Firing Back: Modern Times Call For Gun Law Reform
Schools have had a problem that has not been addressed for years- April 20, 1999 to be exact, when two young men walked into Columbine High School with guns and bombs then killed 12 classmates and teachers and injured 21 others.
When the U.S Constitution was ratified in 1791, the Founding Fathers wrote a Bill of Rights which gave Americans the right to bare arms. This right has been up for debate in recent times, leaving many to argue how it should be viewed in modern day.
When the founders wrote this bill, a gun took a full minute to load and fire one shot and was used primarily by mercenary groups to fight for the 13 original colonies of America. Now, there are 50 states and millions of people living the the country. Access to rifles, machine guns, shotguns and pistols have become commonplace, and machine guns that fire 300 rounds per minute is not something that our founders could have imagined when they granted this right.
Weaponry began to become a problem in civilian life in the 1930s. Following the Valentine’s Day Massacre where seven members of Chicago’s North Side Gang were murdered, the first gun control legislation was passed in 1934. In 1938, after a group of felons began illegal sales, it became law that salesmen must have a license to legally sale firearms. Then in 1968, after the assassination of John F. Kennedy and Martin L. King Jr., a bill placed age restrictions and stopped felons and the mentally ill from owning a gun.
Today, even with this legislation, fatalities resulting from civilian gunfire are only increasing, most recently at Santa Fe High School in Texas. Since the beginning of 2018 there have been 22 school shootings that resulted in at the least one death or more. This is alarming considering that only 13 service members have been killed in combat zones during the same time frame.
Modern times call for gun law reform. It is time to stop debating our Founding Fathers intentions and start pressing current lawmakers to take action.
I am Hanna, I am a sophomore and a writer for the school's newspaper. I'm involved in art club as well. I would like to one day be a photographer for National...
Luke Brown • Jan 13, 2020 at 11:41 am
Hello Hannah, I can see the point that you are making. There are many school shootings nowadays and the founders never knew that guns would advance this way. However, more gun control will not solve the problem. Punishing law-abiding citizens who own guns will only make the problem worse. Even if we have more gun control, criminals will still find ways to get guns. If a mass shooting happens with more gun control, the citizens will not be able to defend themselves due to the gun control laws. The city of Chicago has some of the most strict gun laws in the country, however they also have the highest crime rate. Gun control will not help end mass shootings and will only make the shootings more deadly.
Avery Zuniga • Jan 12, 2020 at 5:54 pm
I agree with some of the things you are saying, but not all. Yes I believe we should have some restrictions with guns and although the founding fathers never imagined guns would be the way they are now, we still should have them. I think there is an easier solution to shootings than getting rid or restricting guns, if everyone carried a firearm and had a license we could easily be defended.
The way I see it is if we ban them, people will still be able to purchase them and then people we be left defenseless, but if everyone were to carry it would be many guns against one. Either way you can’t take away everyone’s guns, it isn’t possible, someone will always have one. Yes there are bad people who have bad intentions with guns but most people don’t and want a gun purely to protect themselves. I think everyone in America who meets the needs should be able to own a gun, to protect themselves.
Berkley Browder • Jan 12, 2020 at 3:53 pm
Dear Hanna,
Counter Argument: I do agree with you that people with have become almost uncontrollable when it comes to guns, but if we take away the bad guys’ guns which they probably purchased illegally, they will probably just find a way to purchase them illegally again.
Argument: There is just no way to take away every gun in America. The bad guys who have them now, will figure out a way to get them back. Some people actually need guns. People want to defend their families against the bad guys. People can them around with a license to defend themselves and others from the bad guys in public. If we could take all the weapons and live in a perfect world, that would be amazing. It’s just not physically possible.
Averi • Jan 10, 2020 at 2:44 pm
Dear Hanna,
I agree that gun violence in America has gotten out of control and that action needs to be taken. However, I think there are multiple ways to solve the issue. Instead of taking guns away or even limiting the amount we can have maybe we should change the laws on how to get them. The people using the guns for these acts of violence are the problem. We should make the process of getting guns more difficult so that we can keep everyone safe, as well as adding higher security to places such as schools.
Jaydan Miranda • Jan 9, 2020 at 4:38 pm
Dear Hanna,
Counter Argument: I do agree we have a major gun problem in the United States but we can solve this issue without intruding on our own rights.
My Argument: We can solve the gun control problem by making it harder for people to get guns like stricter tests and more background checks. If somebody can import a gun can be illegally brought here from elsewhere we need to do more checks to make sure that the ships we bring here to the states are thoroughly checked.
Shaun Stone • Jan 9, 2020 at 4:32 pm
Dear Hanna,
Counter Argument- The more reform we put on guns, the more they will continue to be sold. Regardless of what the gun is used for, the common rifle/pistol/shotgun has become commonplace in America, for it was stated in the Constitution. Even though the Founding Fathers might not have been able to imagine these advancements in weaponry, they still wrote it in.
