How is Gun Violence Tolerated?
Gun violence is something that amazes me as to how it is still tolerated to this day. Gun
violence has done nothing but harm our nation and cost taxpayers billions of dollars to make up
for what is being done wrongfully. Statistics show that multiple gun owning organizations
support limiting the process of buying and selling guns. There is also a massive support for a
waiting period for purchasing guns as well as background checks before selling guns outside of
shops. All signs point to limiting gun buying and restricting the easiness of purchasing a gun, yet
nothing is being done to enact such rules to help our nation.
This ethical violation poses the question of what if a mentally unstable person wants to
purchase a gun and decide they want to go and shoot people. This person is not able to purchase
a gun from a store due to background checks and paperwork, however they still have a way to
get the gun legally. The unstable person can purchase a gun from a friend or even a random
person they contact on the internet who happens to sell guns. This style of buying guns requires
no background checks, no paperwork, and most of all no waiting. Therefore, without universal
gun checks, they could simply turn around and do the unthinkable that same day. Without a
limiting law this scenario violates the ethical principle of least harm. In fact, allowing guns to be
purchased that easily by an outside vendor causes the opposite of least harm.
My personal reaction to gun violence is just amazement, amazement that the United
States has not put a restriction or a universal background check on all gun purchases. To me it
makes no sense that no one has created a universal background check as it is beneficial in every
way possible. Universal checks alone can help cut down on the number of people who have
accessibility to a gun and can cause harm to others with said gun. In my opinion not enough is
being done to help the gun problem, not even close to enough. Today, people in society have
come to accept gun violence and turn their heads the other way until something tragic happens,
then call for justice and laws against gun violence. However nothing is actually done due to the
fact that it is not done every day. “We lose eight children and teenagers to gun violence every
day”. Citizens also have different views on guns, some think guns need to be banned as a whole
and that guns kill people and that they are not needed. On the other side of the argument people
believe guns need to be used to balance out the evil in our country. As for those who violate the
ethical principles, they feel as if they are doing no wrong due to the fact most of them are
mentally unstable. These two factors allow for gun violence to continue to be tolerated despite
seriousness of this issue and the damage it does to our nation.
As for me, I believe in the future I can bring more knowledge and possible solutions to
this ethical problem we have. The statistics and facts on gun violence are truly eye opening when
easy things can be done to lessen the impact gun violence has on us as a nation. It bothers me
that not much is being done to help out such a serious ethical violation. For right now, all I can
do is share my knowledge on gun violence and try my best to educate people. Unfortunately,
there is not much I am able to do alone or in the immediate future to truly benefit this issue.
Although I cannot do much, I will continue to do whatever I can to positively impact this ethical
issue.