08 Jan Why The US Won’t Let Obama Change Their Gun Policy
As one of the most advanced countries in the world, and with continual gun violence taking place, what is stopping the USA from changing their gun laws?
Gun violence in the United States of America has been one of the most talked about topics in 2015. Thousands of innocent people have lost their lives to the harrowing mass shootings that have taken place within the country. And yet, no change within the US constitution has actively been birthed to support the first commandment in the Bible “Thou shall not kill”. So what is to be done? Doesn’t Barack Obama, President of the United States of America have the power to enforce new safety laws to the gun policy? Isn’t that the whole point of being one of the most powerful men in the world? If he isn’t the most powerful then the question is, who or what is stopping the President from enforcing greater protection for the people? How will their paradoxical view save lives with more weapons being available to the public? What banning methods could be put in place to bring reassurance to a decline in police brutality, racial and hate crimes amongst the mass shootings? What is the outlook for the future of all innocent lives young and old? Who will protect the people? Natasha Ferguson investigates.
The United States of America. Known as the land of the free and the home of the brave. One of the most influential counties in the world. However, since the beginning of 2015, America has become a country where continual gun violence has reigned, and outweighed any thing that was good over the past 12 months. With more than 300 million guns in the country, 52,000 gun violence incidents, 4,500 related to involvement with the police and mass shootings in this year alone, it would have been the norm to believe that the judicial, legislative and executive constituents of the country would have come together to bring change by now. You would have thought so. And these figures are just for 2015 alone. But they haven’t, and now the question why is on the lips on forefront of the nation.
In 2012 the Sandy Hook mass shooting shook the world when 20-year-old Adam Lanza walked into Sandy Hook Elementary school with a two assault rifles, that his mother owned, who was a gun enthusiast and took the lives of 20 innocent children and six of the staff members after taking his own mother’s life. Adam took his life before the police arrived on location. The news bought fear to the country, and the President spoke to the nation about creating a starting point where this type of violence would not become a repetitive one. His mother who had legally bought and registered a large collection of weapons, was known for taking her sons to shooting ranges. As a parent who would have then be considered someone who would have said no to stricter gun laws, she died by the very weapon that was supposed to protect her.
The US constitution is made up of The Bill of Rights and Amendments which are the supreme law that governs the land of the country. And in light of the continual gun violence that has shaken the nation, it is the second amendment that is put in the spotlight as it states: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” So is the very constitution that was put in place to protect the people, the very same set of laws that are now the obstacle the political battlefield is up against in reforming the gun laws. Professor Robert Cook believes so. “The second amendment is now a major obstacle to gun law reform. The second amendment was an 18c measure designed to ensure the strength of the volunteer citizens’ militia in the new American republic. The failure of US authorities at both the state and federal levels to limit and regulate gun sales in the modern era has, in my view, contributed very significantly ‘the current climate of continual mass shootings”.
A survey conducted by ABC News and Washington Post revealed that the 68% of Conservatives and 70% of Republicans believe we should carry more guns and oppose the plans to enforce gun control. But why? Republican Governor Jeb Bush spoke on gun control to say that; “Hillary Clinton, after one of these horrific violent acts, said we need to have federal gun laws. President Obama almost always says the same thing. And the result is you’re going to take away rights of law-abiding citizens, 99.999% of the people. That’s not the right approach. In Florida, we have a background check. We have concealed-weapon permit holders. We have a reduction in violent crime because we put people behind bars when they use a gun in the commission of the crime.”
