Do citizens really need assault rifles?
Most of us have heard the old adage: those who do not learn from history are forced to repeat it. How true that statement is. I would like for you to take a short stroll down memory lane with me. Sometimes, it can bring warm thoughts and happy memories and sometimes not.
Recently, a young woman was shot and robbed for her $3,000 tax return after being betrayed by someone she thought was a friend. She left behind two small children. We hear about shootings every day on the news, in the newspaper, and on social media. Is anyone safe anywhere? Looking back, we have had these acts of violence occur in places like LA Fitness, malls, a concert, a movie theater, a church, and in our schools. OUR SCHOOLS!
Did we not learn anything from Columbine? Did we not learn anything from Sandy Hook? What about Virginia Tech? And now let’s not forget most recently Parkland Florida. Can you comprehend every child going to school today with the fear in their minds that there is a chance of not coming home because of a shooter? That is sad on so many levels. At that age, their biggest fears should be did I study enough for the test, where did I put my homework and will that pimple be gone before the dance.
Everyone has strong opinions on gun control. People are afraid that governments will limit or take their guns away. I firmly believe in everyone’s second amendment right to bear arms unless of course you commit some crime or do something that makes you forfeit that right. As a general blanket statement, I believe people have the right to own a gun. That being said, what I have a problem with are assault rifles. I don’t see any reason for any person other than military or law enforcement personnel on the job to possess an assault rifle. I have a question to people wanting to own them. For what purpose do you want it? You cannot use it to a hunt. If you took it to hunt small game, all you would have a small pile of ground meat and bone. If you took its deer hunting, your prey would be shot to pieces. You don’t need it to protect your home against burglars because what is the chance you’re going to have a massive amounts of burglars coming into your house at the same moment. The only reason for having assault rifles is to kill a large number of people in a minimal amount of time.
It has been suggested that more stringent background checks be performed. I think that is a great idea. Longer waiting periods might help as well as checking out mental psych reports and medical records, raising the legal age for owning a gun and scanning social media sites. If anything gets flagged then the FBI should be notified and the purchase of the gun should be put on hold pending further investigation. But here is the down side. No matter what checks and balances are in place, if someone is hell-bent on causing a mass shooting like some of the shooters in our recent past have done, they have planned and prepared well in advance and for a very long time.
Perhaps the only solution is to outlaw private individuals from purchasing or owning assault weaponry. If we continue to allow people to possess these, what will be next? Will it be bazookas or hand-held ground to air missile launchers?
Someone somewhere in a position of authority needs to take a long hard look at our own brand of terrorism in this country and come up with some solutions. We cannot continue to sweep it under the rug and pretend it just doesn’t exist. Kudos to the young people who are furious and are demanding to make their voices be heard. What is the value of the human life? What is the price tag that makes people in authority turn their heads and just not care? For once, can we just NOT make it about money and do what is right?
Kathy Bartolotta
Resident of Tower Hill Two