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When was the last time you changed your mind about something big? I’m not talking about what cereal you’re getting at the supermarket or which Weezer album is your favourite–I mean something ideologically big, maybe even controversial. No hands went up when I asked a few of my classes this question last semester. In fairness, I wasn’t terribly surprised by the outcome.
It’s difficult to change people’s minds–let alone your own–given all our emotions and biases. One needs to have the willingness to change their mind and really consider the dispositional aspects required to do so, which is no easy task. When I saw the lack of examples in class, I shared one of mine–my thoughts on gun control–which I share here with you, as I think it’s quite relevant to recent events in the States.
Let me begin by saying that I like guns. I’m fascinated by their engineering. I like the way they look, the way they feel, and the force that emanates from them when you squeeze the trigger. Like kicking a soccer ball or shooting a puck at a goal, I like the way that you can hit something from a distance by pointing at it and firing. With that, I neither own guns nor plan on ever getting any. Why? Well, why do I need one? Because of the reasons above? They don’t seem like enough for me in comparison with the risks I would take by bringing a gun into my home.
Now, there are a variety of reasons why one would be warranted to have a gun, and I genuinely understand them. Reasonable people who own guns store them appropriately in locked boxes and cabinets. It’s this very point that makes me question individuals who keep guns in the home for protection. If someone breaks into your house at night, the only way your gun is going to be of any use to you is if it’s unlocked and in or around your nightstand–given the leg up the fully alert intruder will have on you, someone who has just woken up and was not expecting an altercation.
What about during the day while you’re awake?
Well, what’s the likelihood that an assailant will break into your house during the day while you’re home? Statistically, it’s lower than the chance that you or someone you know will be injured by your own firearm. Perhaps investing in a better alarm system is a safer option? Of course, you may not be worried because you’re safe—you know what you’re doing. Maybe you’re the person who actually has the gun in your nightstand—and if so I’d seriously question whether you should be permitted to own a gun.
The word permitted is interesting here, and that’s what I want to explore. I’ve lived half of my life in Ireland after moving from New York, and one of the things I found interesting about the Irish was how amazed they were by Americans’ "obsession" with guns. Of course, I’d get defensive over it, but it did give me food for thought. It wasn’t until years later that I connected the dots with respect to my logic. In Ireland, you can own a gun, but it’s not a "right." I’d say in a vast majority of cases, it’s for purposes around farming, and it’s not easy to get a license, but then, it really shouldn’t be easy.
In America, it’s widely seen as a Constitutional right to own a gun. If good Americans didn’t own guns back in the 1770s, we’d still be under the crown is a common argument I hear. But that was a different time. People also had wooden teeth and pooped in the woods. I don’t see many Americans doing that in the 21st century. Nevertheless, the "right" so often harped on about is false: Americans still have to be screened, although some not successfully. So, not every American has this right. This begs the question, why should any American?
The restrictions in place are generally aimed at those deemed "bad" ( because a gun in the hand of "a bad guy" is a bad thing). But this isn’t so black-and-white. What’s bad? A previous conviction, having been involuntarily committed, or maybe being of low intelligence? Who’s to say? The latter example may come across as tongue-in-cheek, but it’s an important concept to consider. Sometimes, I make mistakes, and as a result, people might get the impression that I’m an idiot. On any given day, at any given time, you might also be perceived as an idiot. We are all susceptible to making mistakes. Now consider throwing a firearm into that equation.
Let’s forget about intelligence for a moment. What about a "good" person who is struggling with their mental well-being? What happens if, on one bad day, when things have become too much, they take irrational action with their legally obtained firearms?
There are always shades of grey.
As regular readers of this blog will know, I’m by no means a liberal—or a conservative, for that matter—and I’m not saying that guns are a bad thing. Upon reflection, I did change my mind on the Second Amendment: Though I once supported it, I realised that you can still own guns without it having to be some kind of "god-given right."
Many countries allow for private ownership of firearms, but they don’t see the number of gun crimes or mass shootings that America does, even accounting for population. But they also don’t cite firearm ownership as a Constitutional right. Again, like many other Americans, I like guns—and I don’t want to see them taken away; rather, I would take away this antiquated notion that gun possession is some inherent right because it’s not. We know that some people aren’t allowed access because of extant restrictions.
Based on that fact, the "right" to bear arms isn’t a right for all Americans, so why does it have to be a "right" at all? One of the biggest issues with the archaic sentiment is that even though "believers" aren’t necessarily the ones committing the crimes, their sentiment might well be facilitating an environment of "availability," regardless of what existing restrictions are already in place.
Conclusion: There’s no useful need for the Second Amendment.