So if the people in the Florida state uphold the gun laws that have been set in place for the entire country, what is stopping the rest of America from following suit? Professor Cook says; I’d put this down to the strength of the gun lobby at local and national levels and, more broadly, of the modern conservative movement which has a negative knee-jerk response to most kinds of governmental regulation. Many liberals have been complicit because of their fear of the NRA. If the highly publicized left wing political party believe there is nothing wrong with the laws in place, then where does the core of the issue lie in them opposing change. “The second amendment is now a major obstacle to gun law reform. But so too are social attitudes toward government regulation and historically-rooted white fears of black crime and violence and more modern anxieties about Islamic terrorism’
June 17th the people of South Carolina faced a racial religious hate crime when Dylan Roof entered Emanuel A.M.E. church with a glock semi automatic handgun bought by his parents in Charleston, and took the lives of nine people who he sat with as they conducted a Bible study. FBI Director James Comey took responsibility that not only did Roof have previous convictions to possession of drugs, but the gun shop in South Carolina that he bought the weapon from did not wait for his application to be approved and discretionally sold him the gun. He said: “We are all sick that this has happened, we wish we could turn back the clock. What we can do is make sure we learn from it, get better.” Roof pleaded not guilty to 33 counts of murder and hate crimes, which also included religious freedom violations. He has yet to be sentenced.
So if it was that easy for Roof to obtain an illegal gun from a legal shop, based on the correct procedures not being followed through, how much so for others to coincidentally have the same luck as him. Looking into banning ideas like stricter background checks, extending application process, even limiting the amount of weapons per household, or to even go as far to say banning all assault weapons for domestic purchase. Something should have been and needs to be put in place to reassure the state that the government are working to have this under control. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, said in a statement: “It’s disastrous that this bureaucratic mistake prevented existing laws from working and blocking an illegal gun sale. The facts undercut attempts to use the tragedy to enact unnecessary gun laws. The American people, and especially the victims’ families, deserve better.”
And President Obama believes so too. Talking to the BBC, he agreed that the US “do not have sufficient common sense gun safety laws”. During a press conference earlier this year, the President put together four steps to reason why gun policy needs to change how it can be actioned. The first was that “Congress should act to make sure no one on a no-fly list is able to buy a gun”. Next was that “we also need to make it harder for people to buy powerful assault weapons” Following that the President believes that they “should put in place stronger screening for those who come to America” And lastly in relation to the terrorism attacks, a “vote to authorize the continued use of military force” So with a reasonable and realistic set of steps in place that could be actioned to help reduce gun violence, what will it take to have the new measures into place?
The end of 2015 saw America’s deadliest terrorist mass shooting come to life in the Conservative region of San Bernardino. The couple, Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik took legally purchased assault rifles and semi automatic handguns, entered a holiday gathering at the inland Regional Center and killed 14 people with 22 being injured. With the police finding over 1,600 rounds of ammunition in their possession, the couple was killed a shootout against the police.
This being the final straw for Obama, who had been working on enforcing new restrictions without the backing of Congress and it’s challenging constituents, a few days ago gave an emotional speech at a press conference, which stated the plan of action that will be put forward into making America a safer place to live. Speaking on the some of the most memorable incidents that have taken place within the last three years, the President highlighted his attempt to expand on background checks in 2012, which has now been enforced. Alongside the FBI having new examiners come on board, gun sellers will also be processed amongst Congress being asked to invest in the states healthcare. Making a strong statement to the opposition he stated: “The reason Congress blocks laws is because they want to win elections. If you make it hard for them to win an election if they block those laws, they’ll change course, I promise”
In light of the conference going to press The executive director of the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action, Chris W. Cox, also released a statement which was to remind us all what the lobbyists think of Obama at this moment in time. “The timing of this announcement, in the eighth and final year of his presidency, demonstrates not only political exploitation but a fundamental lack of seriousness. The NRA will continue to fight to protect the fundamental, individual Right to Keep and Bear Arms as guaranteed under our Constitution. We will not allow law-abiding gun owners to be harassed or intimidated for engaging in lawful, constitutionally-protected activity – nor will we allow them to become scapegoats for President Obama’s failed policies”
“The gun lobby may be holding Congress hostage right now, but they can’t hold America hostage,” – President Obama
Will it be revoked once the new President is elected? Who knows. But for now, the battle continues.
