almost like a fairy tale. A few years ago, a bill was presented in Congress that would create a detailed background check if someone wanted to purchase a gun in any state. This bill was tabled, and Americans wonder why. Power is the most simple and obvious answer. Weapons equal power and position in not only the U.S. but the world. A weapons arsenal has become more valued than respect and kindness among international peers.
Though the country has become a military powerhouse, it has also become a life hazard for its citizens and, more than ever, its students. Dating back to the 90s, with tragedies like Columbine being the most highlighted, school shootings have begun to plague this country, instilling fear and unrest in communities.
Children are terrified to go to school because of what has been done to others like them when a deranged individual can waltz into their learning environment and harm them. The Uvalde Massacre that left 21 dead is among recent shootings that have weighed heavy on the hearts of the compassionate in this country. In addition, a shooting in a shopping market in Buffalo, New York, left 10 people of color dead, and a shooting in California left several Asian churchgoers dead. This has all transpired in the last month. The suspect in the Uvalde shooting was 18 years old and managed to purchase two automatic rifles and 375 rounds of ammunition.
Guns give them power; it allows these shooters to feel powerful and above the law. These criminals then take lives and act as if they are clinically insane. A person does not drive 200 miles with automatic weapons to a predominantly Black supermarket due to being insane; it is because he is hateful.
It was racially fueled; this is a fact. He murdered those innocent people and broadcasted it to the world. As he recorded this disgusting display of terrorism, for a moment, he encountered a white male, apologized to the male for pointing his gun at him, and proceeded to target the people of color. All victims were people of color. The Buffalo shooter was 18 and intentionally bought automatic weapons used in the supermarket shooting and drove 200 miles to reach the supermarket.
Congressional Action Needed to Stop Gun Violence
There is never a simple answer for these subjects of violence and abuse of power, but there must be imminent and swift action. The shootings continue to occur, and families continue to bury their own. It has become so consistent that people have become numb.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said that “we can’t get numb to this” after the Uvalde shooting and expressed his stance at a press briefing for the western conference finals against the Dallas Mavericks this past May. Kerr dealt with tragedy in his family after his father, Malcolm H. Kerr, on January 18, 1984. If something like this can touch a man playing in the finals for an NBA championship, it can reach anyone.
It would be a shift in reality if the government were to change the constitution and take the right to bear arms, but that will likely never happen. This will not happen because those in power don’t want to give up their leverage. Power becomes plentiful for those in politics, and the plenty becomes unsatisfying. Their greed and ignorance in Congress are evident. If it was not, why was the background check reform law tabled?
Too Close to Home
Although this has become a national issue, it is a lifelong one for me. I have seen executions, shootouts, and abuse in my neighborhood from gun violence. In addition, I lost my uncle after he was shot in the head by gang members, my cousin met the same fate at nine years old, and another cousin lost his life before he turned 21.
These are only a few many I have lost while living in a city that has become one of love and hate for me. I walk outside, knowing it could be my last walk. I grew up in a rough neighborhood in grand crossing. My neighbor was killed in June of 2012 on his front porch. I witnessed a shootout in front of my elementary school while being dismissed and became paranoid. I felt powerless, and gun control became a topic of interest. I joined in on protests with my family following the death of my younger cousin. This is more than politics; it is a personal vendetta to stop gun violence and enable gun removal.
Opinion by Mikal Eggleston
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
ESPN: Live Television
Neighborhood Scout: Chicago Illinois Crime Rate
AP News: 22 mass shootings. 374 dead. Here’s where the guns came from; by Michael R. Sisak
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Duncan C’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Lorie Shaull’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
