Jenna Kefauver
I’ve seen the question asked a lot in the past few days and the answer, sadly, is no. Enough people haven’t died to make a difference in regard to gun control because if enough people had died, it would have been when 20 6 and 7 year old children and 6 adults were killed. Or when a man opened fire on an Amish classroom. Or every single other time there was a senseless shooting at a school or workplace. But it apparently hasn’t happened yet. In the last 16 years of my life, I can think of no less than 15 publicized mass shootings with way too many innocent victims.
All these people died for nothing because we can’t figure out a way to have a civilized debate. And after all this, you might be surprised to know that I’m not saying I don’t think people should have guns. People have guns to protect their families, to stop intruders. But guns have ceased being tools of self-defense and turned into weapons of anger, hostility and revenge. From the shooting of Trayvon Martin to school shootings, guns have rapidly become tools to act out one’s rage, which is exactly when a weapon should not be used. But, having them is a right we as Americans have because of the Second Amendment. But because of this right, we also have a responsibility.
A responsibility to be safe as gun owners and as gun sellers: to not sell guns to obviously mentally ill, dangerous people. If you own a gun shop, it is your civic duty to do that background check to make sure that the guy or girl that wants to buy a rifle and a million rounds of ammunition isn’t going to use them to shoot up a school. It’s not that hard. Google them. If you google them and a video comes up titled “Eliot Rodger’s Retribution” don’t sell them the gun. It’s not that hard. Seriously. Give up the sale and possibly save a life.
jenna.kefauver@fiusm.com
The responsibiliy to refuse to continue to allow the weak and disadvantaged to be betrayed by society by disarming those who could protect them.
The only responsibility attendant to fundamental rights is that of good citizenship.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Um, if you own a gun shop it is your LEGAL duty to conduct a background check. Every time. It is a civic responsibility to refuse a sale to people acting suspiciously, which the vast majority of shops do. In fact, a bombing attempt at Ft Hood was thwarted by a gun shop that noticed a person buying gun powder, not even a gun, seemed suspicious and called the cops a few years back. But at the same time, nobody is going to Google every customer. And you can’t blame the shop for this event because it’s a judgment call – you may or may not catch something that is an indicator. Heck, the cops went and talked to him and saw him as polite and shy and nothing to worry about.