Why Buy a Gun When you Could Own a Security System?

The new House Bill the State of Texas has passed will further endanger the lives of citizens rather than protect them. The conservative party has pushed for this bill for many years, intending to eventually yield a weapon without approval from any authority. They call this the “Constitutional Carry” which refers to the right of an individual carrying a handgun without a permit or proper training as being a constitutional right. Though while the second amendment states the right to bear arms it also enhances a lack of public safety. The bill in question allows individuals over the age of 21 to openly carry a handgun with proper training or a permit. If we allow anyone over the age of 21 then why not teenagers as well? Without a gun, aren't they easy targets? And if the argument is that the teacher or school enforcement officer will protect them, can't the local police protect them? Maybe they could if there weren't so many guns in circulation. But the cops are scared too, and we've seen the result. They've become more militarized. This trend must stop somewhere. 

Kareem Atkins, a 30-year-old deputy police officer died while on duty this past October. According to local officials, Atkins and his partner entered the parking lot and began to apprehend a probable suspect when a second suspect emerged and opened fire with an AR-15 rifle. Residents of Texas are free to buy AR-15 rifles without a permit or waiting period. They can also openly carry these firearms without a permit. This rifle ended the life of an innocent man, shot another officer in the back, and injured a third who was just trying to help; both of whom were like ‘brothers’ to the fallen deputy. Atkins left behind a wife and two children, one of whom is a newborn. The death of the fallen officer has affected many, The percent constable, Mark Herman, explains how he has been praying for the family every night since “But every night when I fall to my knees and say a prayer, I've been saying an extra Hail Mary to our Father for these families.”(Shay and Edsitty, par 7). This Dallas shooting occurred nearly a month after a Houston police officer was killed and another was hurt due to another incident in Harris County (Lenthang and Hutchinson). Countless more Texan/American lives are taken every day due to police shootings. AR - 15. Handgun purchases are subject to a three-day waiting period. Whereas anyone without any felony convictions, domestic abuse convictions, or a few other exceptions — such as a commitment to a mental institution — will be able to acquire an AR-15-style weapon, magazines, and ammunition much easier (par 11, Oppel Jr.). The evidence presented prompts the question; what can be done to protect public safety by making guns less accessible?

According to the Republic Party of Texas, the “Constitutional Carry” is the belief that the right to bear arms is a Constitutional right as well as a human right (Republican Party of Texas). They proclaim their problem is the permits that are required by the state, and they provide evidence for such opposition by stating “Criminals do not follow the law. The permit requirement disarms their victims.”(Republican Party of Texas, para 1). This is parallel to the notion that "good people" need guns to protect themselves from would-be shooters. Protection and safety are used as shields for gun owners to use when their actions are questioned. Although I must concede that owning a gun can provide individuals with a sense of safety. Though the outcome might not be favorable, the act of knowing you are capable is enough to encourage many to own a gun. And while I do understand the need to protect yourself I find the repercussions of improper training and the mere idea of a gun in the wrong hands terrifying. The easier it is to acquire a gun the more mass shooting and suicides will occur. Another false theory of gun violence is shooters targeting gun-prohibited communities rather than “constitutional carry” communities such as Texas. This ideology is used as propaganda against legislators to encourage them to not become more restrictive. The Gun Violence Archive shows the total number of mass shootings that have been reported in 2021. This year alone there have been 625, 53 of which have been from texas. Of the Texas mass shootings, 60 died and 205 were injured. Additionally in 2018, 64% of all Texas suicides were by firearm. With these alarming rates calculated only 10 months into the year, we must ask ourselves if the House bill of 1927 is going to protect our communities or harm them more.

There is still debate over whether House Bill 1927 should be repealed or whether it will benefit the entire state of Texas. Some people believe that our government made an irresponsible decision with the new gun law, while others believe that it is a move in the right direction. We can all agree that safety however is the most important thing. While the extinguishment of guns is not needed there is a definite need for reform. This can only be possible if we the American people work together rationally to find a middle ground. As I have presented, owning a gun, although emotionally rewarding, has costly and unlawful effects. Kareem Atkins - the officer shot in Dallas - left behind a wife and two children who will never grow up to know their father. Any day it is possible that the loved one loss could be our own. Every day we fight for another breath and things like the “ constitutional carry” only continue to make it harder to breathe. Owning a gun is not a right, it is a privilege. A privilege in which Americans have taken advantage of. Our government should be defending and protecting us rather than defying. However “safe” you may feel owning a firearm may make those around you uncomfortable. Gun control is about more than keeping guns out of the wrong hands, owning a gun can cause those around you to feel unsafe. Guns stand to penetrate fear into communities but with further gun restrictions, communities can live in peace and harmony.

Works Cited

“7 Key Benefits of Owning a Gun – 2021 Guide.” The Video Ink, 21 May 2021, thevideoink.com/benefits-of-

owning-gun.

Bird, Beverly. “How Much Does the Average American Pay in Taxes?” The Balance, 8 Dec. 2021,

www.thebalance.com/what-the-average-american-pays-in-taxes-4768594.

“Constitutional Carry.” The Republican Party of Texas, The Republican Party of Texas,

texasgop.org/constitutional-carry. Accessed 16 Dec. 2021.

Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund. “The Economic Cost of Gun Violence.” Everytown Research & Policy,

12 Aug. 2021, everytownresearch.org/report/the-economic-cost-of-gun-violence.

Frum, David. “Responsible Gun Ownership Is a Lie.” The Atlantic, 1 Sept. 2021,

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/10/responsible-gun-ownership-is-a-lie/619811.

Lenthang, Marlene, and Bill Hutchinson. “Gunman Who Ambushed 3 Texas Deputies, Killing 1, Remains on the

Run: Police.” ABC News, 18 Oct. 2021, abcnews.go.com/US/deputy-fatally-shot-injured-ambush-houston-nightclub-police/story?id=80619451.

“Myth vs. Fact: Debunking the Gun Lobby’s Favorite Talking Points.” Center for American Progress, 5 Oct. 2017,

www.americanprogress.org/article/myth-vs-fact-debunking-gun-lobbys-favorite-talking-points.

Oppel, Richard, Jr. “In Florida, an AR-15 Is Easier to Buy Than a Handgun.” The New York Times, 16 Feb. 2018,

www.nytimes.com/2018/02/15/us/ar15-mass-shootings-guns.html.