I see them as twin tragedies - the Newtown ( Connecticut, USA) shooting and the horrific gang-rape in New Delhi (India) last week.
Beyond the distance (literal) separating the two, the nature and scope of the actual events, the differences in language, culture and nationality - the reason I see them together is because both are events that finally seem capable of forcing change and bringing about much needed reforms regarding gun purchase and ownership
The need for gun control (US) :
In the US, the 'Right to keep and bear arms' is enshrined in the constitution. This may have made sense at the time the aforementioned constitution was written but bears a rethink in today's world. For a new country, in the late 18th century, just beginning to take cognizance of its future, the Right to bear arms was seen by the early American settlers as a means of self defense, protecting their lands, property and families from the threats of invasion, insurrection and even 'tyrannical government'. Justified and easily understandable given the fact that there was little organized law enforcement in those days and you simply had to fend for yourself (or come together in a 'local militia' setup). But the world has come a long way since then while clearly, the law on purchasing and owning guns hasn't.
Law enforcement even today cannot guarantee 100% safety for everyone. Which means that much of our safety is still in our own hands - owning a gun gives one atleast some sense of safety and control over the threat of homicidal intrusion. But where gun ownership differs in scope and impact from other means of self defense is in the very nature of its use - once fired, a bullet is a projectile that does deadly and often irreparable damage to whoever is in your line of sight. If that person is someone intent on causing deadly and irreparable damage to you, defend yourself by all means - like any sane, rational person intent on living, who can think clearly would do.
But what if the person at the end of your barrel is a child - and the above-mentioned adjectives no longer apply to you. What if there are voices in your head telling you that that child who smiles at you in passing is an evil demon intent on causing you pain? Or that your own mother is actually an alien in disguise who plans on conducting experiments with your mind? What if, in the confines of your sanity, rationality and logic, every person around you is clear and present danger? And you want to live, you want to defend yourself from the demon, the alien and the people out to kill you. And you have a gun in your hand.
What if you have been mercifully spared the voices in your head - but the real world is a harsh and cruel place and you are unloved, unwanted, an outcast, a reject and a freak. You do not fit in, and everyday is a nightmare of being reminded over and over again just how much of a misfit you are. Society hates you - and shows you that in words and gestures every day. And for once, you're tired of the shit thrown on you by everyone and for once, you wish the shoe was on the other foot and with their backs against the wall, cowering in fear, the others - the cool ones, the jocks and the divas and the rest of them who're normal and flaunt their normalcy and obvious societal acceptance in your face - begged you for their life. Because there they are - in your line of sight, a trigger away from death, and the power to let them live or die is on your hands. You have a gun in your hands.
I'm only outlining two but there are countless other scenarios like the above where the question of 'What if this person has access to a gun ?' literally becomes moot. There is a need to bring about wide sweeping reforms restricting the right to gun ownership for those who simply have no business owning a gun. There is a need for stricter purchase regulations, to curb the menace of straw purchasing. For a country that won't let you drive unless you have a permit obtained after passing driving tests , or let you buy painkillers and anti depressants without the proper prescription, isn't it ludicrous that guns can be bought OTC at the nearest WalMart? In an era of fake identity papers so that teens can drink and go to clubs where they would otherwise be denied entry, all it takes to buy a gun is the money and a flash of the aforementioned ID !
Stop handing out guns as if they were just a piece of candy - the 'Right to keep and bear arms' cannot be a god given right for one and all but a privilege to be earned by those who prove themselves capable and deserving of it. Look at the numbers America - see how you compare with countries like UK, Australia, France, Germany and Japan. Without gun control, you are sitting on a powder keg that's an inch odd away from blowing through the proverbial rooftops - do you really need to see more innocents lose their lives in countless other Columbines, Tucsons, Newtown, Virginia Techs (and others)?
Nancy Lanza was an avid gun enthusiast - she loved guns and shooting and even taught her sons to shoot. But what if she had a passion for, let say, collecting snakes - Pit Vipers, Rattlesnakes, Boa Constrictors and King Cobras. Would it have been okay for her to keep 5-6 deadly reptiles in her house (in cages of course but with timeouts for interactions and playing) and to encourage her sons to play with them? Would her neighbors be okay with living next door to her, trusting in her judgement and ability to keep her pets locked up safely as the only thing between them and an Adder ? There is a reason why certain 'hobbies' are deemed unsafe and unfit to be practiced within one's house. And self defense doesn't need for you to keep a small arsenal at home. A handgun alone, when waved in the face of an unwanted intruder will buy you enough time to dial the authorities - and if needed, shooting to incapacitate can be accomplished with the same. You do not need a whole cache of rifles and guns (and you most certainly do not need to have your kids pose with them at home) at home to convince people that you mean business when it comes to your safety. You like to shoot - keep the rifles et al locked up at the target range. And stop toting them around kids as if they were a normal piece of furniture reasonably expected to be found in every home - guns are dangerous and deadly weapons and they are certainly not a normal household item!
Make criminal background checks mandatory for potential buyers. Make some sort of psych testing/evaluation mandatory so that you identify potential purchasers who have some form of MI. Make recording of criminal activity (regardless of age) in secure databases mandatory (to hell with protecting privacy for repeat juvenile offenders) and stop expunging records - make it mandatory for a potential buyer to obtain certification from local law enforcement stating that they have checked necessary records and databases and are able to certify that the person has no previous record of criminal activity that would preclude them from purchasing or owning a weapon. Make them register the weapon with the local precinct upon purchase. Make it illegal for a first purchaser to pass on the weapon to someone else without proper permissions from local authorities. Make it illegal for individuals living with children to keep more than one gun at home. Have child services visit and understand the kind of safety measures in place to ensure that the weapon is not accessible to kids.
Gun control is not the only answer to reducing senseless violence and preventing the next epic disaster - but it's a start.
(More to follow on MI (and funding for treatment), parenting and child privacy - before I turn to the absolute and utter mess my own city's become and the Delhi Government's knee jerk measures for tackling the burning need for better safety for women.)
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