Our history can be capsulated in one word and that is freedom. Everything from speech to religion we have the right to freely express who we are. However there is a grwoing cry to limit our most contreversial freedom and that is the right to bear arms. There are two sides to this argument. On one side it seems unconstitutional to take away a given right for every American because it allows us to protect ourselves when law enforcement is no enough. But on the other side, which consists of communities that have gone through unimaginable nightmares, feel that steps must be taken to stop the violence.
Columbine, Virginia Tech, Newtown, Aroura and most recently Roseberg, Oregon. All these communities have experienced a tragedy no community wants to experience which was a mass shooting. Newtown especially it's sickening to think that someone would go out of their way to murder innocent children and knowing that the lives of those kids would not be fufilled because they were tragically cut short. President Obama made it clear in his speech, just hours after the shooting, that he hopes that every individual American will vote for those that reflect their views but mostly those who would want to change our country's gun laws because Congress right now isn't going to change anything.
There are some factors right now that wouldn't help push this debate forward. One are the parties views. While both democrats and republicans feel the same way when it comes to background checks when it comes to limiting gun control there is a divide. Another factor is that it isn't much of a hot topic politicall debate to the general public. By that I mean that the debate of gun control has only been brought up just hours following the breaking news report. But as time progresses it seems to end up in the back of our general political minds when election time comes around as seemingly bigger topics like foreign affairs, immigration and our economy. With the Democratic debate coming up it may be a topic of disscussion with the two candidates but it seems gun control takes a back seat to bigger problems. The final factor is Congress itself. Recently Congress just barely passed the needed bills to avoid another government shutdown but with some conservative backlash which shows just how divided government is. Also being a Republican majority house and Senate, which is the party against limiting gun control, any attempt to try and bring it up could very easily be shut down.
So while gun control is a big topic it seems that it's a topic that flares up and then quickly dies down as time rolls on. Also with a pro gun party in control of congress it doesn't look like it any bill limiting control would make it pass the house. It seems the only way Republicans cvhange their minds about gun control is if the worst were to happen. (For the record I don't want that to happen to anyone not just in Congress regardless of party affiliation.)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/10/02/why-the-gun-debate-wont-change-after-the-oregon-shooting/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/10/02/the-declining-momentum-for-gun-control-in-congress-in-2-charts/
1 comment:
I think it's interesting to look into the idea of something being a "hot topic" like you bring up. I believe that Gun Control is a huge issue that is debated over often in this country, but you are certainly right that it only seems to gain any popularity as an overarching issue when there are tragedies such as what happened in Oregon several days ago. This idea I think potentially shines light on Congressman and Senators trying to appeal to their constituents to gain votes or popularity. It certainly isn't the case that these politicians don't care about these issues otherwise, but perhaps they don't decide to try and make a stand or act upon them unless they are being bombarded with demands from their constituents to make a difference. Perhaps this is a reason that issues like gun control never gain enough traction to create progressive or decisive legislation about them. There could be decay on the part of constituents interests in the issues as well, which in turn causes lack of disinterest for the politicians. It could very well be up to the citizens of the country to keep pushing politicians to act, or it may be stuck as is for a much longer period of time. I don't know if this is exactly the case for gun control, but it is certainly something worth considering.
Post a Comment