VENDOR SUBMISSIONS

Gun Rights Versus Victims Rights: What Is More Important?

BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Well, the CMA fest has come to a close, the first one since 2019, and while I’d much rather be writing about that, (music is my happy place) current events are prompting me to go in a different direction.

You see, on June 9, 2022, there was yet another school shooting in Gadsden, Ala., a man was shot dead while trying to ‘aggressively enter’ Walnut Park Elementary School where 34 children were attending a Summer Literacy Program.

This hit close to home for me because I have relatives in both Gadsden and Attalla, Ala. (the police department that responded to the scene,) and because this is exactly the kind of summer program I’ve previously enrolled my granddaughter in.

In this instance, thanks to the quick action of an SRO, the man never made it into the school, and no children were injured-but lately, this is the exception NOT the rule. Even closer to home, on May 24, 2022, three Inglewood Elementary staff members (two teachers and a bookkeeper) were rightfully hailed as heroes as they prevented a man from gaining access and doing harm to the children at their school.

The truth is, mass shootings and violence like this have become almost routine in our society, as much a part of the daily news as the weather forecast. It’s no longer a question of if but when and where — at school, at work, the grocery store, even places of worship, no place is safe!

When the school shooting at Sandy Hook happened in December of 2012, my roommate was a 1st grade teacher at Krisle Elementary School in Springfield Tenn. where she still teaches today. I remember watching in horror unable to believe what I was seeing/hearing on the news, thinking it could’ve just as easily been her class! Needless to say, I was relieved when she finally made it home that day.

I’ve heard a lot lately about the need to protect peoples Second Amendment rights-but what of the victims inalienable right ‘to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?’ Those are supposedly guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence. (Interestingly, six individuals signed both documents: Roger Sherman, George Clymer, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, James Wilson, and George Read) and since the Declaration of Independence preceded The Constitution, doesn’t that give it seniority, or at least a measure of equality to the Second Amendment? The victims of this senseless violence were robbed of their rights.

At this point, I feel it’s important to note that my dad taught me to shoot his 12 gauge shotgun when I was 12. He was SO proud! Not long after that, my uncle Thomas let me shoot his .357 and his .44 magnum (with supervision,) my grandmother proudly showed me how to properly handle her 410, and finally, after we were married, my husband thought he was going to ‘teach me to shoot‘ with his dad’s 20-gauge double barrel shotgun (that one had quite a kick and nearly put me on my backside)-so I’M NOT ANTI-GUN. They can serve a useful purpose.

However, I do find myself wondering: What about our children’s right to attend school without fear? And what of the other peoples right to go to the grocery store? To work? To a place of worship? To a concert? Are their rights somehow worth less than those of a gun owner?

Yes, the founding fathers penned the Second Amendment that guarantees ‘the right to bear arms’, but I seriously doubt they meant for untrained civilians to readily have access to military grade weapons, which have the sole purpose to maim, kill and destroy anything they come in contact with-especially when they’re being used by people who are children themselves, not even old enough to buy alcohol or cigarettes.

But maybe that’s more of that common sense that’s not so common my mom used to talk about.

My faith assures me that God will exact perfect Justice on all who commit such atrocities and shed innocent blood, as well as those who fail to act to prevent it from happening in HIS own due time.

Still, there are steps that can be taken NOW to ensure this would no longer be a ‘common occurrence.’ Ask yourself: What are other countries doing to ensure the safety of their citizens? Other countries don’t seem to have the same level of difficulty with this problem as we do.

Here are just a few ideas:

1. Instituting a waiting period to buy a gun (many of the guns used in recent mass shootings were purchased legally the same day as the incident) which dispels my long held belief that individuals who do things like this don’t purchase the guns legally.

2. Raising the age to buy a gun from 18 to 21 3. Tougher background checks 4. Banning the sale of assault riffles and high capacity magazines to civilians who have no need for them (as previously stated, their only purpose is to maim, kill, and destroy anything in their path.)

5. Enact Red Flag laws which allow law enforcement to confiscate weapons from those deemed by a judge to be a danger to themselves or others. (I find myself wondering if Nashville’s Christmas Day bombing could’ve been prevented if a law like this had been in place.)

I admit these steps may be unpopular and some may view them as an infringement on their ‘individual rights’ and yes, I know, it’s the lawbut I’m reminded of a scripture:

1 Cor. 6:12 NIV “All things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial.” My point? While it is lawful to own any type of gun you choose, it would definitely be beneficial to so many others if we didn’t so adamantly insist on utilizing it-also it would let the victims families know their loved ones mattered not only to them, but to others.

In contrast, to do nothing is like saying all the victims died in vain, adding insult to injury on those left behind to pick up the pieces.

What will it take for lawmakers to stand up to the gun lobbyists and the NRA to make a REAL difference?

I wonder how many of their ardent supporters have been personally affected by gun violence? Have any of them ever lost a loved one in that manner-perhaps only able to identify them by an article of clothing they were wearing-(as was the case in the Uvalde, Texas shooting.)

I know the gun lobbyists and the NRA have A LOT of money, but ask yourself: How much is your life worth? What about the life of those you love? Please take some time to think about that before you just shoot the ideas contained in this story down. (Pun intended.)