Gun Control

Esha Chanda,

Columnist (Our World)

 

20 young souls won’t know what it feels like to graduate from high school, 20 children won’t celebrate their 21st birthdays, and 20 children would not experience their adolescence.

These 20 children had no idea of the horrors they had to face when they were forced out of bed in the morning by their mothers to get ready for their school. The society lost young minds that could have carved themselves a niche in the world. We mourn the untimely deaths of these innocent children and the 6 adults who were caught unaware when a 20-year old boy entered the classrooms of Sandy Hook Elementary School in New Town, Connecticut and aimlessly shot rounds of bullets.

At 9:30 EST on 14th December 2012, Adam Peter Lanza drove to the school after killing his mother Nancy Lanza, aged 52 years. 8 boys and 6 girls between the age of 6 and 7 along with 6 women who worked at the school were victims to this tragic incident that shook not only the United States but also the entire world. Lanza later committed suicide.

This 20-year old killer had access to three semi-automatic firearms along with the shotgun that was found in the car that he had driven to school. He had access to three more firearms at this home. The boy was armed with enough ammunition to wipe every living soul in the school. It is believed that his mother was a gun enthusiast and often took her two boys to the local shooting range.

Earlier this year, the nation witnessed a mass shooting in Century movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado during the midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises. The suspect, James Eagan Holmes who was discovered and arrested outside the cinema had set off tear gas grenades and shot multiple rounds of firearms killing 12 people and injuring 59 others. Less than a month after this, the news of shooting at Sikh temple in Oak Creek in Wisconsin feel on the country’s ears, where the gunman killed 6 people and injured 4 others.

In the light of recent events, altering the regulations pertaining to gun control is of imperative nature. During the last two incidents, while the entire nation was in an uproar, little was done for gun control. The citizens of the nation have seen the ugly head of violence looming over their lives in the past and some might even live in fear of their future. The people of the country cannot simply be idle onlookers who wake up to the news of mass killing in their neighbourhood. And it’s not just mass killing that requires the government’s attention. There have been cases where citizens who have access to guns kill their loved ones before shooting themselves in the head. You don’t need a shooting to remind every time that some laws need to be reinstated. Yet somehow this time it seems a bit different. The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School has made a deep impact. It has wounded the hearts of not just the families of the victims but also the entire world. The deaths of 6 year olds have struck a nerve. The government needs to act immediately because Americans cannot endure any more attacks. The life of the citizens and their loved ones are in question here.

And while the authorities are obliged to look into the norms relating to gun control after such incidents, it also gives rise to the question of the mental stability of the shooter. The brother of Adam Lanza was reported saying that Adam was suffering from a personality disorder and was somewhat autistic. It is not just gun control that requires attention; mental disorders and illness demands awareness as well. While revolting against laws and calling for amendments seem the need of the hour, the society shouldn’t ignore the problems and hardship faced by people suffering from personality disorders. We are not justifying the actions of the shooter. We grieve the loss of lives and our heart goes out to the families. But as a part of the society we shouldn’t ignore children and adults suffering from disorders have to be taken care of. They are often neglected and yelled at for the minor mistakes they commit, which eventually leads them to take brash actions. Victims of mental disorders threaten to kill their families and themselves if exposed to an unpleasant situation. At times it becomes impossible for parents to predict the situations that will set the person off.

Yes, the country of United States requires a drastic change in its gun control but it also has to take measures to improve the healthcare system. The world might have many Adam Lanzas who would be suffering from numerous personality disorders and their situation also asks for help. They are victims as well; they have fallen in the trap of illness and they get confused and agitated. And it’s not just disorders, individuals falling prey to depression can also prove to be a threat to the people that surround them. Things have to be altered for them as well. So while everyone talks about guns and ammunition, the society shouldn’t disregard mental illness. It’s not an evil curse. Every individual in the society is probably echoing the same thought – before we hear about another mass killing, we need to sit up straight and address both issues and find tangible solutions to these underlying problems.

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