On Wednesday, January 09, 2013, members of the White House’s gun violence task force, including U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, gun safety advocate groups and gun violence victims met to discuss gun control issues, beginning a series of meetings to discuss a plan of action to curb gun violence. According to a report by USA Today, Vice President Joe Biden, who is head of the task force, vowed to take action against gun violence, stating:
“The president is going to act. There are executive orders, there’s executive action that can be taken. We haven’t decided what that is yet. But we’re compiling it all with the help of the Attorney General and the rest of the Cabinet members as well as legislative action that we believe is required.”
The Vice President then goes on to say:
“The president and I are determined to take action. This is not an exercise in photo opportunities or just to getting to ask you all what your opinions are. We are vitally interested in what you have to say.”
Although the actions to be taken were not elaborated upon, these statements leave many Americans feeling uneasy about upcoming events. The mention of executive orders in reference to gun control screams of dictatorship and a tyrannical government.
Historically, executive orders have fallen under criticism, sometimes sparking accusations of mistreatment of authority, and allowing the President to make laws without the approval of Congress.
While Vice President Biden states that they are interested in what the American people have to say, some wonder how sincere he is in making this statement. Recent polls show that the majority of Americans do not support an assault weapon and high-capacity magazine ban. Additionally, the mere idea of the government confiscating firearms and essentially infringing on the unalienable right to keep and bear arms does not set well within the greater part of the country.
The cries for tighter gun control came as no surprise following the shootings at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut last month. While certainly all of America wishes for this type tragedy to never happen again, clearly tighter gun laws are not the answer. The idea of disarming the American people is akin to the idea of revoking the right to own cars due to drunk driving fatalities. Blame the person committing the crime, not the instrument of death, as essentially, anything can be used as an instrument of death.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
©2013 Jennifer L. Cruz. All Rights Reserved.
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