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harm than safety

Emily Mann Print Executive

NAME: Raina Carter AGE: 18 ETHNICITY: African-American POLITICAL IDEOLOGY: Liberal Senior Raina Carter, who has experienced a cousin seriously wounded by a gunshot, has a strong discomfort towards guns. Raina was raised in a household where guns were not necessarily talked about, and certainly not ideal. After almost losing her cousin to an act of gun violence, her opinions have been further thrown in the direction of anti-guns. While Raina is able to see there is sometimes a place for guns in society, she is not able to fathom why someone should be able to conceal it wherever favored, and why they are needed or even how they “create more safety.�

Photo by Taylor Tinnes

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Could you walk me through what happened to your cousin Tasha?

“As I understand it, she her and her little sister got money because they got good grades and so they went to the store to buy candy and snacks and all that for their little siblings and then a person rode by and shot into the store and my cousin was hit in the head. It went in her nose and out her eye and then there was a lot of blood on the floor and her sister ran.”

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How old was she when this happened to her?

“Well she is one year younger than me, so she would’ve been 14 at the time” How close was this to her house?

“I’m not sure ... It was within walking distance from her house. It’s in what would be considered the bad part of St. Louis area.”

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Did they know the shooter?

“No, they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

What exactly was the medical aftermath?

“She lost her eye, she had to have surgeries, and now she has a prosthetic eye. The bullet went through her nose and out her eye and she is very lucky it was only her eye and nothing more.

Her nose was damaged a little bit too; I think it might have broken a bone.”

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How long was she under medical care?

“I really don’t know because in the aftermath mentally, she wasn’t really 100 percent herself, and she was really sad, and I think she was depressed for a while too.”

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How often do you see her?

“Back all the way from like the time when we were both born until about eighth grade I saw her if not every weekend, every other weekend because I would always ask for her to come over, she would always ask for me to come over. We always hung out; we were like the ‘go to’, and if I wasn’t hanging out with her I was hanging out with my other cousin because we were all within the same age range. but after eighth grade we didn’t see each other as much because it’s hard to locate her, Her phone number changes all the time, but now, since it’s my senior year, my dad is going to try and get her to come over more often. “ Do you think that the gun culture [Tasha lives in] is different?

“Yes, yes, originally she lived with my grandma — her great grandma — and my grandma lived in her house for my dad’s whole life and our whole life up until the moment that she died. Tasha’s dad was shot in the alley that was behind that house within the same month she was shot, either before or after, and that is how he died.”

Would you say they are insensitive towards guns? How would you explain this [gun

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“Before, I thought they should only be used when it’s to protect or only certain people should have them, but now I don’t really like them at all. I don’t think that any hoohah can have them because clearly someone will get hurt from gun violence. I really think it’s a shame that it’s gotten to the point where it’s so intense that students are walking into schools with guns and shooting people in movie theaters, like speaking of all the recent stuff. I don’t really like that those kind of things are happening because it’s really terrible that people are losing family members or being injured and their lives are being altered because someone owned a weapon.”

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Do you think there is a place in society for guns? Not in the household or in the grocery store, but is there still a place for guns?

“I think if anyone should have guns it should be trained professionals, and in that sense it should only be for protection, where they’re protecting people in society to make sure people are being safe and no one is getting harmed by other citizens. That should be the only place. They shouldn’t be allowed for the average everyday people. “

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“I would say that trauma-wise it was in the 8-10 range ... because it was someone I grew up with that was so close to me and her life could have ended because of the actions of someone else. I don’t think I’ve ever had anything happen to me quite like that before.”

- Raina Carter

What was your initial reaction or emotion when you heard about your cousin?

“I broke out into tears; it was the saddest, hardest thing I have ever had to hear that my first, my literal first best friend was injured and shot and could’ve died had it been who knows how much further to the left or the right.”

culture] to a person who maybe doesn’t understand it?

“They are not insensitive to gun violence because when it happens, they are broken, they are hurt, they don’t like it, but it has been something they have not been able to change, so it has been something they have had to grow accustomed and learn how to avoid or survive through.”

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How does this affect your daily life?

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Do you own a gun?

“Now I’m more worried of guns and that kind of deal. I don’t want to be around them, I don’t want to hear about them, I don’t like thinking about them because it was just really hard to hear that she was shot in the head.”

How does this affect your cousin’s daily life?

“Oh I know she has been changed. She doesn’t even live around that area anymore, but she still goes to the same high school, I know she doesn’t go places alone or with just her little sister, she tries to go more places where she knows she’ll be safe.”

“No, I don’t own a gun. My dad used to own a gun when we lived in Illinois, but I don’t know if he still does. I hope he doesn’t.”

