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.
Alexis
December 5, 2015Some people just don’t need guns. It is really scary to know that in some places it is so easy for someone to get a hold to a gun
View CommentAna
December 5, 2015Absolutely Alexis, there must be a strong background checks and other safety measures should be considered. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
View CommentFrancis
December 3, 2015As a Canadian citizen living in the States and raising a family the gun issue is incredible to watch. Few months back Trump suggested college teachers be armed….what the heck? It is disgusting that you fear for your life now while trying to teach a class but to than have to become trained to kill someone like some sort of soldier is ridiculous. Sadly, how about just installing metal detectors. No professors want to have a wild-west shoot out in the middle of a biology class.
View CommentYes mental health issues need to be addressed but more importantly they need to stiffen up their gun laws and tell the NRA to take a hike.
Walmart sells guns, Dick sporting good’s sells all kinds of guns. This was shocking at first when I first moved here. Getting guns is too easy in the U.S. The mass killings is one horrible angle, how about the number of suicides. One young teenager in our community received a bad mark last year in a local high school and took the families ‘self-protecting handgun’ and shot himself. With the impulsiveness of teenagers why have a gun in your house…but they do.
In the U.S. the pioneers preceded the law. In Canada the law preceded the pioneers. It remains one of the fundamental historical remnants separating our two nations and underpins the psychology of both.
Ana
December 3, 2015Shootings are sad events without question in any part of the world. I can see that the history of human violence began long before the invention of modern day weapons. While we would all like to dream of a time in which we can control violence and live in perfect harmony (every culture has had this idea= utopia Shangri-La to name two), I doubt if the legislation of gun control will achieve it. We can sit in rooms galore and pass legislation and human tragedy caused by greed and the desire to hurt someone whether it comes from mental illness or just a desire to have what someone else has will continue. We need to learn to live better lives and love one another. Thanks Francis for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
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