Gun control - a long-standing controversial issue in the US

The debate over gun control has lasted for decades and is one of the things that is dividing America.

» The most horrific shootings in American history

The recent bloody shooting that caused many casualties in Las Vegas has rekindled the debate about gun control, an issue that has existed for decades in the United States.

Guns are popular items in the US. Photo: Xinhua

The US population is about 315 million people, but there are more than 310 million guns circulating in society without being controlled. Currently, the purchase and use of weapons in many states in the US still takes place without going through any screening of background or psychological history.

Recent statistics from the website gunviolencearchive.org show that since the beginning of the year, there have been nearly 250 shootings in the US, killing more than 10,000 people and injuring more than 20,000. Among the casualties are 480 children under 12 years old.

During the time of former President Barack Obama, he repeatedly tried to push through gun control bills in the US, but failed in the context of the Republican Party holding the majority of seats in the US Congress. Currently, many opinions have called on US lawmakers to take specific actions to control gun violence in the US.

However, according to analysts, this is not an easy problem to implement due to conflicts between interest groups.

US public opinion after the shooting in Las Vegas

After each mass shooting, the debate between the two sides supporting and opposing gun control policies flares up strongly. The shooting, considered the bloodiest in modern American history in Las Vegas on the night of October 1, was no exception. A series of congressmen, officials and supporters of strict gun control have spoken out to demand effective laws to prevent this tragedy from happening again.

However, given the brutal nature of the recent massacre and the perpetrator's possession of a huge arsenal of weapons, including more than 40 guns of various types and thousands of bullets, many people who have traditionally supported gun ownership are changing their views.

In the press, media and social networks, thousands of people from all walks of life, from officials, congressmen to actors and ordinary people, have announced that they have changed their views and want to limit guns since the night of October 1. Many people continue to express their disappointment that death is becoming a part of life in America. It can be seen that, after Las Vegas, the views and assessments of the rights and control of gun ownership of the American people seem to be undergoing strong changes.

GovernmentTPresident Trump on gun control

Before leaving for a visit to Puerto Rico on October 3, President Donald Trump told reporters that the country's officials would discuss gun control laws in the near future. This is Trump's second statement related to the bloody shooting in Las Vegas last weekend.

Previously, in his speech after the tragedy, President Trump did not mention the issue of gun control but only called on America to unite to deal with extremely cruel acts like the recent one.

Looking back at the past 9 months in office, the problems that President Trump has had to deal with mostly come from his own decisions and policies. Therefore, the massacre last Sunday night is posing a completely new challenge to the leadership capacity of the White House owner.

Moreover, most of the previous massacres often made people think about immigration, terrorism or social discontent.

In the recent mass shooting, the perpetrator had no clear motive. In the coming time, not only those who support strict gun control will speak out strongly, but even Mr. Trump himself and officials who support gun ownership will not be able to avoid it, forced to bring up the issue that has been causing pain in American public opinion to discuss.

Regardless of the outcome of the debate between the two sides, the Trump administration is forced to make its stance on gun control clear.

The core issue of the controversy

The debate over gun control has lasted for decades and is one of the things that is dividing America.

These controversies are not limited to one class or one generation, but are the result of American history since its founding, intertwined with all classes, from politicians, political parties, economic interests to each component and each region in America's diverse and extremely complex society.

Going back in history, the Second Amendment of the 27 Amendments to the US Constitution, ratified on December 12, 1791, guarantees the right of American citizens to keep and bear arms. The content of this Amendment has two parts: A well regulated militia is necessary to the security of a free state, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

The difficulty in clearly interpreting the content of this Amendment, whether the two clauses are parallel or the former is a condition for the latter, allows both supporters and opponents to present their own arguments to defend their views.

In terms of viewpoints, Republican Presidents often support loosening gun restrictions while Democrats constantly propose restrictions. The support of which viewpoint depends closely on the will of their voters, so it is difficult for the government to pass bills, whether supporting or restricting.

A long-standing gun-loving culture and mentality, political manipulation for votes, and huge economic interests seem to be the main factors that have caused the debate over gun control over the years.

Americans' demand for tighter gun control

Gun culture has long been a prominent feature of American society. Therefore, the American people's psychology towards gun ownership in general and gun control in particular is very complicated.

According to a June 2017 survey by the PEW Research Center, nearly half of Americans grew up in a home with at least one gun, with 67% of current gun owners saying so compared to 40% of non-gun owners. According to some polls conducted before the Las Vegas massacre, between 80% and 90% of respondents supported background checks for gun buyers. This trend is not only growing among the American people but is also gaining support from many Republicans.

However, according to the survey results of the PEW Center, 52% of non-gun owners and 71% of former gun owners said they would likely buy a gun in the future. Maintaining gun ownership and taking some measures to limit gun-related massacres are probably what the majority of Americans want today./.

According to VOV