Are We Moving Back or Are We Moving Forward?

The gun violence epidemic in the U.S. faded away during the pandemic, but we can see it worsening once again before our very own eyes. It has gotten to the point where it may not even be safe for children to go to elementary school. There are a plethora of causes to the issue, but they all lead back to one thing: gun policies. Simply put, gun control policies are not strict enough in many states and this has allowed for guns to get into the hands of people with mal intentions. In this post, I’m specifically going to talk about the recent decision in the case of, New York State Rifle INC. and Pistol Association vs Bruen, Superintendent of New York State Police, which may have caused a setback in the issue. The court decided that, New York’s law requiring individuals who want to openly carry a concealed gun have to prove proper cause, violated the 2nd amendment. Proper cause means that individuals need to prove they are facing safety threats and need a gun on themselves in public. The court made its decision based on principles from the late 1700s and early 1800s regarding gun use. These principles are very outdated as back then individuals could not walk around with an AR-15. 

Open carry leads to up to 15% more gun violence over time and only makes the issue more prevalent in certain communities. Why do we regress on an issue when we see children dying at school weekly? While the law may have been inconsistent with the Constitution, it was struck down based on principles that date back centuries. People back then did not account for mass shootings in schools, malls and parades with assault rifles. While it is important to stick close to our Constitution, it is also important to take into consideration how times have changed and that we need to adapt with them. The decision in this case represents an issue within a bigger issue of our country not willing to update the basis of our laws to more modern times. We continue to base decisions regarding the present based on ideals from the 1700s. We are watching innocent people die daily at the hands of this epidemic and not making much meaningful change and even setting certain policies back. In order to save lives and make our country safer, at all levels from the supreme court to lawmakers to states to local governments to citizens we need to begin working on more bi-partisan approaches. The 2nd amendment should be respected, but as we can see that the issue has evolved into something that requires stricter laws to ensure peoples’ safety.