BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor
On December 14th, 20 year old Adam Lanza first shot and killed his mother. Then he went to Sandy Hook Elementary School, where his mother taught school.
Lanza shot his way into the school and in the aftermath of his rage 20 children, ages 6 and 7, and 6 teachers lay dead. He also ended his own life.
President Barack Obama cried during a press conference after learning about the shooting. He also vowed to investigate gun control.
The horror of the shooting has revived the call for gun control in this country. Some readers shared their opinions about gun control.
Dr. Samuel Wright said, “There are far too many senseless killings. I support every initiative of our president!”
Howard Harris said, “I lived most of my 78 years in segregated neighborhoods including Roxbury in Boston, Tampa’s College Hills Housing Project and New York City’s Harlem. Statistically these areas were high crime areas.
“Yet, I knew personally only one individual who was wounded with a gun. He was shot breaking into a business when I was in high school. I personally do not know anyone killed with a gun and knew only one individual who was murdered by another means.
“Based on street crime statistics, we African Americans should be quaking in our boots. Yet, only 21% of us own guns. On the other hand, Whites have a far lesser chance of being the victim of street crime or home invasion. However, 47% of them put their families at risk by owning guns.
“The news media reports many more cases of murder-suicide and other family-neighbor related shootings than it does of shootings of home invaders.
“Thank goodness, the tragedy of Newtown is causing sane discussions about guns such as limiting bullet magazine capacity, etc. History tells us that sooner or later, Americans will get it right. America abolished slavery, gave Constitutional rights to Blacks, labor, women, and recently to gays, and landed men on the moon. Someday, somehow, Americans will stop the carnage caused by the interpretation of the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution.”
Attorney Roderick Ford said, “The gun control problem lies in a conflict between (1) the First Amendment of the U. S. Constitution, which guarantees the right to bear arms, and (2) the fundamental objective of government, which is to protect the life, liberty and property of citizens. And so, I think that a balance has to be struck in favor of reasonable limitations on the purchasing of guns, particularly, military-assault-like weapons. In addition, we have got to find ways to teach civic virtue, ethics, and character, without emphasizing religious dogma, in our private and public school systems.
“We need to bring together the best Constitutional lawyers, Theologians and political theorists in order to figure out how best to construct a secular society that is deeply-rooted in a “universal morality” that respects life.”
Maurice Kemp said, “Despite guns being the weapon of choice and the leading cause of homicides (the FBI reported 67 percent of homicide were caused by guns in 2010), I do not favor gun control as a principle means to control the growing violence in our American society. In other words, the growing violence in our American community is not the results of the number of additional guns being manufactured, distributed and sold.
“The growing violence is the results of the growing disregard for human life and well-being or simply stated, criminal-mindedness. And, this disregard is the result of the law of large numbers and too many highly impressionable people being exposed to violent homes, violent neighborhoods and just as importantly, violent popular mass media – television, cinema, radio, etc.
“In essence, guns do not kill people, people do. As for criminal-minded people, they do not tend to follow new laws, even those designed to control guns, any more than old laws, those that currently make possession of a firearm as a felon illegal.
“For the people that generally follow the law, intent on committing a violent act in the heat of the moment, they will switch to the next most convenient means of harming the next in the absence of having a gun. Bottom line is, human life is precious and we need to promote its value far more often than we do presently.”
Danny Green said, “Yes, I support gun control. I just think there is no reason for people to be able to own high-powered guns and rifles. That type of weaponry should be reserved for military personnel only.
“However, I do support homeowners owning a handgun and hunting rifles.”
Ms. Pat Spencer said, “With the way the world is going, we need gun control. It is true that ‘guns do not kill people, people kill people.’ However, without the guns, or the bullets, people will have to think more than they do now before killing. Having protection is not bad, but the murders that are committed are mostly not for protection, but the action of sick minds.
“Gun control will not erase all killing, but I am sure the number of killings will be lessened.”
