graphic b y Sam W eston
TOPIC: GUN CONTROL
Over the last decade, one o f the most contentious topics in the political world has been gun control. Although gun laws have largely remained stagnant at the federal level since the
expiration o f the Federal Assault Weapons Ban in 2004. Despite this, the debate over the proper handling o f guns in the United States hasn’ t stopped. Recently, the mass shooting at
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida has once again enflamed this debate. But what is the correct response to such a tragedy? Is additional control o f the country’s
guns necessary or is a different response warranted?
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BY IAN VAN ORDEN
BY W ILLIAM FARRIS
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JHELCLACKAMAS PRINT
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NEWS AND OPINION EDITOR
W ith the recent sh ootin g
an understandable concern. No one likes the
S h o r tly
th e
those w ho sh ouldn ’t have th em . O ne o f the
in P arklan d , th e n atio n al
idea o f som ething they enjoy being overly
ra tifica tio n o f th e U n ite d
m o st co m m o n safegu ards are background
con versation has once again
policed or restricted. But changes like these
S t a t e s C o n s t it u t io n , th e
ch eck s. A cco rd in g to P o litifa ct, around 90
shifted to gun control, and once again we
p ro ce ss to cre a te w h a t w ould
p e rc e n t o f c itiz e n s o f th e U n ite d S ta te s
see the same quotes from politicians on the
would go a long way to help curb violence and
may be more than worth it since America was
b e co m e th e B ill o f R ig h ts b e g a n . Tw elve
s u p p o r t b a c k g r o u n d c h e c k s , in c lu d in g
m atter.
found to have the 31st highest gun violence
a r tic le s o f a m e n d m e n t w ere a p p ro v e d
74 p e rc e n t o f m e m b e rs o f th e N a tio n a l
rate in the world in.2016, according to NPR.
b y C o n g r e s s a s p o s s ib le a d d itio n s to
R ifle A s s o c ia t io n . B a c k g ro u n d c h e c k s
h
F
The idea is th a t gun control in any form
a fte r
is n ’ t the solution to the problem and the
Laws like these are n othin g new to the
th e C o n s titu tio n . T en o f th e s e w ould be
th a t are alread y requ ired b y th e fe d e ra l
real cause to such events are issues such as
U n ited S ta tes. W hen d riv in g under the
a d o p te d , d e s c r ib in g a n d g u a r a n te e in g
go v e rn m e n t.
mental health. This is a point many are quick
influence killed and injured people, we passed
r ig h ts an d fre e d o m s th a t sh o u ld n o t be
to use in this situation that seems down right
laws prohibiting drinking and driving; certain
lim ite d b y th e fe d era l g o v ern m en t.
hypocritical when you realize that those same
pesticides were shown to harm and kin people,
politicians still refuse to make any significant
and we banned the sale of those as well.
The problem does not largely begin w hen
a g u n is p u r c h a s e d . T h e la s t tw o m a s s
O u r r ig h t to k e e p a n d b e a r a r m s is
s h o o tin g s h a v e h ig h lig h te d th is fa c t. In
described in th e Secon d A m e n d m e n t. The
b o th c a se s, th e S to n e m a n D ou glas Sch o o l
Passing other laws that don’t necessarily
im p o rta n c e ou r fo u n d e r s p la ce d in th is
s h o o t in g a n d th e S u t h e r la n d S p r in g s
It is, of course, also worth m entioning that
restrict gun sales are also widely asked for but
rig h t can be seen b y its p o sitio n in th e B ill
ch u rch sh o o tin g, th e shooter h ad a history
according to “ Mental Illness, Mass Shootings,
not talked about as often, such as laws that
or R ig h ts , liste d ju s t b e lo w our fre e d o m
o f m e n ta l in s ta b ility . In th e ca se o f th e
and the "Politics of American Firearms” by
alert abuse victim s w hen their abusers are
o f sp e ech .
the American Public Health Association, only
buying guns, or closing the gun show loophole.
change to m ental health policy or funding.
A ft e r n e a r ly e v e ry tr a g e d y in v o lv in g
sch o o l s h o o tin g , C N N h as reported th a t
there were as m a n y as 39 calls m ade to the
But the biggest th in g that I and activists
g u n s , t h e r e is a p u s h to l im it t h is
S h e r iff’ s o ffice over a s ix -y e a r period. In
2001 and 2010 involved m entally ill people.
w ant to h ap pen , is som eth in g. A fte r the
r ig h t , c la im in g th a t o u r s a fe ty is m o re
fa c t, over th e la st decade th e n u m b er w as
This routine of mass shootings occurring
follow ed by th e use of-o th e r issu es and
trend of shootings happening with little to
im p o r ta n t th a n th e r ig h t e n s h r in e d in
as h ig h as 45.
no attempt at change, people just want some
th e Second A m e n d m e n t. T h at w e h ave th e
In tfefe case o f S u th erla n d S p r in g s , th e
problems as a defense against gun control has
kind of reform.
