Fatal Attraction to Firearms

The United States has implemented a strict security culture throughout the world. For example, it is prohibited to board an airplane with a harmless bottle of water. However, there is nothing to stop a U.S. citizen from purchasing a firearm. In most states, a certificate of no criminal record is enough to buy even weapons of war.

That was the case of James Holmes, who used an AK-47 assault rifle to kill 12 people and wound 58 in a movie theater in the Denver suburb of Aurora. The sale of such highly lethal rifles was outlawed in 1994, but has been legal once again since 2004. Holmes was able to purchase all 6,000 rounds of his ammunition via the Internet.

In the United States, there are an estimated 300 million guns circulating among the population. One in every four U.S. citizens owns one or more.

In the past century, more Americans have been shot to death by fellow citizens than have fallen from enemy fire. Each year, firearms bring about the death of 30,000 people. About 300,000 are threatened by a firearm during the course of robberies or disputes. The annual cost of gun violence and its aftermath is estimated to be around $100 billion.

Despite the facts, the majority of Americans favor the possession of guns. A recent poll showed that just 26 percent were in favor of banning guns, although 53 percent were against selling AK-47s and other assault rifles.

What are the effects of tragedies such as last year’s shooting in Arizona of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, which was carried out with a Glock 9mm semi-automatic? Well, that particular model of handgun doubled in sales. The same thing has happened in the state of Colorado, where applications for pre-purchase background checks have increased by 43 percent since the killings in Aurora. The motivation of prospective buyers is to achieve a greater sense of security.

Support for introducing stricter gun control laws is down. On these matters, there is a clear relationship between stance and political party: 64 percent of Democrats are in favor of greater control over the sale and possession of guns, whereas only 37 percent of Independents, the absolute majority, and 31 percent of Republicans believe it to be necessary.

And of course, politicians study polls like doctors with stethoscopes. Both President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney are in favor of greater gun control. But neither of them have the political capital to open the topic up for debate. As a result, both have kept a diplomatic silence so as not to tread on the powerful gun-rights lobby.

Consequently, the United States will mourn repeatedly for the victims of shootings carried out by madmen. The responsibility for these events, however, hangs over the entire country.