6 Issue 2 | In-Depth In-Depth | 12.15.17 80 93 25 x

6 Issue 2 | In-Depth

In-Depth | 12.15.17 7

80x guns are used over

more often to protect a life than take one

93

americans, on average, are killed a day

America's gun homicide rate is

25x the average of other developed

countries

Lets Focus On Gun Laws, The Ones Already Passed

Lack of gun control in the age of semiautomatic weapons

C o m - has been almost chopped in half, 9.8 to will not really stop any future violence trolled in some states. In California,

Five hundred and sixty dead. One sault rifles, such as the AR-15's found at

The United States has continuously across the

m i t t i n g 5.3 according to the Brennan Center for as mass shooters can get the same effect someone could pass all these tests, but

thousand eight hundred ninety six in- Sandy Hook, San Bernardino, Sutherland avoided efforts to curtail the use of dan- nation.

m u r d e r . Justice.

from three rubber bands.

still be denied because there is no "good

jured. 331 days passed -- and no federal Springs and many other recent tragedies. gerous firearms and increase regulation

Semi-

Drunk driv-

In addition, the Pew Research Cen-

Another issue brought up in the gun cause" to be able to have a concealed

action against the weapons that produce

States vary in their regulations and of their sale. From UN protocols to failed automatic

ing. Solicit- ter has found that gun death homicide, in debate is background checks. Some may weapon.

the majority of recent tragedies.

laws regarding high-capacity firearms, federal weapon bans, efforts for stricter w e a p o n s

ing prostitu- particular the homicide rate from 1981 to not even realize the scope of the current

Protecting themselves should be

As of Nov. 30th, 2017, there have and only seven ban them outright. The gun control and background checks are are not

tion.

2010 has dropped. The decline was from laws regarding background checks.

good enough cause.

been 397 mass shootings across the Unit- Federal Assault Weapons Ban, narrow- almost a lost cause.

safe. Peri-

S t r i c t 6.6 people per 100,000 to only 3.6.

There already is an extensive process

Maybe if more citizens like Willeford

ed States. Defined by the Mass Shooting ly implemented by President Clinton in

Almost.

od.

laws are on

After mass shootings there is almost reputable gun shops and other suppliers were allowed more freedom to have con-

Tracker Organization as four or more in- 1994, expired a decade later after many

Firearm regulations in the United

There

the books a knee-jerk reaction by some people that have to follow. They have to contact the cealed weapons the headlines would read

dividuals losing their life or being injured court challenges arose based in the sec- States are often compared to those of oth- is no jus-

for all these lawmakers need to do something, any- FBI to run the check through a criminal something like "Shooter

in a single incident, these ond amendment and personal liberties. er industrialized nations -- and for good t i f i a b l e

//craigsullivan co-editor-in-chief

infractions, yet they still occur on a daily basis.

thing policy-wise, to feel like they made a difference.

One thing is for sure: passing major legislation when emotions are high will

database called the National Instant Criminal Background Check System to make sure the purchaser is allowed and eligible to own a gun. This only occurs after an

taken out by citizen. Only casualty," rather than "At least 25 people killed, shooter on the loose."

incidents are unfortunately fervent throughout the country.

These staggering

Bump-stocks, a modification that allows semiautomatic arms to practically perform as automatic weapons, and large-capacity ammunition magazines are

reason. Mass shootings occur almost every

day in the United States. Australia, however, has not experienced a mass killing

reason for a civilian to posses a weapon

//madelynanderson opinions editor

It is almost like criminals do not obey almost always fail. It restricts citizens applicant completes a form and applies

The only thing that

numbers affect people also left untouched by federal bans. These related to gun violence since 1996.

with such extreme capabilities, self-de-

laws.

who actually obey the law instead of pin- for a gun license.

will stop a bad guy with

from every region of the firearms and modifications are commonly

The difference? Stricter gun control fense be damned. When the safety of the

With the recent Las Vegas and pointing the violent criminals.

The background checks some law- a gun is a good guy with

nation and all walks of associated with modern mass shootings. and a buyback program implemented by majority is at stake, a gun-wielding indi-

Sutherland Springs shootings, there are

Following that trend, Dianne Fein- makers have discussed would be attempt- a gun because guns don't

life -- every age, every

The Las Vegas gunman utilized 23 the National Agreement on Firearms.

vidual can easily be more harmful than

renewed cries for tougher gun laws.

stein (D-CA) introduced a new proposal ing to alleviate an unfixable problem. kill people. People kill

religion and every polit- semiautomatic rifles and bump-stocks to

This mandate banned automatic and helpful.

