Thoughts from the Middle
Deadly Unrest – Guns and Violent Protests
By Robert James Fischer
Introduction
David Dorn, David McAtee, Chris Beaty, Drian Murrell, Italia Kelly, Marquis Tousant, Patrick Underwood, Calvin Horton Junior, James Scurlock, Javar Harrell, Barry Perkins III, Jorge Gomez– names that most of us do not recognize. Who were these people, and does it matter? These are persons who were shot during protests following the death of George Floyd.
Who would be armed at protests? Peaceful protests do not require the need for guns! Who then carries a firearm to a peaceful protest? The answer is obvious: Armed agitators or self-appointed “militia” who claim they are protecting the community.
While the “militia” will quickly point to the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution, in today’s world, being armed with and AR-15 or similar semi- or fully-automatic weapon is not what our founding fathers visualized when they passed the 2nd Amendment.
The United States has more weapons per capita than any other nation on this planet. Why? Why do we allow for every citizen to not only own a firearm, but to own weapons designed for the sole purpose of killing another human being?
Gun Ownership, Violence, and the American Way
Of all the countries on this globe, no nation has more gun violence than the United States. Why? The answer that is commonly given is that it is our heritage. The gun “won the West!” While it is certainly true that American frontiersmen would not be without a gun and most farmers had at least one gun for protection against varmints, the gun was viewed as tool rather than something purchased merely because a person wanted to have one. Guns were not prolific until the 1980s when gun manufactures discovered a sporting and enthusiastic audience among the American public.
As a police officer in the early 1970s, I carried a Smith and Wesson .357. The persons that I encountered in my work in Oklahoma, where open carry was allowed, might have a rifle or shotgun in a truck-mounted rack or a .38 in a holster on their hip. However, today’s officers often face persons carrying semi- and fully-automatic rifles and pistols with munition clips of 30 rounds. The availability of weapons is a problem created by marketing on the part the gun manufacturers. This includes the NRA and other groups which focus on a “fear factor”—the fear that somehow our government wants to confiscate our weapons, and also that there are many “bad people with guns” who can only be stopped by “good people with guns.”
While the NRA has stated, “Guns don’t kill, people do!”, the truth is that people find it much easier to kill using a gun than using their fist, knife or a club. Furthermore, they are not as likely to kill a person if they don’t have a gun at the ready.
21st Century Americans and Gun Laws
A Quinnipiac Poll conducted in 2019 found that 66% of Americans support stricter gun laws. Among gun owners, 50% also supported stricter laws. Ninety seven percent of all Americans support universal background checks for gun purchases. An ABC/Washington Post poll, following the February 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shootings, found that 77% of those surveyed believed that Congress failed in its duty to enact legislation regulating firearms. Furthermore, 62% directly blamed President Trump. Unfortunately, the debate about regulating guns tends to run along party lines. Polls generally show that while 71% of Democrats support stricter gun control, only 29% of Republican do.
The Consequences
While many Americans find it hard to say that there is a direct cause and effect link between gun ownership with few restrictions and gun violence, the data seem to support the idea that the number of guns owned along with fewer restrictions indeed creates more gun violence. The number of mass shooting over the past two decades, the number of firearm related deaths in some of our largest cities, as well as the shootings at peaceful demonstrations over the past several months, all support the need for greater regulation of firearms. .
Is There a Solution?
Obviously, there is a solution. It just takes the will of our elected representatives to make it happen. First, the Second Amendment should be clarified to reflect 21st Century life. The focus should be on “well regulated,” the first part of this amendment, as a stipulation of the right to bear arms. In other words “regulation” is the key word. Historically, the 2nd Amendment was written when local militia existed. Today the militia has been replaced by a federal standing army and the National Guard units.
The question then becomes, “What regulations are reasonable?” I believe that shotguns and certain rifles are useful for hunting and in the case of pistols, protection of property. However, I personally see no reason for owning fully automatic weapons, or other weapons beyond those needed for hunting and basic protection of self and property. Even the Old West had examples of peace officers, such as Bat Matterson and Wyatt Earp, imposed a “no firearms” ordinance for those who entered the city limits. And even today, restrictions exist on what type of firearm can be used for hunting certain game animals. Restrictions for hunting also include the number of shells that a magazine can contain. If this is true for hunting, certainly it should also pertain to violent human injuries and deaths!
If we regulate firearm sales and ownership Americans would most certainly see a reduction in gun related deaths.
Thoughts from the Middle by Robert J. Fischer 