By Deanna Kay Phillips
Lately this is an over-talked subject that has people rolling their eyes and going “Oh no, not again,” or, “Oh no, not another article about guns and how people are mishandling them.” As I was searching for a topic for this article, it was brought to my attention by classmates that I have been focusing on the big topics that are over talked a lot. My past articles being about tattoos and the Confederate flag, so they thought the gun control argument would be right up my alley.
With gun control, people think of the most recent school shooting in Florida. Some people throw out the idea that all we need is stricter laws with background checks, mental checks, etc. This is all good, in theory. What will actually stop people from getting guns, though? Nothing is going to stop the gang bangers, the hitmen, or anyone who is truly desperate to get a gun. If these people are already breaking laws to do things, what is going to stop them from getting guns illegally?
These laws, rules, and regulations are good, but I don’t think they’re really going to stop any of the violence. They will help limit violence. There may even be a decrease, but the violence will not stop. President Trump again suggested raising the age to buy any gun to 21. Very good idea, but desperate people will still find a way to get a gun. If they’re very desperate, they will just have someone over 21 buy the gun and give it to them. Maybe there’s small town areas like Mabel where people have access to guns all the time, except when they’re at school. Small town schools also have trapshooting teams. Trapshooting is actually popular in some areas, and this is putting guns in the hands of teenagers. Is the government going to try and stop trapshooting?
The arming of teachers is a new idea that has come about since the Florida shooting. Arkansas, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Idaho, and Florida are just a few states that have school districts that are arming teachers. Arming teachers is a good idea as long as they are taught how to handle the gun and if they have a place to keep it where overzealous students aren’t going to find it when they walk out of the room.
Hunting is another big thing in small town areas. Is the government going to start regulating how much ammo someone can buy during hunting season? This would put a real damper on most people’s hunting seasons because it usually takes more than one shot to get a deer, turkey, whatever you’re hunting, unless you’re a very good shot. It would be very hard for this regulation because they would have to find an average of how many bullets each person uses. This would be very difficult, especially if they tried to take the survey during hunting season.
Gun control is good, but no matter how thorough we make background checks or how strict we make the rules pertaining to guns, it will only make it harder for law abiding citizens. For the common person to get guns, it will make little difference to those who are already breaking laws.
Teaching people the proper way to handle guns will help the common person to better deal with guns. It won’t solve all of our problems, but it is a good first step to getting people to respect guns. That is, I believe, one of the first steps to better gun control. Teaching people to respect the gun.
Deanna Kay Phillips is a student at Mabel-Canton High School. She is one of seven area students participating in the Journal Writing Project, now in its 19th year.
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