Should people
be allowed to own guns in order to protect themselves and their property? Or does more guns simply mean more innocent
people dead? Is part of the problem our
conception of evil or our fear of it?
Where does this idea/fear come from?
Movies and television?
Religion?
This writer
is obviously for gun control. Can you
find any holes in his arguments?
I agree with author, that guns are killing more people than they are saving, but I don’t think we can talk about evil here. I always thought that even people who kill for nothing have their own reasons for thinking they are doing something good. That’s why we shouldn’t be looking at what was the reason, when somebody shot 30 people, but we should be more focused on who we allow to carry a gun. Because when there are guns there is always a lot of death. It’s so ironic that such a big thing as a homicide can be so easy with a gun. Nowadays, with so many guns it’s not so hard to kill. You just aim, pull the trigger and shoot. That’s it. You just killed somebody.
ReplyDeleteIn Slovakia, carrying a gun is not so expanded. The guns are mostly used in military of Slovakia, in work such as security organizations, in interest associations (for example hunting) and in sports. Also after shooting in Devínska Nová Ves, there were changes in law about guns, so that there won’t be more incidents like this. The government is trying to make a progress so we, as citizens of Slovakia, and also people who just visit our country, won’t feel threatened here. But that’s not how it is everywhere. Let’s look at America. There are always some homicides, suicides and shootings. In America when you reach 21, you can buy a handgun, because you have a right to protect yourself and your property. I find it really stupid. For example when you are on a trip and you get lost, you can accidently end on somebody’s property and since the property is somebody’s possession the person has a right to kill you. And that’s how it is in America since the time of cowboys, when in that time everybody carried a gun. I think it’s silly that they haven’t done any changes, because it’s already 21st century now, and cowboys in America were in 19th. On the other hand in Japan there are just about 2 gun related homicides per a year. It’s really impressive, I think. We can see that when there is a will for a change, anything can be done. In Japan only military forces carry guns and if you, as an individual, want to have a gun, you have to pass exams, mental tests, drug tests, you have to attend all-day class, pass shooting range class and do lot of other things. So it’s a long process, and you need to fulfill all the requirements. It’s really great that they are so precise at deciding who is allowed to have a gun. It must be great to walk on the street and not be scared whether some crazy person will shoot you.
Rebeka Zanechalová, 3.A
I agree with Rebeka that the guns are killing more people than they are saving. However, I do not think that in this case we cannot talk about evil. Evil is such a tricky word and we cannot easily identify what the evil is and what it is not. There is always something in between and also what evil is for some people does not have to be evil for the others. For example, my brother considers evil when I eat his chocolate, but on the other hand, I think that I have done him a favor because I saved him from eating something that would destroy his teeth. Hence, it may be but does not have to be evil when it comes to the suicides or the homicides.
DeleteRebeka was right when she said that we should be more focused on who we allow to carry a gun. I think that the unregulated access of guns is a problem that should be solved and instead of making laws that weaken the gun regulation the government should make it stricter. Fortunately, in Slovakia it is not as easy to own a gun as in America where there occurs something that can be called vicious circle. Since it is allowed, more and more people own the gun, which means more potential killers and more people feel threaten so they buy a gun for protection. This problem could be solved easily. Everything that is needed to be done is to make laws about a gun ownership stricter, as it is in Japan. It is working quite well as we can see on the number of homicides per year. Moreover, ownership of a gun is a huge responsibility and not everyone can handle it.
To own guns or not to own guns. A question so controversial in America. After many years, throughout guns were not used as they were meant to centuries ago, to protect the Union, it is past time the laws should be changed.
ReplyDeleteIt is impossible to tell the reason why all these murders are happening. The author suggests pervasive evil. Evil, which lies in every single man and when a killing happens, it is the one to be blamed. But is it? "Evil can be a consolation, but its also an abdication, of responsibility and of our obligations." This sentence explains why all people at some time of their life try to fool themselves , rather than admitting the truth. Imagine it. More than fifty-two people were killed by a gun in America in only one day. What would you rather want to tell to yourself, that this might have not happened if you tried only a bit to ban free gun ownership, or that the world is full of evil and it would have happened anyway. This applies on random gunned people, innocent students or even your close family.
Killing someone has to be difficult. Especially if it is a member of your family or people you know. I say guns are directly responsible for almost all tragedies they were used in. There are dozens and dozens of cases of students killing whole classes and subsequently turning the gun towards them selves. The question is - what would happen if gun ownership would be reduced? There is no certainty that the student would not be able of a massacre on this scale, but if would be terribly harder. He would not be able to kill so many students with bare hands or a knife, and it is highly unlikely the murderer would construct a bomb or use some chemicals. These options require time, throughout which he would either get caught or realized what he was doing.
Time is an important factor. If you get angry and want to kill the whole street, a knife is not a good option. And if no guns would be around, you would just simply have to calm down. No deaths at all. Guns offer us the ability to be powerful, dangerous and kill many people all at once. When does this get dangerous? When someone gets angry. Or mad. Without thinking, without the time for other people to notice something, a mad man can tear families and massacre anyone he wants. Ammunition is the only limit for him.
South Korea has one of the most strict gun laws in the world. And it actually helps. If a mad Korean decides to kill his entire class, he would succeed only if he were a highly skilled Kung-Fu master. Have you ever heard of a mad Kung-Fu mass killer? Slovakia has less strict laws. You can get a licence only after several tests and that can be only left at home for protection. You can not carry it armed, unless you have a special licence, issued to only a handful of jobs. Even our laws however do not eliminate shootings. But our society is not only shocked every time something like this happens, but the government actually does something. Orders more frequent psychological tests or never gives licences to someone with a criminal background. This is the attitude needed for a more happier and safer life.
“the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” The US have got a very old constitution. It's second Amendment served as a worst case scenario in case the British soldiers would return. However, this time is long gone and the safety of US citizens on US soil itself is once again being threatened, but not by the British, but by the Amendment it self. Noting other directly threatens the lives of Americans, except maybe McDonalds, so much as firearms.
I agree with Marek, that American laws should be changed, but also Slovak. The think is that Slovak people should also have the right to protect themselves and their property with a gun. For example if a thief in Slovakia wants to break in a house, even when there is somebody inside, he doesn't have to be afraid that he would be shot, simply because people don't have guns. This is one side of the extreme, the other is America with no gun regulations at all. However, we in Slovakia have regulations, but these are not enough as we see things like the Devinska shooting happening. It happens a lot that the wrong people get the gun when they shouldn't, not just crazy people but also criminals who get their guns illegally. And the cherry on the top is that these criminals can give their illegally held guns to state in one of these amnesties, one happening right now, and nobody bats an eye.
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