Gun control is all the rage nationwide in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook mass shooting. Even today there was another shooting at a California school. Politically, the left looks poised to go after guns with new, stringent gun control laws while the right is arguing fervently against them. Meanwhile, guns are flying off shelves across the country, as millions seek to exercise a right that might be in jeopardy—or at least more difficult to exercise.
New York, Illinois, and other states’ officials have already announced their intent to pursue greater gun control. The president even tabbed Vice President Biden to head a task force to reduce gun violence. Earlier this week, Biden said President Obama is willing to act through executive order if necessary, a statement that has drawn fire from the right for its questionable constitutionality.
Conversely, right-leaning states are taking the opposite approach. One county sheriff—in Maricopa County, Arizona—wants to put armed security guards at schools.
Citizens are filling concealed carry classes and quickly buying up available guns and ammunition.
In Ohio, Governor John Kasich signed a pro-gun law in December, just weeks after Sandy Hook. The Buckeye Firearms Association offered discounts to teachers wishing to take concealed carry courses. In fact, Springboro City Schools is mulling the idea to allow teachers to pack in the classroom.
So once again, another contentious issue is causing the poles to widen. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo exuberantly presented his proposal in a press conference on Wednesday. Alex Jones went bananas on CNN to host Piers Morgan, a vocal gun control advocate.
Well-intentioned, the left appears to be narrowly focused on access to guns, themselves, largely by restricting allowable weapons and making them harder to acquire. And for law-abiding citizens, at that. Meanwhile, the right is focused on maintaining a constitutional right they see as under assault. With the president willing to expend much political capital on this issue, the current gun control debate could have lasting political consequences for whoever wins.
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