Gun control is an inherently divisive and political topic in the U.S due to the almost-mythical status that the Second Amendment has achieved.
“The right to bear arms shall not be infringed upon”, according to the Founding Fathers, as an armed civilian population is paramount to making sure the government keeps the will of the people at the forefront of policy-making and foreign relations.
However, in recent years, the topic of stricter gun control laws has become more prevalent in response to the increase in mass shooting situations.
I believe that this is just one component of the issue at hand, as the largest number of gun-related deaths are not murders, but rather suicides.
According to Pew Research, ‘’there were 6.2 gun murders per 100,000 people in the United States in 2020, compared to 7 gun suicides per 100,000 people.”
This is not to say that one issue is more important than the other, but rather that if this problem is to be solved, everything must be considered before a solution can be devised.
One potential factor in alleviating some of the suicides and mass murders is creating more robust mental health support systems in the states that lack such programs, such as Texas.
We already know that at-risk people can get past background checks with little trouble, as even though the rates of background checks are 48 percent higher than they were in 2014 (as of 2022), the rate of mass shootings has gone up over the last 10 years and the rate of suicides has largely remained the same.
Another factor to consider is the type of firearm used in each situation.
The media loves to tout the term “assault weapon” in reference to military-style firearms that fire a mid-size rifle cartridge, such as the AR-15 or AKM, being the main perpetrators.
In 2020, these types of guns ‘’accounted for only 3 percent of firearm murders, while handguns accounted for the overwhelming majority at 59 percent’’, according to FBI data.
So then, would stricter gun control laws be worth it?
It is hard to say for sure. On the one hand, fewer people dying needlessly is very hard to construe as a bad thing, and most well-adjusted people would agree that no one absolutely NEEDS an AR-15 for any legitimate reason.
However, on the other hand, the Second Amendment is a fundamental, inalienable right that many see as a core part of this nation’s identity, and trying to take that away is seen as the highest form of betrayal to many patriotic Americans.
The fact that suicides account for over half of the total gun deaths in America is also a reason to look at other problems with our country’s medical support systems.
Personally, I am of the mindset that this is both a legality issue and mental health issue.
Making laws that decide what guns people can and cannot own legally makes no difference to someone who wants to commit murder, as all guns do the same thing: shoot bullets.
I think in addition to a background check, potential gun owners must undergo a full psychiatric evaluation before they are allowed to purchase a firearm.