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Why Do American’s Fear Gun Regulation?

Why Do American’s Fear Gun Regulation?

The BBC posted a video entitled “Family fire: When children find guns in the home“, to which I commented about how parents should be held criminally responsible, and that the US needs real gun regulation. For which, I got a lot of positive responses, but all the 2nd amendmentists went on the attack as I expected, this is not my first time at the rodeo and the same tired arguments ensued.

I truly fail to understand why some people think that owning a gun makes them safe? I don’t understand why anyone would be opposed to any laws that make us safer, a law that will reduce the risk of mass shootings. No-one is coming for your guns, but we want to stop any Tom, Dick or Harry from purchasing a lethal weapon, some people, simply should not be allowed to have a firearm, it’s really that simple.

The second amendment states “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.” A series of individuals with dozens of guns each does not equate to a well-regulated militia. The second amendment does not need to be amended, it just needs to be followed as written, not to mention it was written for a different time.

Certain commenters in response to me continued to say “because, the constitution”, which is something some people like to either follow or ignore based on their own beliefs. but that’s another story completely. The constitution was designed to be a living document, the founding father’s understood that the world changes, so they built in a system to amend and update the constitution as America evolved.

One commenter, who clearly had no counterargument, said “Yeah, you should prolly [sic] head on back to England then mate. You guys are good at submitting”. I’m submitting to nothing, I do not concede to any of his arguments, and of course, he thinks that insulting me will make me concede to his infinite wisdom [sarcasm]. Honestly, I would love to take my family back home to the relative safety of the UK.

Organizations like the NRA love to propagate the tired old mantra of “they are coming for your guns”, while using every mass shooting to push their fear agenda, claiming gun ownership as the only way to keep yourself and your family safe. And, of course, there’s the classic argument of a good guy with a gun, with the good guy always killing or incapacitating the bad guy, more guns is never the answer.

Yet another commenter on the BBC’s Facebook post suggested that because I am from the UK, I don’t understand the way the states work, which is of course nonsense, I have lived here in the US for over 10 years now, I understand just fine, I simply do not agree with the nonregulatory, pro-gun stance.

Just in the last 8 months, three times I have got a notification from my son’s high school about a gun being brought into school. Thankfully, the weapon was not discharged, but the probability of someone being shot and/or killed is high. Another bullet came flying through my garage door and embedded into the firewall at the back of the garage. Every day I fear for my family’s safety in this gun crazy country.

Bottom line, the facts are that countries that have lax laws on gun ownership have a higher percentage per capita of shootings, many of which are fatal. The UK basically outlawed guns after the Dunblane school massacre and since that time, gun crime and gun related deaths have been almost non-existent.

So, back to the question of why Americans fear gun regulation? Maybe it’s because they know that if we had regulation, they would not be able to buy guns. We always hear after every mass shooting, about mental illness being the cause. I wonder how many people with mental illness legally own a firearm?

I would argue that anyone that thinks they need a dozen guns and semi-automatic rifles to protect their family, has a paranoia complex, which is a key indicator of mental instability. If we can save one life with laws to regulate and control gun ownership, it’s worthwhile, but sadly for many Americans, the right to bear arms is more important than a person’s life, including their own family members in rare cases.

Finally, while looking for a featured image for this blog, I see this article, talking about how school teachers can now arm themselves on school property, Sigh! How long before we hear about a teacher panicking, pulling their gun and shooting a student, because they thought that student had a gun, which turned out to be a cellphone, it will happen, to quote Cenk Uygur, hear me now, quote me later.

A teacher from the Florida school where a recent mass shooting happened, Parkland, left their loaded gun in a public bathroom, which was found by a drunk homeless man, who discharged the weapon. Another teacher in California accidentally discharged his weapon in class, injuring a student.

Sure, arm teachers, watch the accidental killings happen. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to an experienced trained person, maybe former military, being armed onsite, to protect the children and teachers, but do not arm teachers, who are not trained to assess the situation and determine a threat.

One thought on “Why Do American’s Fear Gun Regulation?

  • James Millard
    May 3, 2019 at 08:45

    It’s good that you take the time to point out the error of their ways. I on the other hand follow the suggestion Mark Twain gave.

    “Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.”

    On the subject of gun control / regulation in the states, I can’t imagine an intelligent argument against it.

    One thing which confuses me is that person suggesting you should move back to England because people who live there are “good at submitting”. I don’t get it, since when did England or the people within earn a reputation of being good at submitting? Now I think about it, is it a reference to the American war for independence like… 240 years ago?


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