With all the gun violence in the U.S., it's hard to understand why so many people are vehemently opposed to gun control. They insist that their right to own guns is protected by the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which says that a well-regulated militia is necessary if a state is to be free, and that the people thus must have the right to keep and bear arms.
This amendment was written at the end of the 18th century. After having overthrown their British rulers, our founding fathers wanted to limit the powers of their new federal government. Because they had seen how European rulers used their armies to oppress their citizens, the founding fathers didn't want to establish a professional army. Instead, they decided to rely on citizen militias to protect the state. And since every white male was expected to be part of the militia when called to serve, these people needed to be armed.
Fast-forward to today: The U.S. has a standing army and reservists, along with National Guard troops, all of whom are issued weapons by the government. We don't need militias. Nevertheless, tens of thousands of individuals have organized behind far-right militias, such as the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys. These believe that our government is illegitimate and must be overthrown. Members of both groups were behind the violent attempt on January 6, 2021 to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden as the duly elected president, and to keep Trump in office. And because it's so easy to own a gun in the U.S., these extremists are all armed.
Not all gun owners are violent far-right extremists. Many say they need guns for self-protection or for hobbies, such as hunting or target practice. Even if we view these as valid reasons to own a weapon, do people really need military-style assault rifles? Surely the founding fathers didn't have this kind of weapon in mind. Yet assault rifles are legal in nearly every state.
It's hard to imagine anything more heartbreaking than the loss of a child. The many school shootings in this country should be enough to make any sane person demand stricter gun control.
In 2022, after decades of debate, our Congress finally passed a new gun control law. It expands background checks for individuals under 21 seeking to buy a gun, and aims to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. It's nowhere near enough, and it comes too late for the nearly 49,000 people who were murdered by gun owners in 2021 alone. But it is at least a start, and maybe it will save other lives. We can only hope - and continue to demand stricter gun control laws.