When will enough be enough? The United States has experienced more mass shootings than any other developed country in the world. This means we’ve had more lives have been lost and more families destroyed unjustly than our counterparts around the world.
I understand the United States is used to being a world leader, but mass shootings and other forms of violence are nothing to brag about, and it is a list on which this country should aim to stay at the very bottom.
The devastation of mass shootings, as well as smaller-scale shootings, is why the President of the United States is justified in his efforts to institute executive action to curb the unregulated buying and selling of weapons over the Internet and at gun shows.
James Jacobs and other opponents of Obama’s action believe his efforts are worthless. “It’s not ever going to be difficult to get a firearm, just like it’s not ever going to be difficult to get illegal drugs,” Jacobs, a New York University law professor, told the Associated Press. “What makes us think we can now create a regime that will make guns hard to obtain for someone who wants to obtain them?” I guess Jacobs would simply prefer we not do anything to address the gun violence problem that is plaguing our nation. That approach will not work. However, what will work is any effort to curb the uptick in crime this country has experienced in recent years. Obama’s plan to mandate anyone selling firearms to obtain a federal license and conduct background checks on buyers will work. So will the president’s plan to expand background checks as well as update the outdated system, making processing applications more efficient. The fact of the matter is, something has to be done, because enough has long been enough. It is time to do something productive to reduce gun violence, and if Congress doesn’t have the guts to do it, then our president is right on target with his executive actions.
Many people correlate gun control with gun elimination. That’s a false correlation. The president, select progressive politicians and numerous anti-violence organizations across the country realize we have to have stronger systems in place to reduce gun violence. All this gun control talk is not solely about mass shootings, either. There are thousands of people who die annually from guns — either through street violence like gang activity and robberies or through domestic violence, accidental shootings or suicides. The problem we are experiencing is far more than mass shootings, though those very incidents seem to be the primary focus when discussing gun control. It is time for us to be more proactive in reducing crime, and that means smarter lawmakers who examine the whole picture before proposing unreasonable legislation.
Speaking of unreasonable legislation, there are a couple of Indiana Republicans with some questionable legislation on the table. Rep. Jim Lucas of Seymour authored House Bill 1056, which would repeal a state law that “requires people to get a license to carry a handgun on their person or in their car.” Lucas also has House Bill 1055 that would prohibit public universities, state agencies and the like from banning firearms in public buildings. Not only are local gun control advocates concerned about Lucas’ efforts, but so are university officials and law enforcement. Can you imagine the difficulties law enforcement would have in trying to thwart a suspected gunman on a college campus if the majority of students were carrying guns? Wadesville, Indiana, Sen. Jim Tomes filed a bill last week that would revert Indiana law that prohibits repeat alcohol offenders from getting a gun license. Why Tomes would want to repeal such a law is baffling to me. Lucas and Tomes’ efforts are illogical and will only add to the problem, rather than take away from it. Before we can truly and efficiently combat gun violence, we need to have politicians in place who have the capacity to make sound decisions that are for the good of the people. Obama is doing that. Lucas and Tomes, not so much.