re s p o n s ib ility to rem o v e th e to o ls used
s h o o ter h ad b e en co n v icted o f d o m e stic
v io len ce b y th e U S A ir F orce, ba rrin g h im
five percent of gun related killings between
become so repetitive it verges on nauseating
Recently there has been news of bans on
by th o se w ith ill in te n t fro m th e h an d s o f
at tim es. It’s not only unhelpful but starts to
bump stocks and other accessories involved
a ll, in clu d in g law ab id in g c itiz e n s, to stop
fro m p o sse ssin g or p u rch asin g a fire arm .
become disrespectful to those who have been
in sh ootings, w hich is a step in the right
fu rth er tragedy fro m occurrin g.
U n fo rtu n a te ly , th e co n v ictio n w as never
affected by these shootings and advocate for
direction. But more needs to he done to help
T h is is n o t th e proper resp o n se.
recorded in the National Crim e Inform ation
change.
get to the root o f the problem instead o f
C o n sid ered to be th e fa th e r o f th e B ill
C e n te r d a ta b a s e , th e d a ta b a s e u sed fo r
C om m on sense gun laws seek to help
contributing to the problem.
o f R ig h t s , G e o r g e M a s o n s p o k e a b o u t
b a ck g ro u n d c h e c k s , a n d h e w as a b le to
restrict w ho can get access to guns and
It can be chilling to look at the am ount of
th e to p ic o f g u n s o n se v e ra l o c c a s io n s .
pu rch ase g u n s n o n e th e le s s .
to; prevents th e use o f these w eapons in
D u rin g th e V irg in ia R atify in g C o n v e n tio n ,
In both cases, the law would have already
shootings and numerous other gun-related
weapons and the caliber that shooters were
able to stockpile in recent shootings; and
M ason argued the im portance o f the public
proh ibited o n e , if n o t b o th sh ooters, fro m
crim es. According to The New York Times,
while a case can be made that we should see
r e m a in in g arm e d , S ta tin g , “ ...t o d isa rm
p o s s e s s in g a n d p u r c h a s in g fir e a r m s .
out o f the 292 guns used in the last 150 mass
the w arning signs, it is rarely that sim ple.
t h e p eople; th a t it w as th e b e st and m o st
R ath er th a n crea tin g n ew law s th a t w ould
e ffe ctu a l w ay to e n sla v e t h e m ... ”
shootings in America around 167 of them were
Because the scary truth is that it’s not just
legally obtained. These laws do not, however,
“ bad guys” who com m it these crimes. It can
seek to elim inate the sale of guns or to take
away guns from people.
The most common things that most of these
rem o v e g u n s fr o m r ig h tfu l o w n e rs, th e
M aso n , and m a n y o f th e oth er fo u n d in g
e x is tin g sy ste m s n eed to be refin e d an d
be almost anyone w ho’ s left in a dark place
fa th e rs, believed th a t person al lib erty w as
repaired so th ese m ista k es do n ot h ap p en
and makes bad decisions, and som etim es,
on ly guaranteed w hile the public rem ained
in th e fu tu re.
there are little to no warning signs.
arm ed. That despite the dangers presented
G u n s are part o f the fabric o f our country.
by fire arm s, th e gu arantee o f our freedom
T h e r ig h t to o w n a g u n w a s d e fin e d so
w as m ore im p o rta n t th a n s afety .
e a r ly in o u r B ill o f R ig h ts fo r a r e a s o n .
laws seek to do is have tighter restrictions on
So our reaction shouldn’ t be to just pin
who can purchase, have the process for buying
everything on our m ental health system , it
guns involve better screening and a possible
does need reforms and more funding but it’ s
Th e necessity to defend our freedom h as
w ait period before receiving the firearm and
not the root cause. We as a nation need to take
not disappeared and never w ill. The Second
guarantee th at we w ill never lose our rights
restrict or stop th e sale o f autom atic and
a look at how we handle guns and decide if we
A m e n d m e n t is clear in its w ording. “ .. .th e
to a ty ra n n ica l g o v e r n m e n t. T h e proper
military grade weapons to civilians.
can do more to curb what kind of weapons we
rig h t o f th e people to keep and bear A rm s,
response to tragedy is never to lim it liberty,
allow on our streets.
s h a ll n ot be in fr in g e d .”
Th e id e a o f re s tr ic tio n and tig h te r
co n tro ls and scru tin y does w orry and
T h e re a r e , h o w e v e r , m a n y w ay s th a t
frustrate gun enthusiasts, and th a t’ s truly
g u n s ca n be rem oved fro m th e h a n d s o f
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It is th e b a c k b o n e o f o u r fr e e d o m , th e
no m a tte r th e c irc u m s ta n c e . To do so is
to jeop ard ize th e core o f w h a t m a k es our
co u n try g rea t.
February 28,1018