‘Yes people pull the trigger – but guns are the instrument of death. Gun control is necessary, and delay means more death and horror’ – Eliot Spitzer
I’ve always hated guns, I don’t ever remember even having toy guns in our house as kids. I went to a 4th July Celebration once with my American friend Stacy and there was a riffle range, I started crying when I held the rifle and aimed at the target because I didn’t like the way it felt in my hands, like i good feel what it was capable of, even though that particular one was largely harmless. It frightened me even then and they frighten me even more now.
I don’t live in America, so I don’t understand what it’s like to live my life and base my beliefs on a piece of paper that was written 250 years ago but I do know that facts. There are no up to the minute stats I can find but as of 2013 51 people had been killed the previous year in the UK by guns. In America? 31,347.
The three arguments I read about the most are:
1. People own guns to protect themselves
2. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people
3. America has very low knife crime.
Well I would say:
1. Even if they were carrying a gun on them the people shot recently in Charleston or the horrific live on air shooting in Virginia didn’t have chance to defend themselves, and I’m pretty sure your average neighbourhood burglar only wants your car and your flat screen TV, he’s not breaking in to kill you.
2. Ok so the gun doesn’t pick itself up and go off on a merry wander searching for victims, guns don’t kill people, people with guns kill people. Yes it’s the person who pulls the trigger, but it’s the gun that makes it pretty damn easy to cause mass damage at long range and in a short space of time.
3. I can’t believe I’m even retorting this one but all I will say is, it’s a lot easier to run away from someone with a knife than it is a gun. It’s also a lot easier to wrestle a knife away someone than a gun.
The recent shooting in Virginia feels like it’s been stepped up a notch, it was live on air, in a public place. What’s next? What’s going to have to happen before people say enough is enough? When are people going to stop hiding behind religion and mental health and the constitution and realise it isn’t the 1700s anymore, you don’t need to hunt and kill your own food anymore, you don’t need a gun to protect yourself? There’s a theory in the UK that says if you carry a knife yourself you’re more likely to get stabbed and I think it’s exactly the same with guns, the more people who carry guns, the more people are going to get shot.
I don’t really know why this is something I feel so strongly about, considering I don’t even live there myself so why should it matter to me what the American’s get up to? It just makes me angry that all these horrific killings of innocent people keep on happening, and they seem to be happening even more frequently.
So I saw this video online yesterday and it made me thankful that finally, some people with some clout in the States seem to be trying to do something about. If you live in America, please, please watch this video and try and stop all this madness. Demand a Plan
Thanks
Helen x
Love love love this!!! Well said Helen! It is a shame that so many here in the States don’t feel the way that people in Europe do. I think if they traveled more they would see it doesn’t have to be this way!!