My First Experience with the Gun Culture!

It was a wonderful evening and I thought to buy some stuff from a shopping mall for Thanksgiving along with my friend. We were busy in shopping and suddenly we heard a loud bang and within seconds saw people screaming ‘run’ and storming towards the exit. I couldn’t understand what had happened? I saw two girls hiding under the table nearby and my friend also pushed me to bend down for cover. Later we got to know that it was a shoplifting incident where the suspect had stolen a jewelry item from the kiosk shop and had run away. An employee chasing the suspect was fired at which caused the bang at first place. However, fortunately no casualties or injuries were reported but the traumatic ambience when everyone was running and screaming was very disturbing and has been implanted in my brain ever since. Something that was a part of TV serials, movies and news thus far in my life, observing it happening in front of my eyes was quite horrifying.

It baffles me! The United States of America has the most powerful military in the world. The statue of liberty stands tall symbolizing the world’s longest functioning democracy. Its stock market, at an all-time high, still reflects the command America has on the global economy. Yet, In America these days, you never have to wait long for the next mass shooting — or for the next revelation that someone who should never have had a gun somehow got one anyway. Why there are no strict laws made related to gun safety?
Guns kill more Americans annually instead of any other mishap including terrorist acts (God forbid!). As per the data revealed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 153,144 people were killed by homicide in which firearms were used between 2001 and 2013. When suicides and legal police killings are included, the number shoots up to 394,912. In comparison, the data shared by the Global Terrorism Database, reports 3,046 people in the U.S. died in terrorist or possible terrorist attacks between 2001 and 2014. Counting just the homicides alone, 11,780 Americans were killed by guns a year on average, in this time period, while 219 on average were per year killed by terrorism-related acts where the 9/11 attacks alone comprise a significant percentage of the casualties. (Source: nbcnews.com)
I came to know that Gun ownership is a basic American right.  The United States has the most heavily armed civilian population. There are 270 million privately held firearms in the USA. Also, the USA has the highest gun ownership per capita rate in the world, with an average of about nine guns for every 10 Americans. (Source: Washington Post)
Why do US citizens feel the need to buy guns?
I realize that they keep firearms for their self-defense and home protection in mind. Other reasons for guns include hunting and target shooting.
However, are guns the only way to keep safe? Where is that boundary line drawn when toys of safety become instruments of abuse? No one has the right to kill innocents. Guns don’t discriminate between criminals and innocent bystanders. And most of the time, it is someone’s beloved who becomes the victim.

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46 Comments

    1. Rachel G

      December 2, 2015

      Most of the Americans I know who own guns own rifles or shotguns, used for deer hunting in deer season and for shooting ‘pest’ animals that destroy crops and aren’t protected, thus legal to shoot (i.e. racoons, possums, skunks, coyotes). I’m from farm country, and hunting one’s own food to feed your family is a way of life there. Much of the USA is still rural, I can imagine it would be a hard task to get the farmers to give up their guns.

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    1. Lakisha

      December 1, 2015

      I never even knew the stats were that high. As a New York, I do not own or carry a weapon. The number is vast and it is very sad. When I turn on the news and hear about all of the murders, I become sad but what can we do.

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    1. Rachel

      December 1, 2015

      I recognize that American believe in Gun Ownership. It is a cultural issue that a gun is needed for safety that I don’t understand. Want a Gun for sport or collecting or even to be ready to take on government oppression, fine with me. But why do you need to carry it with you everywhere you go to feel safe? I live in Canada where many people own guns for hunting and other sports. I have never met a Canadian who believes they need to sleep with their gun under their pillow to feel safe in their community. Is America really such a frightening place ( actually not my experience) so then I don’t understand what drives the strong belief that you are not safe without a weapon on you…?

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    1. Sam

      December 1, 2015

      No other developed country in the world has nearly the same rate of gun violence as does America. The US has nearly six times the number of gun homicides as Canada, more than seven times as Sweden, and nearly 16 times as Germany, according to UN data compiled by the Guardian. (These gun deaths are a big reason America has a much higher overall homicide rate, which includes non-gun deaths, than other developed nations.)

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    1. Christine - The Choosy Mommy

      December 1, 2015

      For me, carrying my guns means protecting my children and myself. It gives me the security that it is there should I ever need it, and that is all that it is for. Glad you are ok!

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    1. KRIPA TIWARI

      December 1, 2015

      gun may provide the courage to stand against evil but this also develops terror in the world and misuse of it can make anyone evil and may cause the loss of life……………………….

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    1. Brenda Pace

      December 1, 2015

      I’m glad that you were ok.

      As a gun owner and carrier, I have to say your statement that “Guns kill more American’s” is incorrect. PEOPLE are killing people. The guns cannot do it on their own. There need to be better background checks, however if someone wants a gun, they will find a way to get one. If a person has the will to kill and cannot get a gun, they will find other means (aka bombs, knives, or whatever else).

      Why the need to have guns? Because not only are American’s killing American’s (by not only guns) but Terrorists from other Countries feel the need to invade our America and attempt to kill us. Our current Government is weak. This is another reason why American’s feel the need to protect their families and their property.

      Please don’t blame guns on the shootings. It takes a person to pull the trigger.

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      1. Ana

        December 1, 2015

        Hey Brenda, I completely agree with you that strict laws should be made regarding background checks. It is not the gun that shoots, is the person behind it. If the gun is in hands of the sick person, it results in Mass shootings which is a culture of felonious violence.
        Most of the guns that criminals get a hold of start out as legal, either unlawfully diverted from the legal gun trade, or stolen. With fewer guns around, it would be harder for criminals to get them; it works that way in every country that has effective gun control laws. Therefore US should also make strict gun laws so that it should not reach in wrong hands.

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