It’s sad to think 2012 ended with the slaying of 28 lives in Newtown, Connecticut. Sadder still is that between Jan. 10 and Jan. 23 there have been five recorded school shootings spread across the United States.
Two happened in high schools, one in California and one in Michigan. The other three were in colleges in Missouri, Kentucky and Texas. Out of the five, three people died and eight were injured.
Obviously something has to change. Shootings are become so common in the United States that the news hardly raises an eyebrow. The first thing that comes to mind is the law regarding purchasing guns. After the tragic shooting in Connecticut, social media networks were bombarded with opinions and angry outburts on Facebook, including opinions such as “you think it’s your right to own firearms? Tell that to the parents burying their seven-year-old kid.”
While the lax rules in the United States are definitely something that need to be addressed, there are several of other factors that need to be considered as well. Yes it’s disturbing that, according to bloomberg.com, 1,200 out of the 4,000 Walmart stores in the United States sell military-style rifles and ammunition to the public, often “running out of stock due to customer demand.”
According to the CBC website, in Canada it can take up to 60 days to obtain a firearm after you register, take a course and pass a background check. In many states all that is needed is a piece of ID such as a driver’s licence, then you’re free to purchase your weapon of choice.
Saying that we should just get rid of all guns and only let law enforcement officers have weapons is not a realistic solution. Even though some people hate it, guns do have a part in society. Many people use guns for recreational activities such as hunting, which is an important part of balancing nature and should not be punished.
Some people believe that increasing security measures is the answer, suggesting armed guards at schools. The trouble with this is it can quickly cross the line. If there are armed guards at schools, then maybe we should have them in the mall and in movie theatres. From there, where would it stop?
Something that needs to be considered is how society has glorified violence in the form of realistic video games and Hollywood movies.
Pyschologytoday.com has a list of people who have murdered large numbers using guns and have also mentioned they played violent video games, such as Modern Warfare 2 and Doom. The list names 10 places as examples. Some of the offenders even said they used these video games to “practise shooting people.”
While the article does say that it’s not possible to know whether playing these games caused these killing sprees, it’s a statistic that cannot be ignored. When a person is repeatedly exposing themselves to artificial violence it can desensitize them to the real thing. It’s not fair to say every person who plays these games or watches these movies will shoot someone, but if there is proof that a large number of people who do go on rampages take part in these type of games, that should be something taken into consideration. It should be enough to stop the production of something that may contribute in the destruction of lives.
We all have a role to play in helping stop gun violence. If you do own any type of weapon, make sure it’s locked up safely. There is a place for guns but only if they are wisely managed. If you’re a parent, be wise what you let into your children’s minds. It can affect them in bigger ways then you might imagine.
