We Don't Need Gun Control. We Need, Access to Guns, Control.

It took me a while to find a blog entry by one of my classmates to stir some emotions in me.  Most of the original blogs stated opinions I agreed with, or were on topics that I didn't have a strong opinion on. Then I found, Shadman Murshed's piece titled, "Guns Are Our Friends... Lets Treat Them Better, So They Stick Around." Shadman took a stab at defending our right to bear arms. He argues that guns have saved us from great evils, and help maintain a balance in nature. Mr. Murshed goes on to highlight the millions of guns that are sold each year, providing jobs, and tax revenue the industry provides each year. Shadman says that guns are our friends. According to him, the possession of a gun is a god given right, and if the government tries to control his access to a handgun, rifle, or shotgun, he'll say, "What's up with that?"

Well here is, what's up with that:

ABC NEWS:

U.S. Has More Guns – And Gun Deaths – Than Any Other Country, Study Finds

We have the most guns per capita compared to the next 27 industrial countries. You would think that with that one statistic, and with the controversy surrounding gun ownership and gun control that we might have researchers studying the effects of such a heavily armed society.  Many people are shocked to know that the Center For Disease Control banned research on gun in 1996. They banned gun research. It took the Sandy Hook shootings in 2012 to start to move to possibly push legislation to make background checks mandatory for all gun purchases.  Unfortunately the assault weapons ban, the high capacity magazine ban, and the mandatory background checks all failed last year. Nothing has changed. Nearly anybody can purchase a gun.  

Please understand that I am not trying to alter the constitution. I'm not trying to ban guns. I just think we need to deny access to some people.  We also need tougher laws for careless handling of one's guns.

“Keeping guns out of the hands of people who are at an elevated risk for violence and suicide is a public health priority,” said Shannon Frattaroli, PhD, MPH.

On gun-control, there is overwhelming 92 - 7 percent support for background checks for all gun buyers, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Support for universal background checks is 91 - 8 percent among voters in a household with a gun.  

Look at Ft. Hood in 2012.  Then look at Ft. Hood in 2014. Look at Columbine, Sandy Hook, the theater in Colorado, Virginia Tech, the Navy Yard... heck, just look at this list!

A Timeline Of Mass Shootings In The US Since Columbine

When you look at that list, you can start to see some similar patterns.  The perpetrators of these horrific crimes, often take their own life.  The medical system that we have had in this country for the last 50 years has failed these people.  I'm sure they may have been fine people, but their mental stability was shaken.  The cause is not something I will try and diagnose in this blog entry. I'll just tear a page from Shadman's book and say, what's up with that?  But the facts are the facts, a lot of people that have problems with depression, violent tendencies, and drug habits(prescribed or illegal), have access to guns.

Over a 100,000 veterans diagnosed with PTSD... Are we giving them the care they deserve? 

WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?!?!

-We need better health care.

-We need to close the gun-show loop holes. ( In some states you can sell semi-auto machine guns to people without even looking at their ID)

-We need to push for more gun safety classes.

-And we need to link the medical system with a national gun registration system. If you are prescribed anti-psychotic drugs, your right to bare arms may have come to an end.

Shadman likes guns. So do I.  I used to own over 300 guns, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. I inherited the collection from a family member.  I enjoyed practicing safe gun ownership.  I hunted, and shot for sport. I also used to feel an invisible threat.  I remember being in a bar one night and a guy I barely knew mentioned something about my gun collection. I started selling them the next day. Guns in our country symbolize artificial power.  The gleam I saw in that fella's eye was not something I wanted to see crawling in my window late one night, possibly forcing me to defend myself.  I was in possession of a stockpile of tools for the weak. Anyone can shoot a gun. It takes a brave man to lay them down.