Can you imagine the United States of America with no Second Amendment? Many people in this country would like to abolish it. This call often arises after a mass shooting like the one we saw recently in Parkland, Florida where 17 innocent people lost their lives.
I’m sure those who make an argument for gun-control are sincere and genuinely believe that more government control over gun sales would reduce crimes and murders carried out with firearms. However, it is important to note that America already has very strong gun laws. Each gun sale through a licensed retail store requires a background check. Also, in most states, you have to be 18 years of age to purchase a rifle and 21 years of age to purchase a handgun. Are there loopholes where criminals and dangerous people can access guns? Of course.
Let’s take a look at what America might be like if we had the strict gun-control laws that some desire.
People often clamor for the ban of “assault rifles.” However, the term “assault rifle” is often used by those who oppose the Second Amendment because the term sounds dangerous and intimidating. Such rifles are simply a fancy version of a big game hunting rifle. The only difference is these rifles can utilize high capacity magazines. The assumption is that if “assault rifles" were banned there would be an end to mass shootings.
But wait a moment. France is a nation with some of the strictest gun laws. In November of 2015, multiple Islamic terrorists stormed the Bataclan theatre in Paris and other sites in the city and killed 130 innocent people. What type of firearms did they use? The terrorists used several types of guns that would all be described as “assault rifles.” How did they bypass the strict gun laws in France? They illegally smuggled the firearms into France from surrounding countries. According to Judicial Watch, one of the guns used in the 2015 Paris attack was from Phoenix, Arizona where the Obama administration gave out weapons to criminal and drug cartels in an attempt to track the guns and arrest the cartels but instead lost track of many of the firearms. In this instance, more gun-control laws would’ve done nothing to stop the terror attack.
Another example is Chicago, Illinois. Chicago has some of the strictest gun laws in America but yet they are one of the most dangerous cities when it comes to homicides by firearms. How can this be? Gangs and criminals travel out of the city limits and purchase the guns and then bring them into Chicago. Well, what if the county banned the sale of firearms? Gangs and criminals will simply travel to another county. The same would happen if the entire U.S. banned guns altogether. Criminals would travel abroad and smuggle guns into the U.S.
The examples above prove that if we decide to enact “gun-control” ignoring the Second Amendment, all in the name of reducing mass shootings, we’ll just leave the innocent defenseless and the criminals with guns.
What we have in America is a sin problem. A government can only regulate so much. At some point, it is up to the citizens to aid in bringing civility. One way to bring civility is to restore the biblical family structure. A healthy home where mom and dad raise, discipline, and love their children. We also must provide hope for those hurting. The best way to bring hope is by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. The local church does this best.
History reveals that it is just a matter of time before another tragedy occurs because of the evil in man’s heart. The next time tragedy like this strikes, instead of chanting for more government overreach, let’s begin talking about how each human needs a Savior to rescue us from our sinful nature.
