Time for USA to change its firearms laws.

USA on 14^th December was confronted with a tragic incident when twenty children and six adults were shot dead by a gunman who opened fire at an elementary school in Connecticut. This sort of a shootout was 19^th in last five years. The onslaught at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown was carried out by a lone gunman, who was later found dead at the scene. Innocent people were killed because of this senseless mayhem. But the moot question remains as to why the guns are available so easily? Statistics reveal that USA has more number of retail gun stores 51,438 than grocery stores 36569. This envisages that guns can be procured without any hassle for even the 20 year olds. There was also a similar incident in August this year when many Sikhs were shot dead by a shooter in USA. Also, private citizens hold around 300 million pistols so it is imperative for authorities to ensure that schools, movie theatres and places of worship are properly protected. Gun control or regulation is the need of the hour.

USA has a very strange stand as regards to its arms laws which allows its citizens to carry a gun unless the person has been involved in a serious crime. And at the same time there can also be a case that the person may be a first time lawbreaker who is engaged in such a shootout and these sorts of events remain a bone of contention for people who are campaigning for gun control and is truly a worrying situation for everyone since the gun laws in this scenario are heavily skewed in the favour of such uncommon cases.

The supporters of this gun culture maintain a very strong view that the guns protect people more than they kill and that owning firearms is far too enshrined in American culture to give rise to any kind of recapitulation. There is of course no denying the argument that guns are a part of American culture—but not to question that culture seriously defies logic.

There is a strong need for gun regulation since the situation right now demands that some actions should be taken to control the access to assault weapons that are being used in such a devastating manner. About 10,000 people are murdered each year in the US through the use of a gun, with an average of about 17,000 people using a gun to commit suicide. This is an ugly statistic which also advocates gun regulation. USA can take a cue from Australia’s response after being put in a similar crisis in 1996. The Australian government at that time responded with large scale changes that resulted in a decline in deaths caused by gun related crimes.

Also, a kind of personal commitment and co-operation is needed from all the sections of the society to change the societal attitudes and perceptions relating to gun culture. History has been a testimony to the fact that any implementation of law in an efficient manner needs the support of its citizens. The gun laws in this case need to be more dynamic and flexible. 

President Barrack Obama needs to exercise all his authority, skill, ability, diligence to drive a change. This carnage must galvanize USA into action against the gun culture. The people of USA must take a call that whether the Newtown mass murders can provide the much needed impetus for changing the culture of gun related violence or not.