Gun control: disarm the fear

ROSALIE E. DUNBAR, NEWS EDITOR

Many nations, the world over, are currently wrestling with the issue of whether or not individuals should be allowed to possess guns, and if so, what requirements they have to meet. While this is a perennial issue in the United States, the discussion has intensified in recent weeks as part of the current session of the US Supreme Court. The justices are being asked to interpret the Second Amendment to the US Constitution and determine whether the right to bear arms referred to in that foundational document is designed for the maintenance of an armed militia, or if it is meant to guarantee the right of gun ownership to every individual.

For people far removed from the use of guns for hunting, sports, and other legal activities, the discussion might seem fairly intellectual. But for those on either side of the debate, it touches deep, passionately-held points of view. Both sides share some commonalities, though, and one of those is fear.

One aspect of the fear is the feeling that people need to own guns to protect themselves from criminals and other individuals who might harm them. On the other hand, those who favor gun control often want to be kept safe from guns and people who could use guns to harm them—possibly in the same groups as those mentioned above. Both sides share a fear of danger and desire for protection, although they approach these concerns from different standpoints.

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