This week we were confronted with yet one more horrifying crime as we heard of another incident where an older white male, with reported mental issues, shot up theater patrons as they watched the premier of a new release. The first reaction of Pro-gun control proponents was to call for a ban on guns and to eliminate gun ownership by the public. I believe eliminating gun ownership to the public will not prevent criminal violence or mass murder.
If we take a look at the individuals committing violent crimes, we find that criminals and the mentally unstable are the major contributors to these offenses. However, according to the Gun Control Act (GCA) of 1968, criminals and the mentally unstable are not permitted to purchase guns lawfully. Therefore, …show more content…
They firmly believe that limiting the availability of guns will reduce the amount of gun induced criminal violence. In support of their views, they continue to cite the United Kingdom (UK) as an example of how gun control legislation has improved violent crime statistics in their country. While the UK is notorious for being known for eliminating the rights of gun ownership to its citizens, history and statistics have shown, during the UK’s pre-gun control era, murder rates were listed well below that of the United States for durations over two centuries …show more content…
If they are successful in passing legislation to enact harsher laws and remove guns from the possession of law abiding citizens, criminal acts of violence including mass murders involving firearms will increase. According to Jack Hunter, “Laws do not control guns they only restrict ownership to law abiding citizens.” In his article he reminds us of the incident involving Congresswoman Gabby Giffords as she was—along with five others—ambushed by a lone gunman in Arizona. Further, more he states the man credited with stopping the on-slot of gun fire was a conceal carry licensee. He also informs about a similar incident, inside a shopping mall in Oregon, where an armed man who opened fire on shoppers took his own life when confronted by a conceal carry patron. According to Hunter, it was not necessary for him to fire his weapon. He merely displayed it. A little closer to home, in San Antonio, Hunter tells how a gunman attempted to open fire on a movie crowd watching The Hobbit. Luckily, the man’s gun jammed. Even more luckily, there was an off-duty police officer who stopped the man with one bullet. Jack Hunter appropriately stated, “Conceal carrying individuals have the power to stop tragedies in their tracks.” These stories
If we take a look at the individuals committing violent crimes, we find that criminals and the mentally unstable are the major contributors to these offenses. However, according to the Gun Control Act (GCA) of 1968, criminals and the mentally unstable are not permitted to purchase guns lawfully. Therefore, …show more content…
They firmly believe that limiting the availability of guns will reduce the amount of gun induced criminal violence. In support of their views, they continue to cite the United Kingdom (UK) as an example of how gun control legislation has improved violent crime statistics in their country. While the UK is notorious for being known for eliminating the rights of gun ownership to its citizens, history and statistics have shown, during the UK’s pre-gun control era, murder rates were listed well below that of the United States for durations over two centuries …show more content…
If they are successful in passing legislation to enact harsher laws and remove guns from the possession of law abiding citizens, criminal acts of violence including mass murders involving firearms will increase. According to Jack Hunter, “Laws do not control guns they only restrict ownership to law abiding citizens.” In his article he reminds us of the incident involving Congresswoman Gabby Giffords as she was—along with five others—ambushed by a lone gunman in Arizona. Further, more he states the man credited with stopping the on-slot of gun fire was a conceal carry licensee. He also informs about a similar incident, inside a shopping mall in Oregon, where an armed man who opened fire on shoppers took his own life when confronted by a conceal carry patron. According to Hunter, it was not necessary for him to fire his weapon. He merely displayed it. A little closer to home, in San Antonio, Hunter tells how a gunman attempted to open fire on a movie crowd watching The Hobbit. Luckily, the man’s gun jammed. Even more luckily, there was an off-duty police officer who stopped the man with one bullet. Jack Hunter appropriately stated, “Conceal carrying individuals have the power to stop tragedies in their tracks.” These stories