There have been ongoing conversations for decades on how to apply the Second Amendment. While some rally behind the stance that it is a natural born right, others have a viewpoint that this right should be met with restrictions. Depending on your vantage point, there is a war on the access of guns that will never end. Debates on how to exercise the freedoms to carry, own and shoot firearms usually end in a stalemate. There are those that prefer not to partake in the ownership or use of firearms for various reasons. Should this preference set the precedent for the law abiding citizen that enjoys the benefits of the “Pew Pew Life”?
Pew Pew Life
The term “Pew Pew Life” represents a subtle nod to the lifestyle of freedom symbolized in the gun. Before we go any further, we are talking about the sensible gun owners across this country that understand the responsibility that comes with the power.
Many enter this lifestyle for several reasons. Some partake in weekend visits to the range as a hobby. Others hunt for food or sport. There are collectors with a taste for the rare and exquisite. Many get involved to simply keep themselves or their family safe.
Each reason for gun ownership has a story unique to the person or family. Some families have a relationship with firearms that span several decades while others are still in an infancy stage as they continue to get acquainted with the lifestyle. It is important to understand who the person is before we make judgements because of what they possess.
A Quick History
Firearms have been used to control, destroy and enslave, however they have also been used to protect or defend.
“A Winchester rifle should have a place of honor in every black home, and it should be used for that protection which the law refuses to give.” Ida B Wells
1800 to 2000
- In 1899, armed black men, surrounded a jail preventing lynch mobs from taking Henry Denegale who was accused of raping a white woman. He was tried and acquitted.
- In 1947, three dozen rifles belonging to members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People were pointed towards a motorcade of Klansman looking to take the body of an executed African American man. The Klansman fled.
- Martin Luther King Jr (MLK) owned guns. In 1956, MLK applied for a conceal carry permit after his house was bombed. Unfortunately, he was denied but armed supporters took turns guarding his home and family.
- In 1964 the Deacons of Defense, an armed African American self-defense group protected African Americans looking for voter education and registration.
- In 1992, a group known as the “Rooftop Koreans” who were armed Korean-American business owners defended their storefronts during the Los Angeles riots.
2000 to Current
- In 2005, Judith Kuntz, a 66 year old widow living alone was targeted in May of 2005. An intruder broke in and made his way through her home. He came to the door of her bedroom, about 10 feet from her and she pulled the trigger on her .38 revolver striking him in the chest.
- In September 2005, Susan Gaylord Buxton, a 66 year old went on a walk outside of her home with her granddaughter Mandy. She took a gun with her in the event they encountered coyotes. Susan noticed a muddy footprint on the porch while Mandy heard glass breaking. Mandy called 911 while Susan began searching the house. She eventually found a man hiding in one of her closets who reached her gun. Susan shot him in the thigh and he ended up escaping the house. Police found him after a 3 hour search with the non life threatening injury.
- Police were called about 9:30 a.m. and notified by a woman that someone was breaking into her home in December 2011. The homeowner was awakened by a noise and immediately retrieved her handgun. The noise she heard was the sound of a man kicking in the door of her apartment. She met the intruder at her bedroom door, pointed the gun at him and demanded he leave. The trespasser fled without hesitation.
- Laycee Lowe, a pregnant 17-year-old, was at home alone in Glendale, Arizona in February of 2012 when she noticed a prowler outside the home. After climbing a fence and peering into windows, the criminal attempted to get into the home through a dog door. Lowe responded to the threat by retrieving a gun and firing it into the dog door, which caused the intruder to flee.
Education vs Misinformation
Politicians have a way of reporting incorrect numbers on gun related deaths that will paint skewed images in the mind of a person that does not do their own research. During a 2020 Democratic presidential debate, a candidate stated that 150 million people have been killed by guns since 2007. However, NY Times reported that more than 33,000 people die each year in the U.S. Most can agree that one death is too many but we have to acknowledge the political banter that is being used to tip the scales to satisfy a particular agenda.
We have politicians and advocates that speak to the “devastating nature” of an AR-15 without even knowing the difference between an AR-15 and a handgun. First things first, the “AR” in AR-15 is not an abbreviation for “assault rifle”. The letters stand for ArmaLite Rifle, the gun’s original manufacturer. The military uses what is known as automatic rifles.
