Living to fight another day

In the United States, it is estimated that between 270 million and 310 million guns are held by civilians. 2011 saw the largest number of total gun injury deaths in the USA in the last 15 years, at 32,163 deaths. In December of last year, Sandy Hook elementary school experienced the tragedy of losing 20 students to an armed gunman. It seems that every time the news is on, there is another shooting, another person dying at the end of a loaded gun. Gun ownership cannot be removed from this country; the second amendment grants citizens the right to bear arms. Thus, policy makers and citizens alike are caught in a bind. On one hand, the legitimacy of the constitution must be upheld, but on the other hand, gun violence is spreading like wildfire through the country. What must be done is still up for debate. Many people are calling for stricter gun laws, such as background checks and bullet and gun restrictions. Others are simply saying it is a matter of being educated in the use of guns. Others are simply saying it is a matter of being educated in the use of guns. Gun control is simply a matter of common sense, which is defined as the basic level of practical knowledge and judgmentthat we all need to help us live in a reasonable and safe way. Thus, gun control can be regulated from the fact that humans should work together to achieve a common goal (and not kill each other along the way).

       In 2008, the percentage of gang-related homicides caused by guns was 92%.However, in 1980, the percentage of homicides caused by firearms during argumentswas about the same as from gang involvement, about 70%. So what happened in the last 20 years? First came the rise of hip hop and “gangster rap.” According to the National Institute of Justice, “homicides committed with firearms peaked in 1993 at 17,075,” which coincided with releases such as “Doggystyle” by Snoop Dogg and “Enta da Stage” by Black Moon. While these are albums that I certainly enjoy, there are many negative messages that can be taken from the lyrics. In “Enta da Stage,” some describe the lyrics as loaded with violentnarratives and braggadocio and little else. Snoop Dogg’s “Doggy Style” incorporates similar tones, with one reviewer stating that the album espouses an irreverent dope, bitches, and gun mentality. This attitude carried onto the streets; many people took what the artists said to heart and began to live the music. While this kind of thing has happened before, the level of violence perpetuated by music had never reached levels like in 1993.The prevalence of gangster rap in America’s society has contributed significantly to gun related violence.

            However, given these statistics, the amount of gun violence in the USA has dropped significantly since 1993. Firearm homicide rates are 49% lower in 2010 than 1993. Other violent crimes involving guns dropped a whopping 75%. Even so, 56% of Americansbelieve that the number of crimes involving a gun is higher than it was 20years ago. I believe this is simply because of media hysteria surrounding mass shootings. While shootings involving many people are widely publicized, they only accounted for 0.8% of homicides in 2008. Thus, coupling the belief of Americans that gun violence is on the rise and the amount of attention media outlets pay to homicides, it is no wonder that gun control is a hot debate.

            So what do we do? Be smart. Be active. The topic of gun control may never go away. As long as the media continues to follow the stories, as long as the United States continues to uphold the constitution (and why wouldn’t it?), as long as organizations such as the NRA exist, guns are here to stay. Many see guns as a form of protection, but it appears that we are not protecting ourselves from just anyone; we are protecting us from ourselves. The only common sense thing to do, in my opinion, is to resist the use of guns. Even when a situation arises where one seems necessary, it is important to remember how powerful they are and how quickly a mistake can be made. Mistakes with guns cannot be taken back – ask Plaxico Burress, who shot himself in the leg at a club and went to jail for 18 months for carrying a concealed firearm. Ask any one of the parents today who have to live with the fact that their child found a gun, that was there for protection, and ended up killing themselves or one of their friends.

            It is only once the public decides to stand up to guns will things change; it might be a civil right, but that civil right was put in place because of the threat of the English Empire. That threat had been alleviated 250 years ago, and now the only threat to our property, privacy, and protection comes from the ones around us, the ones we interact with on a day to day basis. While I understand the importance of protecting one’s worth, it can prove more worthy to stand up and not fight in protest. Through the use of common sense, the worth of a human life makes itself known. Through the use of common sense, one realizes that we are all on the same planet and must work together to create the most meaningful life we can. This is not done through the use of guns, but through the use of rhetoric, debates, and if it comes to it, old fashioned fist fights. Craig’s father in Friday so eloquently put it, “You kids today are nothing but punks. Sissy fighters So quick to pick up a gun. You scared to take an ass whooping. *puts up fists* this is what makes you a man. When I was growing up, this is all the protection we needed. You win some, you lose some. But you live, you live, to fight another day.”