America’s gun culture is killing us
Manhattan: Everyone is aware that violence has sharply increased in U.S. cities, including gun deaths. Guns are easy to get and many people have multiple guns. There are roughly the same number of gun deaths as auto deaths each year in the U.S., about 38,000. Gun owners can easily buy military-style weapons. In some states, teens can walk around with guns. Why not enact the same requirements for guns as for car ownership? To own a car, it must be registered and you must be licensed. Why not the same for guns? A driving test is required to encourage safety, so why not a competency test with guns? Car owners must renew licenses periodically, so why not gun owners? Drivers need to take a vision test at the DMV — that makes sense for a gun owner, too. Community police should have a record of who owns guns and where they are kept in the home for safekeeping. There should be a limit on the number of guns a person can own.
Gun enthusiasts claim that the Second Amendment of 1791 guarantees gun ownership. At that time, guns were allowed as a means of protection against the British and to establish a ready militia to fight off bands of attackers. Guns were used for hunting food. Those reasons hardly apply now. If people use guns to hunt, how many do you need for that? Do hunters really get pleasure out of shooting a beautiful, defenseless animal? Oh, one more thing: In 1791, the only gun available was the Brown Bess musket, which took at least 20 seconds to reload. Much stricter gun laws are obviously needed.