Home Opinion Columns Is it gun control or out of control?

Is it gun control or out of control?

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By Maggie Ross

Online Editor

A frequent question on many Americans’ minds is concerned with the idea that our rights to own our own ammunition is at risk. To be concerned of our rights being violated is expected, possibly even encouraged in order to keep us aware and working towards remaining a free country.

You can look at several cases that have alerted Americans to this “fear.” Let’s look back to Dec. 14, when a senseless and harmful citizen opened fire on Sandy Hook Elementary School killing 20 students and six adults. While the country came together in mourning the tragedy, President Obama went to the news, expressing deep emotion on the subject. According to ABC News, he would later recount that Dec. 14 was the worst day of his presidency.

It wasn’t but moments after that gun control advocates were taking to the social media, blasting messages of “I-told-you-so” and deeply felt emotions to why guns should be taken away. One person I follow on my accounts tweeted, “This is why we shouldn’t give people the right to bear arms.”

And so, the gun control lobbyists and groups and individuals went to Congress, again presenting ideas of limiting gun control. According to the Washington Post, Vice President Biden is leading a commission to create concrete measures to reduce gun violence by the end of this month. In addition, other groups are petitioning to put greater detail into background checks made before purchasing weapons.

While all this movement is inspiring and driven, it’s being done in emotional turmoil. Similar to when you take to your Facebook and change your relationship status to “single” after a fight with your boyfriend, it’s the shock affect that causes people to pay attention. After an act of terror on innocent children and their supervisors, the safety of every child and parent in America was threatened – and since everyone has a set of parents, it was something that everyone took personally.

We all react differently to situations such as these. Who am I to say how you reacted was wrong? Some of you were frightened, angry, or saddened – maybe all. Some of us took to our Twitters hashtagging #prayersforNewton and #Newton, raising awareness to those who hadn’t yet heard the news. Maybe you called your parents and told them you were okay, or maybe your parents called you and told you to wrap yourself in bubble wrap and never go outside again, like my mother did.

Now I’ll be honest, I’ve never shot a gun, unless you count the BB gun I shot when I was twelve – the kickback from a “baby” gun such as that left a bruise on my shoulder for a week. Call me a pansy, but that left me scarred, and there again, I was never exactly offered to go shooting with my father. It wasn’t a skill I necessarily thought I needed.

I do not own a single ammunition weapon. However, I grew up in a home full of guns. My daddy had handguns, shotguns, you name it… A huntsman in the past, it was expected. They were kept locked in a big safe in the back bedroom closet. I knew exactly where the guns were in my house.

It wasn’t just my house that was full of guns. A lot of my family and friends had guns on display in their households. I was never in fear of guns or under-acknowledged their presence – they were just a common way of life where I grew up.

So to an extent, I feel I have a limited opinion on the control of guns, since I personally own none. However, as a voter, I do not feel taking away a right to bear arms should be politically allowed. We fought for this right, we continue to fight for this right, and through voting we can keep this right. As an American, I’m entitled to owning an AK-47 should I feel need be, according to the rights set forth by my country.

No decision should be made in haste. No one in Washington will take away guns tomorrow. While the process to own weapons will more than likely be increased, our guns may live to see another day. How you can fight the issue: stay informed, stay involved, and make your voice heard.

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