AUG 28 ― I was born in, and hold citizenship in, the United States of America. I am an American, with every privilege and baggage that comes with it. I find myself often having to do things and say things that maybe are unnecessary just to not be stereotyped as the typical American traveller.
It is funny because most places I travel to, the people have an unrealistic adoration of all things American, but I find a lot of people also feel like every American is arrogant and a warmonger. It seems I’m constantly trying to battle both of these opinions and try and put a realistic and normal perspective on my country and its people.
But one thing that happens, without fail, is with every news report of a shooting in the US people turn to me and ask me about it, or refer questions about the incident to me.
As I rarely read the news I’m usually the last one to know about anything happening. However, people assume that as an American I am the authority on all things related to guns. After all, I must own one as an American
I generally avoid political issues, and gun ownership has become a political issue in our country, thus while I hold views about it I’m not very informed about the legal implications of my stand on the issue. Or perhaps, we should not call it a “stand” for I rarely speak about it, I mostly let others argue and I will listen.
I had the unfortunate experience today of reading the news. I’m not keen to do that and do it rarely, but today I did and right in front of me was news of yet another shooting, this one on "live" TV while two news reporters in Virginia were covering a story. This is just one of many shootings that have occurred in my country this week.
My heart turned cold when I saw this. For I fail to see how we are arguing in our country about the rights of guns when people are dying.
Now, I am realistic. I realise that someone on a murderous bent will probably kill the person they are intent on murdering with or without a gun. The truth of the matter is, people kill people, not guns alone. I also realize that banning guns in our country would be an almost impossible task, the guns which are killing people are, for the most part, not held by law-abiding citizens who hold the proper permits and legal papers to own or carry the gun.
And I have heard the arguments. The “2nd amendment” protects our right to bear arms.
True, it does. And it was adopted in 1791 and was allowed for the purpose of a militia. In 1791, the arms people were bearing were muskets; single shot, gunpowder and bullet, guns. Kind of difficult to kill a bunch of people in a school, or a theater, or a church, with a musket.
I do think that a valid argument for gun ownership can be for those, especially in rural areas of our country, who use rifles to hunt for food. When hunting is done for the purpose of food I do not have a problem with this, and in some areas, especially Alaska, some people may need a rifle to protect themselves from wild animals.
These seem like legitimate things to me. If you want to own a musket because you are worried about the government taking over and you needing to form a militia, then by all means, own a musket, gun powder, and make your own bullets.
But short of this, I fail to see why we are having an argument over the need for gun control. There are people, and I know some of them, who feel like their gun is one of their limbs and taking it away would be akin to death for them; but I feel that there are times when we have to step back and say that for the good of a population, for the good of our country, some hard decisions have to be made.
The people I know who have permits to carry guns are the most responsible, law abiding citizens there are. They would never hurt anyone at all. They have grown up carrying guns and it is part of them; and they feel the guns are needed for protection. Their guns are not going to be the ones doing any damage. So I get it, when the good people are carrying guns legally and safely why should we punish them by removing their “right to bear arms.”
I won’t lie, I’m a peace-loving pacifist. If I could I would have every single gun erased from this planet. Then again, I’m also a realist; if no guns, evil will still work. It will just move on to bigger bombs.
But to me, in light of yet another bloody tragedy in my country at the hands of a killer with a gun, sacrifices need to be made. Not by me, because I don’t own a gun, but yes, by others who legally own guns not used for hunting or in the creation of a militia.
And may someday peace, and not hatred and anger, reign in this country of my birth.
*This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
