The world was waiting for word from the National Rifle Association (NRA) on the position they will take after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. However, the news they got from the NRA yesterday was not what they wanted. According to The Vancouver Sun, instead of reevaluating the needs for Americans to carry guns, the NRA is standing their ground and calling more Americans to carry guns.
The NRA wants to see armed guards in every school in the country. Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre said attempts to keep guns out of schools were ineffective and made schools more vulnerable than airports, banks, and other public buildings patrolled by armed guards. He said, “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,"
LaPierre is calling on lawmakers to station armed police officers in all schools by the time children return from the Christmas break in January.” Wayne LaPierre asked Washington, "Does anybody really believe that the next Adam Lanza isn't planning his attack on a school he's already identified at this very moment?"
Although it is quite safe to say that everyone knows that it will happen again, protesters at the Washington briefing do not feel that you fight violence with violence. The solution is not to stop deaths that occur through guns by having more guns.
Instead of taking responsibility the NRA chooses to blame violent video games as a reason for more shootings in America. They do not see their part in this tragedy by advocating for more guns in public. A gun society has not proven to take care of criminal activity at least in America. It just gives citizens a false sense of security.
Controversy on gun control
More guns for the public
The controversy continues over gun control in America. It might be a long time before it is resolved. Many will agree that guns should be owned by responsible people; the trouble is some of these mass murders are committed by the mentally ill. The point here is not to put blame on the mentally ill but to help them before they kill others and turn the weapons on themselves.
Charles Krauthammer, contributor for the Washington Post states,”Random mass killings were three times more common in the 2000s than in the 1980s, when gun laws were actually weaker. Yet a 2011 University of California at Berkeley study found that states with strong civil commitment laws have about a one-third lower homicide rate.”
Yet, we must remember that Columbine High School had an armed guard and that massacre still happened. Therefore, advocating for more security and more weapons do not completely solve the problem.
According to Time World, Switzerland is an example of a gun culture. There are no crimes associated with gun possession in the country. The country’s gun culture is responsible and supportive.
Gun restrictions
Then we have restrictions on gun control in Canada. Canadians feel that gun control is the reason there are less homicides and mass murders in the nation. Unfortunately, The Toronto Star reveals though the country is now in the process of debating new gun control legislation, the fact is that guns including assault rifles can be purchased over the Internet. There are far less mass murders in Canada; but, they do exist even with gun control.
A cultural change for America
The entire culture needs to be changed for America to become a responsible gun carrying society. People who are mentally ill and considered dangerous must be treated before tragedies like this elementary school shooting reoccur.
However, to add more security and have armed guards at Sandy Hook Elementary School and other schools in the nation may very well further dramatize these young children. The Washington Post writes that children may feel less safe with armed guards posted at their schools.
In the case of Sandy Hook, the children will be constantly reminded of the tragedy by seeing the arm guards. Instead of making them feel secure, the presence of armed guards may very well backfire and make them more fearful. What is needed for these children is to restore a sense of normalcy not renewed fear.
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