By Wayne Horne
It’s the guns. Many discussions of late have centered around the gun violence in America. We are a country that has enshrined ownership of a gun in our Constitution and woe be to the person who might disagree with what a very vocal few consider a “god given right.” It seems to many, the most important amendment to the U.S. Constitution is the Second Amendment which states: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
I am not a legal scholar, of course, but I see no mention of “god” in the amendment or anywhere else in the Constitution for that matter. I note the use of the phrase “A well-regulated Militia” is seldom heard as it relates to the amendment itself. I am also aware of discussions that suggest the Founding Fathers thought the first two amendments were of the most importance and thus were placed at the beginning of the Bill of Rights, as it has come to be known.
According to my pocket edition of the U.S. Constitution, contrary to popular belief, there were 12 Amendments transmitted to the 13 State Legislatures for ratification. The first two amendments in that submission dealt with Congressional pay and district representation for the population of the country. It seems the founding fathers were most concerned about pay and representation rather than freedom of the press and religion and the right to bear arms. The amendment regarding congressional pay took more than 203 years to pass when it was finally ratified on May 7, 1972. The one concerning Congressional districts will likely never be considered because it would have limited district population to a maximum of 50,000 citizens. Based on today’s population that would equate to over 6700 members in today’s House of Representatives. Imagine that chaotic mess.
The Pew Research Center published a paper on the topic of gun violence in February of this year. It only covers data from prior to 2020 when gun deaths that year totaled 45,222. Over 54 percent of the total was from suicide with less than one percent deemed mass shootings. Mass shootings are defined as incidents in which four or more people are shot, not including the shooter. The numbers have been worse since the 2020 study and they continue to climb. There were 671 mass shootings in 2020 and almost 700 in 2021. There have been over 300 mass shootings so far in 2022. The mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas marks the 27th school shooting this year. Almost all mass shootings begin with semi-automatic or fully-automatic weapons that are usually considered assault type weapons designed for the military or police forces.
The numbers would seem to indicate that, as a country, we are satisfied with the gun violence we experience since local, state and federal law-makers are reluctant to pass laws that will curb gun violence. Many believe there is no viable solution. Of course, there is the phrase often put forth as a solution: “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” Gun-rights advocates, including the National Rifle Association, used that phrase on social media to draw attention to what happened in Greenwood, Indiana this last Sunday. It was a miraculous outcome that an individual with a handgun was able to bring down the shooter, possibly saving additional casualties, without causing an escalation of violence. Less than three percent of mass shootings end that way, according to a published report. It’s notable that the mall where the shooting took place has a ban on weapons as part of its conduct code. Perhaps an even better outcome would have resulted if there had been tighter security in the Greenwood Mall. It would be a mistake to rely on an untrained civilian if a repeat scenario should occur anywhere else sometime in the future.
The best solution seems to work in many places throughout the world—fewer weapons and stricter gun regulations. Really, it’s the guns!
Stay tuned…
Comments welcomed. Contact Wayne at wayneswords@thetimesweekly.com
