Guns, They're Everywhere

Under the 1968 Gun Control Act, unless a person is convicted of a felony, awaiting trial for a crime, charged for domestic violence, deemed mentally incompetent by a professional, a drug addict, or an illegal alien, buying a firearm isn't much of a problem. An 18 year old person can legally purchase a rifle or shotgun, and a 21 year old can purchase a handgun. Personally I couldn't wait to turn 18 years old. At 18, I quickly got my driver’s license and traveled anywhere I wanted. At 21, I was finally old enough to drink and from what I can recall, had the most amazing birthday. It is troubling to think, however, that as a 21-year-old, I can also skip to the nearest store and buy a gun. To state the obvious, guns are dangerous, kill people, and destroy lives. 

Guns are dangerous weapons to handle, however many people wish to own firearms in order to protect themselves from their government. They feel that having their weapons taken away is equivalent to having their constitutional rights revoked. People argue that without guns, the government has too much power in their hands and can thus freely break into personal homes, destroy individual property, and in some cases, injure or kill innocent people. It is these individuals who believe that guns offer better protection that are turning to an ineffective solution. The role of our government is to maintain order within our society and protect us from harm. If we don’t trust our own government and live in fear that it could totally screw us over, then there are larger issues at hand. We live in a democratic society where it’s our constitutional right to overthrow a corrupt government. A gun does not protect our constitutional rights, nor does it guarantee our safety. Furthermore, the individual possession of firearms cannot compare to the immense firepower and strong army force behind the United States government. If a person wanted to defend themselves from the government, using a handgun might not always give them protection, but it does give them a false sense of security. Personally, that particular fact doesn't make me feel any more secure or motivated to go and buy myself a handgun. Guns are violent, and violence only leads to more violence. Therefore, tackling any corruption within our government would be best if addressed in a manner that doesn't involve explosive firearms. 

Another reason why many people buy guns in general is because they believe that guns offer them protection from crime. The United States consists of the most heavily armed citizens when compared to other places around the world. According Mark Follman to national surveys and manufacturing sales data, it has been reported that the increase in firearms has surpassed the rate of population growth.  Follman says, “In the past four years, across 37 states, the NRA and its political allies have pushed through 99 laws making guns easier to own, carry, and conceal from the government. “ Eighty percent of the people who were involved in armed robberies and gang related violence obtained their guns legally in the United States. This just shows how simple it is for people to buy an instrument that causes the ultimate damage to another’s life. Also, Dr. Stephen Hargarten, a leading expert on emergency medicine and gun violence at the Medical College at Wisconsin, says that there appears to be a relationship between the increased availability in firearms and mass shootings.  There have been two mass shootings per year on average since 1982, and a total of seven in 2012. Armed civilians that attempted to stop the crime from happening usually end up getting shot themselves or cause some sort of bloodshed. Mainly, these civilians due to their inexperience are less likely to hit their targets when compared to trained policemen—who also at times miss shooting their targets. This simple access to guns makes it easier for people to commit a crime rather than prevent it.

It is a scary world out there, and I fully agree that people need to be prepared to protect themselves in a potentially dangerous situation. When a person finds themselves in a hostile environment, there are many non-lethal self-defense weapons they can use to ward off an intruder. These weapons are powerful enough to temporarily harm but not kill an attacker.

Below is a list of self-defensive tools one can buy on eBay as recommended by Joe, a Police Defense Tactics Instructor and Rape Risk Reduction Trainer:

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      TASERs are the best option to control another person. They use a safe amount of electricity in the safe shape that acts as a nerve impulse to effect sensory and motor control nerves.They essentially cause the body to "lock up." The TASER C2 is designed to be used on an attacker to leave behind. The "ride" is 30 seconds - giving you plenty of time to escape.

·         Pepper Spray is the best option for overall control from a distance. Most of the Sprays I carry have a range of between 8-15 feet. Don't listen to the hype about buying nothing less than 10%. That’s a marketing gimmick. As a cop and instructor I am here to tell you that the 2% stuff Fox Labs (Google search them) makes is the best stuff on the market. It dropped me like bag of rocks! 

·         Stun Guns--They look and sound great. I would suggest getting one of these for the house. The only problem with them is you have to touch the person. If you are going to get one I don't suggest anything under 300,000 volts. In fact 600,000 is what I would get. 

·         Batons
 

·         Knives and Wild Kat Key Chains--Obviously if you are defending yourself with a knife or other sharp object deadly force is authorized. 

Chris Rock also offers some alternative solutions on how to decrease gun violence:

Actually, I think he’s onto something!

In all seriousness, we have to face the reality of our government being so lenient with civilians owning firearms. There are too many innocent people that are killed every day due to gun related crimes. When it comes down to it I feel that people want to buy a gun to protect themselves from a gun. If the United States government can either reduce the circulation of guns, or ban guns to civilians in general, then maybe a lot of lives can be saved. No one person has the right to take away or kill another human being, and a gun makes it too easy to do just that.



Sources: 
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Can_anyone_buy_a_gun
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-01-14/opinions/36343989_1_gun-control-debate-gun-control-wayne-lapierre
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/09/mass-shootings-investigation


-Manasa