Day 4: Guns

Are deadly weapons such as these truly fundamental to American freedom?

When it comes to the issue of guns and gun control, it becomes more evident every day how many Americans have a completely different mindset. Given that the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms, efforts to introduce stricter gun controls in response to several mass shootings and increasing suicide rates, are seen by many as encroaching upon “their values and freedoms” (Ropeik, 2015). This is clear from overhearing the conversations that took place in the gun store, with people asserting that guns are an intrinsic part of their lives (some learned to shoot at the age of two) and the glue of society, facilitating interactions through people’s participation in shooting clubs. Moreover, there was huge degree of skepticism on the entire subject of gun control, with it being claimed that having guns served as an effective deterrent, and that the high death rates in Chicago was evidence that gun control did not work. From a non-U.S. citizen’s perspective, however, the experience of using a firearm, only served as a reminder that guns serve no other purpose than to kill, and it was chilling to think virtually anyone could purchase these weapons. It is also surprising that whilst Americans have been willing to accept tighter airport security measures since 9/11, they are much less willing to compromise on gun control, despite the continuous incidents of mass shootings.

Ropeik, D. (2015) The Gun Control Battle Isn’t About Guns as Weapons. It’s about Guns as symbols. Available at: http://bigthink.com/risk-reason-and-reality/the-gun-control-battle-its-not-about-guns-as-weapons-but-guns-as-symbols [Accessed 14 May 2016]