The Right To Bear Arms? I Think Not.

Today in America was yet another tragic moment. Another school shooting. Another gun in the hands of a killer. Another tragedy. My deepest feelings go out to the families, children, teachers, emergency responders, and any others connected to this. What a heart breaking thing to go through right before the holidays. 

There was a mall shooting in Oregon on Tuesday as people were holiday shopping as well. How did this happen? AGAIN? My question is, when will we learn? When will America actually do something about this? I know that there are many opinions on what needs to happen to remedy the situation. Many people suggest we start with teaching people to be compassionate and learn right from wrong. In my opinon, thats good in theory, but things happen to people. I’m not as compassionate as I was when I was 6. I’ve been burned before and learned to ‘hate.’ And in some people…that rejection can push them. What do we do with people who have chemical imbalances but go ignored? Compassion won’t always cure that. And then there is media and such that blasted the shooters from Columbine. Saying it was video games and death metal music that influenced them. No in fact, it wasn’t. A friend on facebook said it best, “Don’t blame the media, don’t blame video games, don’t blame anyone but the people who held the guns.”

Other people suggest taking guns out of homes. This is also good but then we have hunters who have an issue with this. I believe in hunting, my step dad does it but he’s very careful with his guns and has them locked away and follows all precautions and rules that goes along with this. This is not the issue. Where the issue lies is within the right to bear arms…anyone to bear arms. 

How did a 24 year old get a hold of a gun like this to bring into an Elementary school today? 

Talking with Toblerone about this issue, you RARELY hear about people shooting another here in Germany. The laws here in Germany are incredibly strict and smart. I think we could learn something from them. We aren’t cowboys anymore and having a gun to protect ourselves could only cause issues in return. Children have killed themselves on accident from careless parents. I say lets make it personal and store a baseball bat next to your bed.

German gun laws are as follows

       1. In order to get a hunting license you have to take a hunting course starting at 6 months up to 1 year. 

      2. The hunting course costs start at 3500 Euro (approx 4,000 USD) for taking the 6 month option down to 1,500 Euro (approx. 2,000 USD) for taking the course for 1 year. 

      3. The exam you take at the end of said course is extrememly difficult to pass. This also is a test on trust, demeanor, and necessity. If they don’t need another hunter for that area, you don’t get a chance for a license until another hunter either dies or doesn’t renew.

     4. There are no gun shops or places that sell ammunition. You must buy this online and ONLY with your registration number from your hunting license. The gun is automatically in a large system registered to you and what region you will be hunting in. Dicks Sporting Goods can find something else to sell in that section.

      5. All the guns must be put in a safe. Not a gun cabinet that displays them in a glass window-pane. This safe is impossible to get into without the registered owners code and or key which they must keep hidden. 

     6. At any time, random times, an official can come to check that the guns are stored per the protocol and check that everything is in order. Keeping registered hunters on their toes and following the law. 

Thus, making it difficult for 20 year olds to go to a gun shop and purchase a gun just because. I’m not saying this solves the issues at hand but it’s a start. There is no longer a reason to allow for guns to be so available. Absolutely no reason. Hunting can still be allowed but regulated. Toblerone literally knows maybe 3 people that have this hunting license and most are deterred from getting one because it’s time consuming and expensive. 

The ONLY gun that people are allowed to buy here are BB guns. And many people have them for competitons (there are many of those here in Germany.) By eliminating the advertisement of guns (ie. Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart) would this change the outcome of guns in a household? In the eyes of Germans, guns are for hunters. They don’t think of it as a weapon necessarily. Why does America have shooting ranges? Why do people buy guns just to shoot? How is that fun or enlightening? I know how to shoot a gun and if I needed to, I could in a bad situation. However my feelings are that the system is all too loose. Healthcare isn’t even that easily accessible so why are guns? Healthcare for those who are hurting, have chemical imbalances, who need help. This may start to solve some of the issues or maybe it won’t but any start is better than where we are at now.

I really think America could learn something by looking at countries that have less gun violence. What is it that we aren’t doing that we could change? How could we improve? Enough is enough. It’s time for a change. Security systems in every school regardless of size. We shouldn’t be waiting around for a tragedy to strike and it’s too late. 

Tell me your thoughts? Do you think America should do more to control weapons? 

 

Until next time, Readers! xoxoxox