How were you raised? What was the viewpoint in your household towards guns before Tasha was shot?

“Guns were not really talked about, but I don’t think my parents would really want me to own a gun when I’m older. They got my sister pepper spray, if that’s any indication of how they would feel about it.”

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So recently our Missouri legislation has passed a law. It hasn’t changed a lot of the regulations in obtaining a gun, but it has made it possible for more people that have a gun to be able to conceal it wherever they want. What is your initial reaction?

“My initial reaction is why. That’s a very scary thing that people can carry guns and others not know it, that’s a very scary thought.”

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How do you feel about people who are very pro gun?

“I don’t dislike them, but I want to know why they are so for it. What benefit is it serving them to want guns? What benefits is it serving anyone to be able to carry a gun? Like who is the real winner in those situations when any random person can have a gun?”

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Do you have anything else to add?

“I really wish that didn’t happen to my cousin.”

If you were to have to talk like how traumatic of a situation was it for you?

“I would say that trauma-wise it was in the 8-10 range, because I have had family members die before, and yes it sucks every time and it’s really sad every time, but the close ones to me have not died from the actions of someone else. They’ve died from old age, they’ve died from illness, but [Tasha’s situation] was really traumatic because it was someone I grew up with that was so close to me and her life could have ended because of the actions of someone else. I don’t think I’ve ever had anything happen to me quite like that before.”

What is your current opinion on gun violence and guns in general?

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Do you feel like safety is one of the most important factors, that it all comes down to safety as the major factor?

“Oh yeah, safety is the biggest thing to be thinking about when handling a gun ... It’s all about who handles the gun, it can be used for good, like somebody else who had a gun could have stopped the Sandy Hook shooter, had they seen him with a gun before he got on the school ground. But he had a gun and was a bad guy, he caused a lot of death and destruction.”

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Do you find it difficult to defend your beliefs after all the constant violence recently occurring? How do you refute arguments that use recent violent occurrences as evidence to argue against guns?

“I stand firm on my stance, that people should own guns, but I can definitely see where the other side is coming from ... Guns in the wrong hands are dangerous, guns are not dangerous; that is what it really comes down to.

I mean it’s all about who is holding the gun, not the gun itself.”

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Has any of the recent occurrences of violence warped your perspective or strengthened your beliefs?

“I understand the other side of the argument, but I just really think that a gun in the right hands is like the famous saying: ‘The only way to stop guns in bad hands is with guns in good hands too’ ... and that saying makes a lot of sense to me ... That is where the problem lies, what are the good hands and what are the bad?”

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What is a viable way then, do you believe to determine who gets and who does not get a gun?

“Being a high school kid, I cannot go into much depth because I don’t know the entire working of the legal system, but obviously people with mental health problems should not be allowed to own guns, people with felonies, and stuff like that. People who can be classified as bad people, like legally or psychologically.”

What about those people who don’t have felonies or any documented mental health issues, do you think there is a better way to determine who can own one because a lot of the violence occurrences happens from stolen household firearms?

“I think that if you have a gun in the house, you’re child should know that this is not a toy because there is a whole bunch of cases where kids pull out guns, and think its a toy and

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Do you think it is important that we keep children away from guns when they don’t understand, but don’t exclude them from the knowledge of them?

“Yeah. They will become ignorant of what a gun is. What I think a lot of the problems could be solved with is, if kids are taught, hey this is not a toy, this can kill someone, but that is what I was taught, being a child, and how to handle a gun, never to point it at someone, unloaded or loaded, the basic rules like that.”

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Are you familiar with the new Missouri bill being passed that no longer requires a concealed and carry license for citizens?

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“Yes ... since open carry is legal in Missouri, then I don’t see the reason why concealed carry shouldn’t be as to say. Because if you go back to the whole protection thing, if someone want to do harm, I don’t think their main

covered by the concealed and carry law per se, it should be something on you. No matter if the gun is concealed or its being openly carried, you should know to not do these certain things.”

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Do you think there is another way to teach these lessons to gun owners now that people no longer receive the classes required to get a concealed and carry license?

“I think mandatory classes for people who own guns, first-time owners. Like I know some people grow up with guns and then they go and purchase their own guns, so the class would be easy for them. Someone just buying a gun, want protection for their house, so a course would definitely be good.”

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Do you believe there is a negative downside to the bill being passed, or that Missouri will be experiencing any major ramifications?

“I can see that we are losing safety, but I also feel like we could be gaining safety, in a sense, at the same time, so I feel like it kinda equals out.”

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Should America, adopt any new policies on gun control?

“I don’t know if we should necessarily go towards a more lenient policy, I definitely feel like there should be some change because obviously all these shootings are increasing more and more as time goes on. Most European countries have pretty strict gun policies but you still see people rampaging with machete and knives, that is not going to stop terrorism.”