Argument- The gun is something everyone who meets the requirements in America is allowed to own. If every gun owner in America was to walk outside at the same time, your city streets and rural roads would be lined with people. And at this point, you can´ t take all of those guns away. Even if you stopped gun manufacturing, people would still own these guns. And most of these people would rather use these guns to protect themselves rather than purposely hurt others. Guns have been seen bad since these school shootings and other mass shootings started, but that´s the trade-off here. To have one great thing you must have one bad thing, and shootings are your bad thing in this scenario. It won’t change, no matter what you do.
Grady Halcom • Jan 9, 2020 at 2:45 pm
Dear Hanna,
You are right about further advances being made in weaponry and not being what it was when this right was established.
However, during these times they saw that weaponry was advancing as well as everything around them. They must have known that the firearm would be way more advanced than what it was at the time. What would we do if there was a robbery and you didn’t have anything to defend yourself with. Crime would go through the roof knowing that nobody would have a gun and knowing it takes about 15 minutes before police officials show up. I think it is a right to be able to bare arms and carry it with you in the events that you would have to use it.
Adrian Avila • Jan 9, 2020 at 11:03 am
Hanna Edwards:
Gun Control Topic:
Ms. Edwards,
I am responding to you as someone who shares your concern on the safety of the general public as a whole, during this period of growth in our Nation. We have seen the magnitude and destruction caused by the use of guns to harm individuals and communities, personally, I feel that this is solely unacceptable to allow as a Nation as a whole. When you state “Lawmakers to take action”, with respect, they are taking action, we have to understand that these matters are more complicated than we imagine. A world of peace you and I imagine, is not going to be a reality, so the fact of the matter changes to, how can we create a better future for our the next generation to come? Will imposing strict gun laws and giving up our personal right to own a gun help better our Nation as a whole? My opinion, no. Here’s a fact, people kill people. With the exception of a gun misfiring, have you ever seen a gun jump to life, with exuberance to fire on its own and target human beings? No. You may say, “let’s take away the weapon”, but is that ideal? My friend, we still have the free will and moral choice to use our thoughts and power to a destructive extent. You have the option to “fire back” a response that will destroy my opinion, but what stops you or what is pushing you to send a response? You have free-will, to or not to kill, to or not to push a trigger, that is entirely up to you as an individual. Our country has a strong justice system to decide the appropriate action for people who choose to use their own power to a destructive extent, be grateful for that. And for the lives lost in the shootings, we cannot avenge their deaths but rather come stronger together as a community, get involved in the United States Government, stop standing on the side of the road and put in the work necessary for that change, recognize and report those who may be involved in a school shooting. Sometimes we may have to get over ourselves, because at the end of the day, you didn’t “rat-out” someone, you saved a LIFE, that’s gotta count for something. On top of that, if we are to as you say, “get rid of guns”, look at our United States Military. You are able to write this opinionated document under the comforts and bed sheets that our Government provides, when you say the ridding of guns, questioning how our freedom is provided is disrespectful, our way of life is secured because we have fought the tough fights, because we have the technology and manpower to deflect 16 Iranian missiles. We can ponder all day on the United States casualties, the fact remains, we to this day, remain the strongest Nation in the world, that’s not an opinion, that’s a fact. That is a fact because of the blood shed, and we have that blood shed because other Nations cease to put down their weapon, so Uncle Sam, got his butt up and defended our freedom. We have to keep our defense up because the world is a destructive place, messy, and is not going to change until everyone changes. Freedom is not free, it comes at a cost, that cost was successfully paid with blood, sweat, and knowing how to fire a gun. You can choose, freedom or tyranny.
Ethan • Oct 23, 2019 at 5:58 pm
If it was up to me,Everyone and the 3 generations of their family would own a gun.The more guns in an area the less the shootings.And also why does no one ban knives?You can easily stab someone.If we do ban all guns all that will happen is guns in the black market will sky rocket and criminals will still have guns just innocent people won’t.Unless you’ve been in prison or committed a felony you should have a gun.Fire back by giving away guns not restricting them.
Kevin Powell • Oct 18, 2018 at 2:00 pm
I do agree, but to a degree, I don’t. Lawmakers have been pressured and have been trying different ideas to combat the problem but to no progress. The main philosophy of firearms right now is that we intend to keep the Founding Fathers’ intentions as closely as possible, but this has blown out of the proportions that the Founding Fathers thought possible, which makes it contentious. The government realizes the issue of guns and violence but the other main of a gun is to allow an individual to defend their property and family. Criminals do not care for laws since they do not abide by them, which civilians normally do and with civilians not having guns to protect themselves, criminals have free reign over the average person. You can argue that it should be the police’s job to protect you, which it is, but Americans have always tried to keep the right to defend yourself a staple of American freedom. Not only is the right to bear arms a main pedestal of American freedom, but is integral to the way that the Founding Fathers envisioned it, which the Fathers themselves are also one of the most important pieces of America itself. America and its employees believe that keeping the core of America’s structure as close to the freedom the Founding Fathers founded is the correct way for it to be ran.