Safety’s On

One N.C. State Student Weighs In On The Gun Control Debate 

Javada Hunter | Contributor

In the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting, gun control has been a hot topic in the United States.

President Barack Obama has developed four subsections for each of his recommendations on the subject. However, the National Rifle Association (NRA) remains firmly opposed to the President and has suggested implementing armed security on school campuses as a solution to this problem.

I’ve never been a fan of politics, but I couldn’t agree more with the President at this time.

In my opinion, of all the President’s key subsections, focusing on the availability of dangerous firearms, their ammunition and mental health will be the most beneficial for the nation.

Many people would argue that “guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” This is an idea I am willing to agree with, but only to a certain extent.

The ability for the general public to purchase assault rifles and ammunition is more than detrimental to the Nation’s safety.

Although many may argue the safety of their family and assets as a means to purchase, I feel as though there is an agenda for destruction in buying semi-automatic handguns and assault rifles if one is not in the military.

Comparatively, I believe assessing an individual’s mental health and running a background check prior to allowing the purchase of a firearm are great strategies since “people kill people.”

Of course, this practice would upset several people and make the process of purchasing a weapon more difficult. Great. I hope this process would deter people from wanting a firearm for unnecessary reasons.

As I said before, people argue their individual protection as a need for a gun and of course The Bill of Rights grants you the right to bear arms. I can buy that, however flexing that right for individual gain accomplishes nothing for the betterment of society; I feel as though this is a major part of the problem concerning gun control.

Across the nation, Americans should consider the results of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and other tragedies such as the Aurora, Colorado Movie Theater shooting, the Virginia Tech shootings and the recent shootings at Lone Star Community College in Texas before taking a stance on the issue.