“Getting rid of guns completely obviously wouldn’t stop the terrorism, domestic or foreign. I think giving everyone a gun might be a little too much ... and so I think that we need to find a middle ground there. ”

Do you feel like guns have a bad reputation - Collin King now because of everything, or that guns are seen more in a negative light now?

“Oh yeah for sure. Guns definitely get bad raps now because they are seen as what the media shows them, causing all this death and destruction, but they can still cause and stop the death and destruction.

I don’t know if that is covered as much in the media now, but it definitely happens.”

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they can do whatever they want with it. That is what should never happen, they should be locked away in a safe place, out of the reach of a child and unloaded. I mean I’m not against ammo being stored in a different place, but I don’t know if that’s exactly practical. If someone is breaking into your house, then you cannot exactly go into two different safes.”

concern is showing or not showing the gun, eventually it is going to happen.”

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Do you feel like the repeal of the requirement to have a concealed and carry license might make Missouri safer?

“Yeah, in a sense. I mean obviously there is the risk that now no one gets in trouble for just carrying around a gun, but it is sill like even if you do have a concealed and carry weapon and an officer approaches you, you should definitely tell them, hey officer I have a gun on me, that should be the first thing you do whether you have a gun just in your car or on you. Tell an officer, because I can see the legal ramifications of not having a license for concealed carry, and you could just easily hide it and pull it out and tell the cop that you no longer require the license.”

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What do you believe are the ramifications of no longer legally requiring a license to carry, do you feel like there will be a lot more ignorant and untrained people concealing a gun?

“It is a very possible outcome, that a lot of more irresponsible people will have guns, but I don’t think that is an issue that should be

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Without guns, you still believe there are ways to kill and people will?

“Getting rid of guns completely obviously wouldn’t stop the terrorism, domestic or foreign. I think giving everyone a gun might be a little too much, so I think that we need to find the middle ground there ... you don’t need a gun to go on a rampage and you don’t need a gun to stop a rampage, it is all about your mindset really.”

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Do you feel like America is becoming more violent with gun violence or that there is another core issue lying dormant?

“I think America is probably becoming a little more violent, I don’t know what is the cause of it. I don’t know if stress is increasing because of things like school and work, workloads are getting higher and it’s harder to find a job in the economy. I don’t know if that’s causing stress that makes people crack and then they go and get a gun and shoot up a school or something, but something is probably wrong.”

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Do you feel that your argument remains valid despite all of this and what has happened in the world?

“I think I’d stand pretty firm on my stance of the school shootings, like obviously if they keep increasing and increasing, something need to change ... Solving the issue is not getting rid of them.”

safety More

than harm

By Lukas Mendel Copy Editor

NAME: Collin King AGE: 17 ETHNICITY: Caucasian POLITICAL IDEOLOGY: Moderate/conservative Senior Collin King, the son of a police officer and a concealed and carry license owner, grew up in a gun-oriented environment. From day one, safety was essential, as he was instructed on the proper use and handling of firearms, and he feels as if the problem with gun violence now is all rooted in who is handling the gun. King feels that gun control can be and is a necessary thing, but guns can cause more safety than harm.

Photo by Taylor Tinnes

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Flying high LEAD-IN: Sherydin Stevens, a junior, flies into the air to evade a thrown ball during the annual DECA dodgeball tournament Oct. 27.

PHOTO BY LAURA WEISS

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onning fun, themed costumes, members of business club DECA organized the club’s annual dodgeball tournament on Oct. 27, drawing students from all classes to the competition.

LEAD-IN: Bobby Hubbard, a sophomore, and Logan Morris, a junior, grin during a break in play at the DECA dodgeball tournament on Oct. 27. PHOTO BY ASHLEY GAULT

LEAD-IN: Grimacing in concentration, senior Cole Kreder prepares to fire a ball toward his opponent during the DECA dodgeball tournament that took place in the large gym on Oct. 27. PHOTO BY ASHLEY GAULT

LEAD-IN: Nathan Smith screams as he throws a ball at his opponent during the DECA dodgeball tournament on Oct. 27 PHOTO BY LAURA WEISS ABOVE LEFT: Referee Sarah Soderstrom prepares to blow the whistle to signal the start of a match.

PHOTO BY ASHLEY GAULT RIGHT: A team of seniors celebrates a victory during the Oct. 27 DECA dodgeball tournament.

PHOTO BY LAURA WEISS

LEFT: Laying on the floor after evading a ball, senior Trent Diener looks across the gym at his opponents.

ABOVE: Holding a couple of dodgeballs, junior Mackenzie Craven looks for her next target during a match.

Caption PHOTOS BY LAURA WEISS

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