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The Official Student Paper of Riverside Poly High School

The Face Behind the Gun

May 21, 2013

GUNS: Background checks will help prevent guns from falling into the hands of criminals and the mentally ill.

By Amy Wang, Staff Writer

The verdict is in and it seems that the U.S. Senate has decided that politics precedes the safety of Americans. Recently, the Senate shot down a compromise plan to expand background checks on firearms sales.

The legislation to expand background checks was aimed at closing loopholes and keeping criminals and the seriously mentally ill from getting firearms. As of now, the checks only apply to purchases handled by licensed firearms dealers. Those who buy guns online and at gun shows are exempt from the backgrounds checks. Therefore, if a mentally ill person has access to a computer, he or she can easily buy a gun; likewise, the same can be said about a criminal walking into a gun show.

Despite the 91 percent of Americans who support background checks, U.S. Senators – whose job is to represent the people, not paychecks – could not manage a 60 percent majority in the voting process. In the end, the votes were 54 for the compromise and 46 against it.

Due to multiple recent gun-related tragedies, particularly the Newtown shooting, the recent debate over gun control due has Americans fighting for their right to bear arms. This creates pressure on senators to “please” their parties, caring more about politics than the people. But the background checks still respect the Second Amendment; they just prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands.

Much pressure also comes from the National Rifle Association (NRA), which has taken a stand against broader gun background checks. Executive Director of the NRA-ILA Chris Cox argued that the checks were “misguided,” and it would “not reduce crime or keep our kids safe in their schools.” However, there may be more motives behind the NRA’s stand. The NRA might feel threatened by the potential money loss that background checks might impose on gun transactions, such as limiting the size of the market. Apparently, neither the Senate nor the NRA are really looking out for the people.

Meanwhile, the loss in the Senate has President Obama turning to different measures in order to ensure Americans are safe. He is re-focusing on current restrictions set on gun purchases, such as clamping down on federal laws that ban “certain mentally ill people from purchasing firearms,” the Associated Press reported. Although Obama has the right idea, it is not enough to only focus on the mentally ill – what about criminals? There are several loopholes allowing criminals to receive guns legally and with ease, which need to be patched up as soon as possible.

Gun owners have a right to own guns, but Americans also have the right to feel safe knowing that those gun owners are not a threat. Give us a little more peace of mind and show us the face behind the guns before it’s too late.

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