About Guns

In light of the recent tragedy that struck Las Vegas, I feel the need to share my opinions, as many others are doing. Let me start by saying my thoughts are with everyone and anyone suffering from the shooting, with the victims of the families and with anyone who’s had their sense of security compromised.

What I find so interesting is, that after single shooting, the gun control debate blossoms (and yes, I do realise the irony about writing a post about gun control while criticising those who react this way) for a few days, before dying down and disappearing, until next tragedy strikes. The thing is, we never realise there are problems, unless we’re reminded of them. What baffles me, however, is that this debate blossoms time after time, with so many people being against the current gun laws in place, and yet no one actually does anything about it.

For years, whenever a shooting has occurred, those against guns have raised their voices, demanding better gun control, new laws that are not based on the Constitution, a piece of paper that was created 229 years ago. And I think they’re right. In a modern nation, I don’t believe the people should be blinded by sentences formed 200 years ago, no matter how important. As a nation grows and develops, it needs to re-evaluate it’s laws again and again, to make sure they fit a modern society. Take, for example, the law allowing same sex marriage that’s been passed in recent years; not allowing people of the same gender to marry reflected on an old view of the world, and it needed to be improved to fit a modern view of marriage. The same goes for the gun regulations in the United States; in 1787 when the Constitution was created, maybe every man needed the right to bear arms for their own defence against the nature surrounding them, or maybe because proper laws were not in place to protect the citizens. But in the modern world, nature is no threat to your life, and laws have been placed to protect your rights.

I’m not saying it’s wrong to stay true to tradition, or that it’s wrong to honor something a nation’s forefathers created, but I do maintain that it’s wrong for people to cling to something that is no longer relevant, something that makes way for so much grief, pain and sorrow as poor gun control does. Clinging to a false sense of security instead of improving an entire nation to become safer does not make sense.

However, the debate about the nation’s gun laws should be kept alive until change is accomplished, not just when catastrophes like the Las Vegas shooting occurs. Change is not accomplished in short bursts of time, it needs a long continuum of voices calling out for it to happen. Especially with the moron they currently have for a president.

Keep raising your voices for change when it’s needed. Everyone has the right to protect their interests, and for most of you, keeping your health and your life is the greatest reasons to make yourself heard. Change is due, it has been for many, many years. So be the change you wish to see in the world, and dare to voice your demands at all times.