Soon after the mass killings at a Colorado movie theater, there was a spike in firearms sales in the Top of Utah as well as other areas. The increase in sales are human reactions guided by distinct fears: that another public shooting will occur; or a fear the government will try to increase regulation of firearms.
There have been some calls for more gun control regulations after the Colorado massacre, but surprisingly fewer than many thought might occur. President Barack Obama, for example, is not supporting any new gun laws, although he has called for a reauthorization of the assault weapons ban on sales, which expired eight years ago. We are not opposed to a reauthorization on banning assault weapons sales, nor would we oppose limits on how much ammunition a private individual could purchase. Colorado massacre suspect James Holmes was able to quietly accumulate a substantial arsenal prior to his alleged murderous spree. Making it more difficult to create private stockades seems like a good idea. However, efforts at more gun control in the United States will not stop incidents such as what occurred in Colorado. There are hundreds of millions of firearms in the United States. And crazed lunatics will always, unfortunately, occasionally surface and kill innocents. A new gun control law is not going to stop that. What may have a long-term effect at reducing these occasional random mass murders is a re-evaluation of how we treat the mentally ill. In recent generations, many persons who would otherwise have been institutionalized have been allowed, through legal pressures, to remain on the streets. In the future, we may start weighing safety versus civil rights on issues of mental health and our responsibilities on handling the mentally ill, a rare few of which are likely to attempt mass murder.
Comments