Gun-Related Harm
Statistically, America reports more gun-related deaths and causalities compared to other developed nations annually. According to the results from the U.S. Census Bureau, states that report many gun-related injuries include California, Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Pennsylvania, among others. Gun violence in American states is more prevalent in low-income urban settlements, which reports more gun-related cases compared to the suburban rural areas. Moreover, gun-related harms are more associated with gangs, especially in the large city of Los Angeles, often involving young youths and juvenile delinquents. Groups engage in drug trafficking, firearm trafficking, and human trafficking activities that predispose them to buy guns to protect their businesses and lives.
Historically, the first gun-related violence dates back to 1966 at the University of Texas, where a former marine sniper killed 16 civilians and harmed 31 in less than two hours. The mass shooting of 1966 remains one of the deadliest mass shootings recorded in the United States. Charles Whitman, known as ‘Texas Tower Sniper,’ used semi-automatic firearms and rifles, resulting in the high fatality rate. Charles Whitman fire indiscriminately at the civilians who were mostly campus students and passersby. Eighteen years later, the San Ysidro McDonalds massacre happened at a local McDonald restaurant in San Diego on July 18th, 1984. James Huberty, the culprit, opens fire and kills 21 civilians and injures 19 in 77 minutes, before being killed by the police. The 1984 mass murder becomes the fatal gun-related violence in the U.S., surpassing the 1966 Texas mass shooting. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
On October 16th 1991, George Hennard drove his truck through the window of Luby’s Cafeteria in Texas shooting and killing 23 citizens and hurting 27 others. The massacre is popularly known as the Luby’s Massacre, and it becomes the most violent mass murder by a sole gunman in America. On April 16th 2007, Seung-Hui-Cho, a South Korean national and student at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, fires two semi-automatic pistols, killing 32 people and injuring 17 others. The unfortunate event becomes the most deadly school massacre in America’s history. The perpetrator Seung-Hui-Cho commits suicide, and reasons behind the killings remain unknown to date.
On October 1st, 2017, during the Route 91 Harvest music festival, Stephen Paddock shoots aimlessly at the civilians attending the concert, killing 58 concertgoers and injuring 413 others. The stampede was resulting from panic and fear results to further injuries scaling close to a thousand casualties. The 64-year-old perpetrator commits the crime in his suite at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, and after the crime, he shoots himself. On October 27th, 2018, at the Tree of Life Jewish synagogue in Pittsburg, a sniper fires at 11 congregators and wounds six others. The police arrest Robert Gregory Bowers as a suspect and charge him for the mass shootings of the Jews. The mass shooting becomes the most violent gun-related attack of the Jews in America.
From the historical events, it is evident gun violence is an alarming issue in the United States. Notably, all perpetrators from the five mass shootings use automatic and semi-automatic weapons, which raises concerns about gun control and ownership in America. The nature of gun-related harms vary depending on the extent of the damage. Gun-related violence can result in either non-fatal or fatal injuries caused by the firearm. In addition to gun-related injuries, gun violence can lead to death, with the most common cause of end being suicide, recklessness when handling the gun, and use of firearms with unclear motives. Gun-related suicides are more prevalent compared to gun-related murders. In regards to weapons, a majority of gun-related homicides result from the use of handguns and rifles.
Additionally, levels of gun-related violence may fluctuate depending on the geographical regions and U.S. provinces. Gun-related harms are not always criminal, for example, when a police officer or individual uses a gun to protect themselves from the criminal. The illegal nature of gun violence comes in when the firearm is involved in murder, suicide, or assault. Due to the diverse legal jurisdictions, the kind of gun-related abuse may differ on what is criminal or non-criminal.
Due to the deaths and fatal injuries resulting from gun violence, the government should strive to address the issue since it is alarming high in the urban areas. Moreover, the government should propose individual gun policies, especially in regards to firearm control and ownership. The Federal Bureau of Investigation links most gun-related harms to firearm ownership, and it is therefore essential for legislators to involve themselves in finding solutions to gun violence. One particular proposal is urging gun owners to avoid carrying their firearms in public as well as attending professional gun training sessions to prevent accidental and negligent harms. Moreover, the government’s involvement in addressing gun-related violence is crucial in reducing the high mortalities resulting from firearms. In as much as human lives are lost, the government suffers the majority loss both economically and socially.
