The recent hoopla over the Second Amendment has publicly disclosed a divergence of thought among Americans on the issue of guns. This is nothing new, of course. The pros and cons of gun control have been a hot topic since the attempted assassination of President Reagan. The topic is never discussed calmly as people have strong feelings that are diametrically opposed.
What seems to be overlooked in these discussions is who or what is the real factor behind murder. One school of thought says that eliminating guns will solve the problem of violent crime. The other says that guns are not the issue. They can’t both be right, so what’s the answer?
Like most people, I have strong feelings on this subject. Feelings are not important, though, facts are. And the fact is that murder and violent crime begin in the heart of the criminal. When people set aside the moral law, which forbids murder, and harbor evil intentions in their hearts it is only a matter of time before someone gets hurt. If we want to limit violent crime, and who doesn’t, we need to get back to fundamentals such as acknowledging God and His laws. It is only when people begin once again to believe in God’s justice and in the reality of hell (yes, it does exist and people do go there) that men will begin to govern their hearts. Because of original sin, however, there will always be criminals in our midst who reject God’s laws. A spiritual solution will not end violent crime, it will only curtail it. Where does that leave us in the gun control issue?
Guns do not kill people. People kill people. Using a gun to do so only makes the job a little easier than using a knife, a club or poison. But if guns make it easier to kill people, runs one school of thought, then banning guns should make things safer for everyone, right? WRONG. It is impossible to get guns out of the hands of criminals. Banning guns will only disarm law abiding citizens, putting them at the mercy of criminals. This is common sense. Will a criminal turn in his guns because the law says to do so? Of course not; what is one more broken law to a lawless man? Nothing. A gun ban serves to make crime much safer for criminals, and will only increase the rates of violent crime. Don’t believe me? Take some time to read the English newspapers. England has had gun control for many years now, but a look at the newspaper shows how effective the control is. Every day the pages of The Daily Telegraph and BBC are filled with articles telling of violent crimes committed across the length and breadth of England. Rape, murder, assault and armed robbery are a daily fact of life for British people. And England (including Scotland and Wales) is a very small country! In size it compares roughly to the state of Iowa, with Iowa being slightly larger. Yet the rate of violent crime in England is much higher than that of any state in the Union. Gun control has made England a far more dangerous place to live than it was before the control went into effect.
By way of contrast, compare the rate of crime in one western town in the United States. In this town there is a gun ownership law. Every householder is obliged to own a gun and be trained in its use. What is the rate of violent crime? Zippo, nada, doesn’t happen. Why? Because criminals know that if they try to commit a crime they are going to be facing victims who have guns and know how to use them to defend themselves and their property. It is not gun control that has made this town a safe place to live; it is responsible gun ownership which has done so.
The Second Amendment, guaranteeing the right of every American to keep and bear arms, is a safeguard against many evils. Hopefully the Supreme Court will uphold this, our birthright, and make it inviolable. God grant that America does not go the way of England and place her citizens at the mercy of violent criminals.
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