The president has said that he strongly believes in the right to bear arms and that most gun owners are well within the law and use their guns responsibly.
However, the new legislation is a practical approach to curbing mass shootings like those in Newtown, Conn.; Aurora, Col.; the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek; Virginia Tech and Columbine.
The Second Amendment is central to the issue of gun control. The National Rifle Association seeks to defeat the new legislation based solely on the Second Amendment.
A previous ban on assault weapons expired in 2004. Since then, mass shootings have increased in frequency. The scope and devastation of assault weapons on society has proven to be beyond our comprehension. High-powered assault weapons and high capacity magazines have been the preferred choice of individuals who seek to inflict the most damage through the easy acquisition of these weapons.
In 2013, the individual rights and freedoms of some must be carefully balanced to address and protect the many. Issues of public safety and protection need to be addressed.
Today, society is faced with a myriad of issues concerning responsible gun ownership: mental health, character, judgment and the foresight to protect those who cannot protect themselves. The real concern here is protection and the prevention of senseless loss of life. The four main features that the new legislation seeks to address are these:
• Closing background check loopholes to keep guns out of dangerous hands
• Banning military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and taking other common sense steps
• Making schools safer
• Increasing access to mental health services
These practical measures could go a long way toward reducing the kind of gun violence we’ve seen in the last year.
In their recent article from Slate Magazine, “How Many People Have Been Killed By Guns Since Newtown?” Chris Kirk and Dan Kois discuss important questions and highlight a crowd-sourced interactive effort to get real numbers and bring attention to the issue of gun violence across the country and the number of lives lost.
Gun control is a very troubling and complex issue. It can’t wait. Ultimately, it’s not about taking away anyone’s Second Amendment rights. It’s about saving lives.