The AR-15 and handguns that civilians have access to are semiautomatic. That means the firearm will fire one shot every time the trigger is pulled. The media uses terms like assault rifle or automatic rifle to sensationalize the capability of the AR-15 when in fact, civilians do not have access to fully automatic firearms.
Then comes the case of the magazine. Many will point to the fact that the AR-15 has the capability of utilizing a 30 round magazine. 15 to 30 round magazines are available for handguns. When you analyze the function of the AR-15 and handgun coupled with the quantity of rounds available in the magazine, you will notice that there are not many differences between the two. The facts are clear but there is a goal to promote fear.
The Numbers
Why can’t people just wait for police to respond to crimes? Some sources say that the average police response time is 10 minutes but it also depends on the type of crime. Understand that life and death situations have to be assessed and acted upon in seconds.
67,740 individuals use guns in self-defense each year according to the Department of Justice. There is value in having a firearm to save lives. According to Foundation for Economic Education and Gun Facts:
- Guns prevent an estimated 2.5 million crimes a year, or 6,849 every day. Most often, the gun is never fired, and no blood (including the criminal’s) is shed.
- Every year, 400,000 life-threatening violent crimes are prevented using firearms.
- 60 percent of convicted felons admitted that they avoided committing crimes when they knew the victim was armed. Forty percent of convicted felons admitted that they avoided committing crimes when they thought the victim might be armed.
- Felons report that they avoid entering houses where people are at home because they fear being shot.
- Fewer than 1 percent of firearms are used in the commission of a crime.
Despite the numbers, firearms are not for everyone which is understandable. Issues begin to manifest when the population that does not use firearms start to infringe on the rights of the law abiding gun owner.
Gun Rights Advocacy Groups
Advocacy groups provide a voice for the law abiding citizen. The National Rifle Association (NRA) has been a major voice in the fight for gun rights. Keep in mind that there are several gun rights advocacy groups that provide alternatives to the NRA. The National African American Gun Association provides another option for a community that can support you. The Gun Owners of America has a goal of defending Second Amendment rights. Black Guns Matter educates people in urban communities.
There is a negative connotation when it comes to gun rights advocacy groups. You often hear statements like “guns are more important than people” in reference to advocacy groups, gun manufacturers and politicians. Let’s take this statement from another perspective.
The purpose of a Pro-Gun entity is to fight for the majority that do not commit the atrocities of the few. “Common sense” gun laws provide a subjective view of a solution to gun violence. However, some of the measures are widely considered by experts as not effective enough to reduce the violence. A pro second amendment individual understands that gun control measures will continue to be rolled out as laws do not enforce humanity.
Fear of the Unknown
We have a people problem. There are the criminals that have their own agenda. Then we have a person, who has lost their way. Someone who has lost their job. A person who is dealing with some trauma. These are the individuals that we have overlooked that have given up on life and may look to utilize a firearm to take their life or the lives of others.
Implementing Red flag laws has been the response intended to identify people who may be a risk to themselves or others. The danger of these laws, can lead to due process concerns depending on what state you live in and who can petition the removal of firearms.
I know that the goal is to try to predict when crime will happen. We can holistically do a better job in evaluating the mental state of gun owners. However we have to remember that using Minority Report style systems can prove quite ineffective.
Law Abiding vs Lawlessness
We have to make the distinction between the sins of gun owners who act as agents of terror and the law abiding citizen who are our neighbors ready to keep are communities safe. Criminals do not abide by gun control measures, red flag laws or any regulations created to curb gun violence. I will repeat, criminals do not follow the rules that pertain to law abiding citizens.
The solution to fight gun violence can easily be a detriment to the millions of responsible gun owners. However, this is not to say that we should not have laws in place. We need to continue to find ways to take guns away from the criminals and lawless.
Setting the precedent
We have an inherent ability to remember tragic moments in our lives and in the lives of others. The child lost to a stray bullet due to gang violence in Chicago. The people taken from us while at work due to a disgruntled employee. These are just two examples of senseless violence that we need to work together to solve.
There are countless examples of how firearms have given us a fighting chance to live. The culture is rich with examples of how people have come together to protect what matters most, life. We are a people of many ideas and preferences. The topic of firearms is no different. Depending on who are, you equate guns with freedom or fear. This freedom has given people the opportunity to have an opinion on this issue. However the fear has the ability to threaten the freedoms of the many. The Pew Pew Life may never be an accepted lifestyle for many people. This does not mean that law abiding citizens should give up their rights because you have decided not to exercise yours.