Lori-Ann Russell
Contributor
For many in Arizona, the new year started with a tragedy, as, on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, Jared Loughner allegedly went on a rampage, injuring fourteen and killing six people – the first U.S. massacre of 2011.
Hours before Loughner allegedly attempted to assassinate congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and several other bystanders, he purchased ammunition at Wal-Mart, a fact that prompted democrats to take a second look at the declaration that allows people like Loughner to destroy innocent lives.
It’s not astonishing Loughner was apparently able to find a gun with ease – thanks to the Second Amendment – and wield it at whoever he chose. The Second Amendment allows any licensed American to possess a gun: the right to bear arms.
Many have concluded the freedom to possess a firearm caused this tragedy. Like many others, Loughner, an allegedly psychologically unstable dropout, was able to create havoc by purchasing a firearm, and consequently leave America in anguish. The Second Amendment gives people like Loughner the liberty to plot – unknown to those around him, Loughner would contribute to the memorable bloodbaths in history that have left America mourning. It is an amendment that has led to many casualties while fulfilling the desires of many armed Americans.
New advances in military machinery are made daily, and criminals benefit from their destructive capabilities. Instead, firearms should remain in the hands of law enforcement. They are trained specifically to handle guns be- cause they witness firsthand the damage that can be done when they’re misused.
The ratification of arms, should, in my opinion, have been established earlier, because of the consequences that “powder war” has caused.
Controversial film director Michael Moore tackled this issue with his Academy Award-winning documentary Bowling for Columbine, Moore criticized America’s “gun problem” and the increasing rise of gun violence in the United States.
According to the film, 11,000 people die in America each year from gun violence – but that’s hardly the most astonishing stat in the film. Its most shocking revelation came in the form of a demonstration by an American shopper, who showed Moore he was able to purchase bullets from any local Wal-Mart. Moore is still fighting against this kind of availability today.
The first step, as most politicians would state during their election run, is prevention. Letting Jared Loughner purchase bullets at the local Wal-Mart is not prevention – it is arguably a horrific form of promotion.
At the onset of these massacres, one thing remains clear: prevention is possible. Most of the suspects convicted of these senseless acts make others aware they are capable of committing this violence.
The only questions remaining are, When will they do it? Who will be targeted? What are their motives? How many victims need to be buried before the amendment is adjusted and why is it taking so long? Gun violence has established itself as an item in America’s dirty laundry for years, yet it remains folded in politicians’ baskets.
As “the only no-compromise gun lobby in Washington,” the Gun Owners of America (GOA) aims to uphold the Second Amendment in all its barrel-polished glory. Organizations like the GOA put America in a political tug-of-war, and the tug between pro-gun and anti-gun gets harder as many Americans crave decisive action.
The GOA has claimed they do not condone the actions of Loughner, but they don’t realize his motives were possible because of the amendment they advocate and defend. The consequences of letting just anyone possess a gun are far greater than the desire to own a firearm. Innocent lives are being lost, and at what price?
Gun violence does not discriminate. It does not hate. It does not judge. It affects every race, every culture and every single living person. Although one might not be affected by gun violence directly, it still remains an important part of society’s responsibility to protect the lives of its citizens.
In the land of the free, restraint is non-existent. For the betterment of the United States, effective action should be taken immediately.
The clock is ticking, America. It only takes one second to fire a bullet. How many seconds will it take to stop it?
The “right to bear arms” means the right to bury bodies
About the Author
I’m surprised your editors allowed you to write this from a legal standpoint (and to not say “allegedly” since he hasn’t yet been convicted.
I’m also surprised you were able to write such absolute dribble, without offering any shred of critical thinking in the column. So what, he purchased bullets at Wal-Mart. Would it have been just as bad if he had purchased them from Cosco or from the corner store? I mean if he was buying AP (Armour piercing) that’s one thing, but where you can buy regular bullets shouldn’t be controlled (with the exception of age requirements).
Even your argument that they should repeal the second amendment is deeply flawed. Basically your argument is that because every year 11,000 (its actually much higher) people each year get killed by guns each year in the states, out of a population of over 300 MILLION PEOPLE, that is a sufficient reason to take away a RIGHT from the rest of the 299,989,000 people.
The lack of a right to bear arms entails the right to bury victims of the State.