The Gun Violence in The Media of The Boston Globe

The only headlines that seem to be reoccurring, whether it’s on Channel 5 news, the front page of the Metro, or in big bold letters on the Boston Globe’s website is most often the time relating to gun violence. Though violence in America will never completely vanish, incidents correlating to firearms are easily preventable. Weapons that are designed to kill a mass amount of people at once are accessible to anyone and everyone, which is frightening. The drawback to this is it allows people to run around and kill each other much like a violent video game. Harmless and innocent people are getting killed by the minute all over America, by dangerous people. This is worrisome to the general public, as they fear for their well being and safety.

There are several events that are considered to be the deadliest mass shootings, namely: Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook Elementary, Colorado movie theatre, and the Washington Navy Yard, All four shootings happened within a decade and tally up to an outrageous number of 84 people dead. These gunmen have episodes where they potentially become dangerous and feel the need to seek revenge. Without strict laws or gun enforcement, weapons will keep falling into the hands of dangerous people. So what is taking Congress so long to make changes and make these preventable accidents less occurring? If background checks were required prior to buying firearms, it would eliminate the wrong people from getting ahold of weapons.

The most reasonable solution for eliminating felons, domestic abusers, and other dangerous people from obtaining firearms is to require background checks. Background checks are only performed at retail stores but not everywhere, so it should be a mandatory practice. It’s simple; prior before an individual purchases a gun from a retail store, the associate enters the name of the buyer and other information into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). TThe buyer can be declined if they ever were indicted or convicted of a felony, admitted to being addicted to a controlled substance, dishonorably discharged from the Armed Forces, being subject to a restraining order, as well as other regulations. The process retains gun violence to a minimum as the NICS has blocked more than 2 million gun sales to people.

Since there are many places that require background checks like major retailers, there are obstacles around this for criminals. The Internet is unfortunately an easy access for firearms to be purchased for just about anyone and about where 20% of all firearm transactions take place. Sites like “Firearms Marketplace” (www.armslist.com) can be a popular go-to for those who were denied a firearm in store.

Banning firearms and ammunition such as assault weapons and high capacity magazines will not solve the issue. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. By making select firearms illegal will only cause more issues with people still being able to obtain them. For instance, there are many drugs that are illegal yet people are still selling and buying them.

Most cannot get away with murder so why should most get away with firing a dangerous weapon if they have an imperfect criminal record? Innocent lives shouldn’t be at stake everyday because of a person that shouldn’t have acquired a firearm in the first place. The general public shouldn’t be in a constant fear of something happening to themselves, family, or friends when they’re out at the movie theatre, Gun violence, mass shootings, and murders need to not happen as often as they do. With that said, background checks need to be required before buying firearms, it will eliminate the wrong people from getting ahold of weapons.

Cite this page