The government spends thousands of dollars to handle gun-related harms, which accounts for the police, medical, and prison costs. More gun-related cases will result in more government spending, resources that would fund other community projects and initiatives. Additionally, gun-related harm results in psychological problems, especially children and youths who are, in most cases, present during the violence. Mental health is an alarming issue in the state. It requires government resources to schedule programs to address psychological problems such as anxiety, post-traumatic disorders, just to mention a few. Lastly, the right to life should be respected, and it is, therefore, the government’s role in promoting social justice and protecting the lives of its citizens.
Several perspectives on gun-related violence exist, especially in understanding the nature and effects of firearms. In as much as individuals buy guns to protect themselves, it is essential to note that other people use guns to commit illegal activities such as robbery and murder. Moreover, gun owners are not always criminals, but certain people are evil, and gun-violence is always an expected result. Gun violence is still a severe problem of the state, but some media houses use the issue provocatively to push for political and social agendas. The media exaggerates the numbers of gun-related harms and deaths to show support to individual politicians. The significant influence and persuasion media have on society, and the public perceives the statistics as accurate and without a doubt. Unfortunately, the media fails to highlight stories that show the positive impact guns have, especially in saving lives.
Gun control is another perspective in gun violence that requires attention. As individuals and leaders push for the plan to control the ownership and use of firearms, some factors arise regarding the strictness of the proposed laws. In as much as the state offers rigid and strict rules to curb gun-related violence, the land records more deaths and injuries about firearms. Gun laws, moreover, do not always control the access of guns by individuals as there are shops that sell firearms without the proper licensing. Gun control is attainable, but after controlling the individuals who buy and sell weapons. Gun control thus requires productive legal collaborations and commitment as there will always be reports of gun violence in the state.
The issue of mass shootings is also a critical perspective that comes to light. The motive behind the mass shootings by perpetrators remains unclear, but a new aspect of the existing relationship between violence and mental health serves as a motive. From the 1966 Texas Tower mass shooting to the recent 2019 Pittsburg massacre, all perpetrators end up committing suicide after the killings. Psychological problems somewhat motivate individuals to acquire and commit these crimes hence requiring the government to address mental health in educational institutions. Another perspective in gun-related violence is the distinction between gun rights and gun regulation. The two concepts, gun rights and gun control, can coexist contrary to the Second Amendment and, it should not affect the citizen’s opinion.
Lastly, gun violence and gun regulation are, in several ways, an attitude problem and requires all individuals to participate in debates to address the issue. Moreover, gun violence is a cultural problem, and discussing it should start at the roots. Changing societal perceptions in regards to gun regulation requires individual commitment to attain the fundamental objectives of creating awareness about gun violence and gun control through education.
Address the gun-related violence menace in the U.S., several solutions and interventions put into consideration. One particular proposal some legislators propose is to increase the age limit of owning and handling a firearm from 18 years to 21 years. The strength of the recommendation is that there will be less gun-related violence associated with juveniles and young adults. However, the weakness is that the law will not reduce gun violence as firearms are readily available in the streets. Another proposal is passing gun laws such as gun violence restraining orders that allow the police and relatives to file a petition in court to ban individuals who are at risk of self-inflicting harm on themselves. The strength of the proposal is that it will
address gun-related accidents and suicides. The weakness of this proposal is that it fails to consider the possibility of the gun owner committing suicide or violence outside the household.
Smart gun technology is another proposal that gun manufacturers recommend; the business proposes the use of biometric technology to identify a gun’s legal owner and prevent remote access. The strength of this technology is that it prevents individuals from using firearms without registration. Nevertheless, the technology is somewhat sophisticated and would require a lot of government resources to actualize. Moreover, smart gun technology will not prevent gun-related harm, especially in the event of when individuals try to protect themselves with other people’s firearms. Lastly, the proposal to discourage legal immunities for weapons manufactures. The only weakness of the suggestion is that genuine gun manufacturing companies will file constant lawsuits since the gun industry is crucial to designing and supplying guns for the war. The positive impact of banning legal immunity is that it will discourage illegal manufacturing and supply of firearms.
Works Cited
Eisner, Manuel. “Long-term historical trends in violent crime.” Crime and Justice 30 (2003): 83-142.
Ferrall, Bard R. “Gun violence in America: The struggle for control.” Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology 92.1/2 (2001): 430.
McGinty, Emma Beth, et al. “Public opinion on proposals to strengthen U.S. gun laws: findings from a 2013 survey.” Reducing gun violence in America: Informing policy with evidence and analysis. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013. 239-257.
Swanson, Jeffrey W., et al. “Mental illness and reduction of gun violence and suicide: bringing epidemiologic research to policy.” Annals of Epidemiology 25.5 (2015): 366-376.