The US has legalized guns. Not surprisingly, the highest rates of gun related crimes takes place in the US. In 2009, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 66.9% of all homicides in the United States were perpetrated using a firearm. In 2010, there were 19,392 firearm-related suicide deaths and 11,078 firearm-related homicide deaths in the US. Firearm-related deaths totaled 31,672 in 2010.
Guns, when legalized, lead to massive surge in violent crimes. First, guns are easy to use and second, the damage wreaked by guns can be colossal. Suicides and crimes of passion are higher with the availability of guns, as it’s much easier to act immediately on your impulses when a weapon is readily available.
While the opponents of gun ban have argued that people with criminal intentions can perpetrate the crime with or without the gun, the fact to be considered is that the extent of damage caused by it compared to other feeble weapons, such as a knife, is more devastating. Furthermore, while it has been argued that guns being illegal have not stopped the criminals from using it, the ordinary people have certainly been deprived of its usage.
Furthermore, the main purpose of gun legalization has been argued for the safety of the people but the ubiquity of guns jeopardizes the security condition. The events such as domestic quarrels, alcohol fueled violence, societal debates might end up with people shooting each other.
Legalized gun ownership means they have a greater chance of falling into the hands of infants. Handgun incidents involving children are often cases of curiosity. If they are older they may have seen their parents handling the gun or a character on TV. These children generally don’t understand the workings of gun and trigger it out of curiosity.
On the other hand, criminals can always find guns, whether they are legalized or not but it may leave the law abiding citizens deprived of weapons to use as their defense. It has also been argued that legalization of guns prevent victims from criminals if they use it for self-defense. In countries like Nepal where crimes are rampant, it can reduce to large extents as the authorities cannot always protect people from theft, robberies and crimes.
However, the question to be asked today is whether or not the ordinary people will make proper use of guns if they are legalized? How can we make sure of that? It is even possible that the easy availability of guns may turn these people to criminals as minor squabbles and momentary passions may result in reckless use of guns. Furthermore, what if children find it?
The writer is a civil engineering student at Kathmandu Engineering College.
Related story
Two loaded guns seized
