AHS voices opinions on the right to bear arms

After the Virginia Tech shootings, many people in Northern Virginia and the country as a whole began prioritizing gun control as a crucial issue that affects everyone in the society. 

All states allow for the legal purchase of handguns. The only region in the U.S. where guns are restricted is the District of Columbia, where the Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975 currently prohibits the possession of handguns, even in the homes of private citizens.  While owning a gun is very dangerous, many continue to purchase these weapons not only for protection but also to pursue a passion for hunting.

“I go hunting during the deer and turkey season.  It is just a hobby, I am not a criminal ;people should be allowed to do what they enjoy . . . I own about six guns,” said science teacher Richard Miller.

Hunting has been a fundamental part of North American culture for thousands of years, most of which predate the Columbian era.  That is why it is not surprising for approximately 78% of Americans to support hunting, according to a poll done in 2006 by the Responsive Management. 

“Hunting is great and it is really just about being out in the woods and getting the great exercise,” said Miller. 

Although many gun owners do in fact use their weapons for hunting, there are those that are firm believers in owning guns for protection. 

“I own a gun for three main reasons: first of all, guns are everywhere, so to think we can just destroy all of them is not realistic.  Second of all, originally, the government allowed citizens to gain access to weapons because the founders believed the people needed to protect themselves from the government. At the time, it was a fear from the British, or any similar oppressive colonial power,” said Government teacher Scott Hambrick.  

The Second Amendment is in fact entitled the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and it states that, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”  This amendment is clearly proof of the importance of firearms to the framers of the constitution.

“We cannot just amend the constitution. This is a right that every American citizen has.  We cannot get rid of it, even if it has been proven that it would reduce crimes,” said Hambrick.  “Many would say that a life is more important than rights, but they do not understand that rights are our life.”

This powerful and often controversial Amendment seems very ambiguous, which is why every state has separate regulations regarding their gun control policies. 

According to The Virginia Gun Owner’s Guide, a person acquiring a gun must go through a full background check before actually getting a gun. However, as has been the case with past criminals, including Seung-Hui Cho, who shot 32 people in Virginia Tech in  April  2007.  These background checks are often ineffective.  

“The system checks if the person was ever imprisoned, has been declared as an endangerment to society by an official court or if a person was discharged from the army,” said Hambrick. “The background system is not very reliable because of privacy issues.  In Cho’s case, for example, a court had already declared he was an endangerment to society, but since it would intrude on his privacy, the records were never released.”

While many are in favor of restricting the system, there are those that believe it is already effective. 

“The system is strict enough.  The system is effective. The problem with this whole issue is that many criminals do not get their weapons legally. Their weapons are illegal and stolen,” said Miller.

Although there are several students and teachers in AHS that fully support the Second Amendment and firmly believe in the attainment of guns, there are many that believe guns should not be attainable. 

“I understand the argument people make on how the Constitution gives everyone the right to obtain guns, but the Constitution was made to be amended,” said senior Jackie Argueta. “It was written over 200 years ago, and we need to modernize it so as to fit it for our society.”

While many people believe that eliminating guns would decrease any violent gun related crimes, this has not been the case.  D.C. has had a ban on handguns for approximately three decades and crimes in D.C. are still fairly high.  Additionally, the national average of gun related crimes in 2005 increased to 9%, a huge increase from the previous year.

“The problem here is in trying to modify the background check.  Eliminating guns is just not realistic, and should not even be considered because it is in fact a constitutional right that everyone is entitled to,” said Hambrick.  “People need to focus on how to better educate gun users and decrease the amount of illegal gun trafficking.”

AHS students and teachers seem to be as divided on the issue of gun control as the nation currently is.