Look at the Sutherland Springs that aims to end the sale of what she terms Citizen to citizen selling of firearms, is people.

ical party. Innocent by- create a machine gun-like weapon, al- semiautomatic rifles, required citizens

The "good guy with the gun" argu-

church shooting in Texas. The mass "assault weapons," and ban bump stocks. impossible to regulate. It's not like people

standers become victims lowing the shooter to kill 59 civilians and to demonstrate "genuine need" to ob- ment can no longer sustain the facade of

shooter received a bad conduct discharge

This bill is nothing more than politi- selling guns on sites like Craigslist will

of gun violence in their injure over 500 others. The Sutherland tain licenses and bought back more than security from one with a concealed weap-

from the military, abused a dog and com- cal grandstanding.

actually run background checks.

schools, churches, concerts Springs murderer used an AR-15, killing 650,000 assault weapons from the streets. on. "Thoughts and prayers" will not pre-

mitted domestic violence in the past.

Machine and fully automatic guns

It is not easy to acquire a firearm in

and any other seemingly 26 and injuring 20.

It was incredibly effective and could vent further tragedies -- only revitalized

Under Texas and Federal Law, hav- are already effectively banned from pub- the United States unless people are buy-

normal location.

In an age where one semiautomatic easily serve as a model for reform in the legislation and public involvement can

ing a record of domestic violence alone lic use. When lawmakers talk about "as- ing them illegally.

With the deadliest weapon can murder dozens in a matter of US. All it took was a massacre killing 35 combat the terrorism these weapons have

should have prohibited the shooter from sault weapons," they are not referring to

More gun laws will only help one

mass shooting in modern minutes, personal liberties should never and injuring 23 others at Port Arthur to the capability to produce.

buying a firearm. The issue here was the those weapons, but rather semi-automatic group of people. The crooks. Laws are

US history still fresh in the outweigh the safety of civilians.

obtain this legislation.

Now more than ever, Republicans

Air Force did not send the appropriate in- guns. The gun used by former NRA in- just paper, and sadly, if someone is will-

minds of many, now is as

Stricter gun laws must be passed

For the United States, 555 people dy- and Democrats must put aside their dif-

formation to the FBI so his name would structor Stephen Willeford, the hero who ing to kill he/she will not be deterred by

good a time as any to start through a seemingly-oblivious, grid- ing this year alone must not be enough to ferences to unite against the greater evil

be in the database. There has already been killed the Sutherland Springs church a gun law.

the dialogue for reform. locked, NRA sponsored Congress. Reg- change.

-- gun violence and mental health issues

bipartisan talks to make sure that lack of shooter, would be banned by Feinstein's

One solution that often gets left out

Since 2004, there ulations and stronger background checks

The effectiveness of legislation, of- in the age of lethal firearms, starting with

communication does not happen again. proposed legislation. So instead of Will- of the gun control discussion is allowing

have been no feder- are imperative to put an end to gun vio- ten questioned by conservative critiques, a seemingly obvious first step: removing

Right now in America tough gun laws eford being able to assist in stopping the more people to have access to concealed

al bans on lence.

can be monitored only after any effort is semiautomatic weapons from the hands

exist. For instance, no one who has been shooter, Feinstein would ban the gun he carry. People who qualify to have

semiauto-

While hunting rifles and small hand- put forth to ban these increasingly lethal of civilians once and for all.

convicted of domestic violence is allowed used to help.

concealed guns have undergone

m a t i c guns do serve practical uses and are per- weapons in the first place. The Federal

a gun. Instead of trying to find new ways

The legislation also exempts the tar- extensive background checks,

a s - fectly acceptable for regulated ownership, Assault Weapons Ban of Australia could

to deter gun violence, maybe it's time to geted guns already in public circulation, education classes, as well as

focus on enforcing laws already passed. which means the law will not stop poten- a qualification to test their

The current laws cannot be that in- tial criminals from finding weapons.

accuracy and ability to

semiautomatic assault rifles have no logi- effortlessly translate to US legislation,

cal place in the hands of civilians.

creating a safer environment for families

the presence of a gun in a domestic

effective because America has seen an

Bump stocks are used to speed up handle handguns.

violence situation

overall drop in murder rates from 1991 to the firing ability of weapons. While ban-

After all this, these

2016. The murder rate per 100,000 people ning bump stocks is not an awful idea, it people are still very con-

increases the risk

3/5 THE GUN CONTROL DEBATE felons say they

Won't mess with an armed victim

200,000 REL ADED 7 times a year, women use

270,000,ooo O a gun to defend against sexual abuse

on average,

children & teens are killed with guns a day

5x of the woman

being shot and killed by

12,000 gun homicides happen yearly

is the approx. # of civilian

firearms in america

statistics from & graphic by Delaney Nordbrock

Nathan Thomas Millard West High School Newspaper Layout

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