THE PARADOX OF A ‘FREE’ STATE
The United States of America prides itself as a society that is hinged on liberty - political, religious and civil liberties. Regrettably, the recent shooting at Pulse Nightclub, Orlando, which claimed the lives of 49 people and left up to three scores injured, brings to light some of the noxious aftereffect of their most cherished value, “liberty.” Liberty not only connotes the state of being able to act and speak freely but also includes the state of being free from physical, economic, social and psychological restraints. With the unabated mass shootings in the US, some citizens and visitors would become psychologically (and possibly, physically) restrained as they would not be able to move out in assurance of some measure of security as they would become uncertain as to where and when the next shooting might occur and who the victim(s) might be.
Following the wanton mass shootings in recent times in the US (particularly after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012 which abruptly truncated the destinies of about 20 children aged six and seven years), various calls have been made to stiffen gun control laws in the US but much have not been achieved in this regard. The latest Orlando shooting must be the last straw that will break the camel’s back to spur the government into action by tightening the gun control laws.
Since the Orlando shootings, many have held divergent views on the attack as to what exactly the motive of the perpetrator, Omar Mateen, was. Some, including Donald Trump, have described it as a terrorist attack since Omar pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) while he called the emergency number, 911. To others, it might have been a hate crime against homosexuals. Even Omar’s father said he (Omar) became angry after sighting two men kissing. Whatever anyone tags the shooting - be it a terrorist attack or homophobic attack or a result of recent immigration into the US, for me, it all still boils down to the astronomical increase in the availability of firearms in the US.
To show how downhill it is to obtain a gun in the US, CNN in a recent publication revealed that it is easier and faster to acquire a gun than a driver’s licence and a passport. A civilian can acquire any amount of guns he wishes and has capacity to pay for as there is no federal law which limits the number of guns a person can own. Although the federal law requires licensed gun dealers to perform background checks on prospective buyers and maintain records of all gun sales, it does not require unlicensed private sellers to do so. And surprisingly, a handful of guns are bought from the unlicensed private sellers. It takes a few minutes if you are buying from a private seller, you do not even have to go through a background check in most states. Laughably, the Second Amendment to the US Constitution protects the right of its people to keep and bear arms. Why should such be a fundamental right? The USA is now acclaimed to have the highest mass shootings than any other country in the world - the newest addition to its many firsts.
In its bid to be a liberal society, many have been handed a first class ticket to their untimely deaths. The US Government should consider the heartbreaking figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that about 31 people per day are shot to death in homicides and another 58 people each day use guns to commit murder. The US should follow the bold steps of its ally, Germany, by beefing up their gun restriction laws. In Germany, anyone applying for a gun passes through rigorous tests, must have a legitimate reason for desiring to own a gun and must wait for about a year before the request is granted. Psychiatric tests are also conducted for persons below 25 years who wish to apply for a gun licence. The US Congress should urgently pass a law making background checks compulsory in all states and also extend the scope of the background checks to cover private sales at gun shows and over the internet. Also, all gun sale dealers must be licensed with the government. It should become a crime to sell guns without being licensed by the government to do so. Persons in need of guns must also undergo a psychiatric test to ensure they are mentally stable and undertake safety training before being licensed by the government to own one. I also suggest that certain kinds of weapons be banned from private ownership.
I have always dreamed of visiting the US, but with the current spate of gun killings, I might just have a rethink and stay put in Naija, my safe haven, till they get things right. Gun ownership should be a privilege and not a right guaranteed by the constitution. I solidly stand behind Hillary Clinton who has renewed calls for stiffer gun controls and said that guns should be kept out of the hands of terrorists and other criminals. The advocates of gun rights might argue that the guns are needed for self-defence by the law-abiding citizens but the reality is that the law-keepers today might turn out to be the lawbreakers tomorrow. The government should muster the willpower to stop this bloodbath or risk making Americans prisoners of their cherished “liberty.”