In the wake of the tragic mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that left 50 dead including the shooter and at least 53 injured, Democrats in Washington D.C. and across the country have called on Republicans to actually push through gun control legislation. Given that the Republican Party is traditionally staunch in their belief in second amendment rights, many Republicans in Congress have refused to enact legislation that would limit access to guns, even in the wake of mass shootings preceding the one in Orlando. But with Sunday’s tragedy resulting in the largest mass shooting in U.S. history, pressure is now on Republicans more than ever to do something to address the issue and the debate has reached a tipping point.
On Monday, Democrats disrupted the floor of the House of Representatives immediately following a moment of silence for the victims of the shooting. Many of them protested that they were sick of having moments of silence, noting that there have been too many in recent history as a result of gun-related violence. They called on House Speaker Paul Ryan and the Republican majority to do something that would stop the necessity of these all too frequent moments of silence and actually push through meaningful gun control legislation. The White House and Democratic presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton shared similar sentiments.
As a Republican who believes strongly in the second amendment, I too believe that something has to be done. Though I don’t think that guns are always the problem, I do believe that cracking down on the types of individuals who possess guns is a necessary step in preventing further incidents. We already have laws that ensure certain criminals cannot obtain these weapons, but we need improvements on the specifics and we need the enforcement of these laws. The recently-proposed laws that are being considered revolve around preventing those on an FBI watch list and people who have committed misdemeanor hate crimes from obtaining guns as well. Though I don’t believe these particular bills are perfect in every way, I do believe that with modifications, they could provide an important stepping stone in keeping guns out of the hands that may use them for the wrong reasons.
At the same time, we need to preserve a fundamental right granted to all Americans: the right to bear arms. Republicans should continue doing this, and the best way to do this is to first address more fundamental issues that relate to guns. It is not just guns that cause these incidents to occur. Republicans, and all lawmakers for that matter, need to fight radical Islamic terror, mental health illness, anti-gay or other anti-minority sentiments. Lawmakers have the platform to make these much needed changes in our country, whether they do so through policy or through utilizing their position to influence the mindset of the American people. No matter what the party these lawmakers may belong to, or what ideologies they may hold, they can make these changes without compromising their fundamental beliefs.
The American people deserve their rights granted to them in the Constitution, but they also deserve to live in a free and safe country that protects its people. Those in power need to realize the importance of these issues and address them in a fair but practical way.
Kyle Campbell is a junior government and politics major. He can be reached at kcampbelldbk@gmail.com.
