Gun control, Yea or Nay?

Every time there is a mass shooting in the U.S. the cries for more gun control from the media and politicians rises to a feverish pitch. Last night there was a mass shooting at a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado, 12 confirmed dead and over 50 injured by a madman that opened fire as soon as Batman appeared on the screen. This individual was reportedly dressed as the villain from the movie.

Matthew Chapman from The Huffington Post has his own views on last nights violence. He thinks the 2^nd Amendment is anachronistic, poorly written, unclear, and insanely stupid. I’m not sure where he is from, but he says wherever that is, guns are more or less banned and people don’t live in fear. I was born here, I own guns and I’ve never lived in fear regardless of whether or not I had a gun with me.

The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that firearms are used as many as 1.5 million times each year to foil crimes in the U.S. many times without a shot being fired. (I personally foiled a break and enter attempt in my apartment with a revolver years ago.) Yes, there are far to many multiple shootings in the U.S. and I don’t have an answer for how to eliminate those without trampling on the rights of law abiding citizens. Is it fair to take guns away from law abiding citizens just because a few disturbed and evil people use them to commit crimes? Ben Franklin once said "He who would trade liberty for some temporary security, deserves neither liberty nor security. He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither."

Mr. Chapman likes to point to other countries to show how well they deal with the issue of crime and firearms. I’m betting he isn’t thinking about Switzerland where every able bodied male of conscription age is required to have a military assault rifle and a certain amount of ammunition in their homes. Crime is very low in Switzerland including gun crime. I’m not saying the U.S. should do the same because here we have the option to exercise the right to keep and bear arms. Each person can decide for themselves which option is best for them and that is exactly as it should be.

Mr. Chapman specifically pointed to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as an example of how a government should deal with firearms. Rio de Janeiro is ranked as the 8th most dangerous city in the world just ahead of Mogadishu, Somalia which is still embroiled in a decades old civil war. How is disarming the citizens working our for the poor folks in crime ridden Rio de Janeiro?

The shooting in Aurora, Colorado is certainly senseless and tragic but I believe that even without access to guns that this sick individual would have found a way to commit his ghastly crime. The intricate booby trap in his apartment is evidence of this.

What I have to say to Mr. Chapman and those like him, if how things are done in your country of origin suit you, then maybe you should return home. If all you want to do is make this country like your country of origin, then maybe you should return home and let us resolve our own issues.

I say a resounding Nay to more gun control.