US Gun Control Debate Heats Up, Making the Problem Harder To Resolve

One tiny clue reveals the general trend. Gun control issues surfaced with the occurrence of two accidents, one “big” and one “small,” which reflect the dilemma revolving around the issue of gun control.

The “big” accident has to do with Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City and co-chair of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, who got letters that contained lethal ricin because of his support of gun control. The “small” case has to do with a kid: An eight-year-old in Maryland was banned from class for two days because he bit a piece of pastry into the shape of a gun.

These two cases reflect two different social forces: One is based on amendments to the United States Constitution, which is strongly in favor of the right to own guns, whereas the other is asking for limitations on gun ownership. However, the “big” case exposes the extreme position of some supporters of gun ownership, while the “small” one shows that some supporters of gun control have gone overboard, leaving the school suspected of an abuse of power.

Currently, both forces have very strong social foundations. According to the Second Amendment to the Constitution, “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed,” which fundamentally guarantees people’s right to own guns. For many Americans, the right to own guns is as important as freedom of speech and expression, which they cannot be deprived of easily.

However, over the years, gun-related violence has become increasingly serious. Every time it happens, there are waves of voices for gun control. America is the country with the highest number of guns per person, with 6.6 million guns sold on the black market in 2012. Gun-related violence poses one of the most serious threats to American citizens’ lives and security. Some incidents are particularly bloody, such as the Colorado cinema shooting and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut.

Supporters of gun ownership have a huge lobbying capacity, of which the National Rifle Association of America is an outstanding representative. This association has a long history, dating back to the Civil War. It has a large membership that exceeds 4.5 million people and extensive funding, which carries significant weight in various elections: Eight presidents of the United States are members of it. Thus, offending them equals political suicide.

Supporters of gun control have also established several organizations to strengthen lobbying power, but none are yet comparable to the National Rifle Association. After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting at the end of last year, the Obama government has been pushing Congress to pass a bill on gun control. However, progress is slow, which shows the dilemma U.S. society faces.

Thus it can be seen that in a society as divided as the U.S., the various sides of the debate make this issue particularly hard to resolve.