I was thinking of my first blog
to be something about America. The country I have been living in for the past 6
years. I wanted to say how great this country is where liberty and freedom of
speech is valued and allowed more than any other country in the world, including
my own in recent times. Where the people enjoy the true meaning of freedom and
enjoy the benefits of free enterprise every day. Where I have experienced a lot less prejudice
than I did during my days in the Middle East.
But today, I have to talk about an
uglier and a darker side of this great nation. A place where a mad man can go into that most innocent
of places, an elementary school, and shoot down 20 angels. A country where it’s
more difficult for a 20 year old to get a drink than it is to get his hands on
a semi-automatic assault rifle. As a human being, I am saddened by the loss of
these innocent lives. As a parent, I am fearful of what tomorrow holds for my
children.
The second amendment of the constitution
of the United States states-
“A
well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the
right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
Let me highlight the phrase “well
regulated” here, and let the readers decide for themselves what it means.
Due to historical, cultural and
constitutional reasons, I realize that it will be difficult, nigh impossible to
eradicate guns from American lives. But surely nobody would disagree that those
who buy and possess arms and ammunition must be held accountable and
responsible for the power they yield in their hands. Be it a parent, who lets
something this dangerous get into the hands of his/her child or a dealer who gets
it into the hands of a known criminal or the laws that allow a person with a
history of mental instability to get access to fire arms, should be held equally
accountable.
Regulate the issue of guns so
that weapons that can shoot 100 rounds in minutes are not within the grasp of anybody.
This may not solve everything but it would certainly reduce the occurrence of
such incidents. A small price to pay if we can still have those lost 20 angels
in our midst.
Very well said!! I am also a parent and am scared every single day my child goes to school!
ReplyDeleteThis was not the first incident and nor shall be the last. The question is, what is the government doing about this since the very first incident of the sort?! If a measure had been taken, such incidents would not have happened ever. I believe schools need to be more protected than they are currently. It should be a very sacred and safe placec which values the safety, well being and future of all the students who go there.
So true.
ReplyDelete