Gun Control: A House Divided

In the aftermath of what is now considered the deadliest domestic shooting by a single individual on American soil, outraged citizens are fighting for gun control: while many are also fighting for their right to bear arms, as well. On the night of June 12 at a popular Orlando nightclub, a gunman by the name of Omar Mateen opened fire inside the club, killing 49 and injuring 53 other patrons. This act caused a powder keg of social and political opinions on Americans’ right to bare arms, with most Americans now in favor for stricter gun control.

Orlando police officers direct family members away from a shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday.

     On June 20, a series of gun control measures, which would have called for stricter sanctions on those who can own firearms, were rejected by senate. Senators from each party introduced the measures they said would have strengthened background checks and prevented suspected terrorists from obtaining weapons. Senator Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat who sponsored one of the failed measures expanding background checks, was beyond upset about the result.

“I’m mortified by today’s vote but I’m not surprised by it,” Murphy said Monday evening. “The NRA has a vice-like grip on this place.”

Senator Murphy’s measure sought to tighten background checks for gun buyers and those looking to obtain a gun license. Republicans offered a measure that focused more on the mental health aspects that are related to firearms. The Obama administration has also vowed to continue to press forward with finding a solution.

    Gun Control Activists March Across Brooklyn Bridge  (Spencer Platt, Getty Images)      

      For years now gun control has been a much disputed and controversial topic. There are those who call for complete control on those who should own and operate firearms. The wishful result of this measure would likely lower crime rate and the likelihood of “rampage killings,” especially many hate crimes, which are seemingly happening more sporadically now. Those who are against gun control feel that it would be an infringement against their second amendment right; the right to bear arms. Many also believe that this would likely start a chain of events, where one right is infringed by the government, many other rights (for example, free speech) would be taken from the American people also. Both sides of this political “powder keg” have good views on their rights and reasons of why they support what they believe.

        There are many countries that now have very strict gun control laws and have always had them for many years. The Arms Act of 1959 and the Arms Rules 1962 of India prohibits the sale, manufacture, possession, acquisition, import, export and transport of firearms and ammunition unless under a license and is a stringent process. A very stringent process. In fact, the Indian government has a monopoly on the sale of all firearms.

Japan, in the postwar period, has had gun regulation, which is strict in principle. Gun licensing is required, and is heavily regulated by the National Police Agency of Japan. Over the last few centuries, the government has imposed very restrictive controls on the small number of gunsmiths in the nation, thereby ensuring the almost total prohibition of firearms. Japan’s firearm law states: “No one shall possess a firearm or firearms or a sword or swords”, and very few exceptions are allowed. However, citizens are permitted to possess firearms for hunting and sport shooting, but only after submitting to a lengthy licensing procedure.

South Korea has one of the most restrictive gun control measures in the world. Hunting and sporting licenses are issued. But owning a gun for any other reason can land you in really hot water, especially with their harsh penalties against illegally owning firearms. Violation of firearms law can result in a $(US)18,000 fine and up to 10 years in prison. Even possessing a toy gun that resembles a real gun is strictly prohibited.

NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 12: Mourners gather outside of the iconic New York City gay and lesbian bar the Stonewall Inn to light candles,lay flowers and grieve for those killed in Orlando last evening on June 12, 2016 in New York City. An American-born man who’d recently pledged allegiance to ISIS killed 50 people early Sunday at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The massacre was the deadliest mass shooting in the United States. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) 

Gun control will probably be a hot topic for years to come in the United States. As long as there are two opposing sides, it will be a long time before a definitive solution is set in stone. But until it is set in stone, we have to ask ourselves these questions: Will gun control help lower crime rate? Will it reduce mass killings? Will stronger sanctions lead to other infringements on American’s rights? Are there other ways to reduce mass killings?

 

References

Ebenhack, P. M. (2016, June 12). Orlando police officers direct family members away from a shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday. [Digital image]. Retrieved June 23, 2016, from http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/06/12/481744095/police-say-multiple-victims-after-shooting-at-orlando-nightclub

Platt, S. (2013, January 21). Gun Control Activists March Across Brooklyn Bridge [Digital image]. Retrieved June 23, 2016, from http://www.gettyimages.com/event/gun-control-activists-march-across-brooklyn-bridge-159755096#participants-with-one-million-moms-for-gun-control-a-gun-control-in-picture-id159832238

Platt, S. (2016, June 13). Mourners gather outside of the iconic New York City gay and lesbian bar the Stonewall Inn to light candles, lay flowers and grieve for those killed in Orlando on June 12, 2016. [Digital image]. Retrieved June 23, 2016, from http://time.com/4366666/orlando-shooting-google-search/

Overview of gun laws by nation. (2016, June 22). Retrieved June 23, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overview_of_gun_laws_by_nation

I initially did not want to write about this, because it’s such a sensitive topic. Especially with those who have lost someone to gun violence. I just wanted to take this opportunity to give my condolences to the families of those who were victims in the Orlando, FL shooting and to those that have lost someone to gun violence. You are the strongest in this situation and no matter what happens, those that have died will never be forgotten.

-Joey Thurman

 

Drug Addiction: America’s Underlying Problem

Drug abuse results in behavioral and biological changes; including physiological changes in the body and brain. It leads to addiction, which cause numerous health problems and affect the abusers and those around them. As drug abuse reaches an all time high in the United States, and it continues to influence individuals and cause social dysfunction. Experts are researching ways to counter addiction. In turn, there is hope that this research can lead to better drug treatment facilities and prevention programs.

Not only do drugs affect the abuser and their families, but also it’s adversely affecting the economy. According to TedTalks, treating drug abusers takes a 20% chunk of our economic budget annually. This also includes the notorious “drug war” between the government and dealers, as well as the crime that comes with drug addiction. The abuse of tobacco, alcohol, prescription, and illicit drugs is economically taxing to the United States, annually costing approximately $137 billion in direct health care expenses. Cost estimates that includes crime and lost work productivity balloon to over $600 billion dollars, equivalent to 17.1% of the U.S. federal budget (NIDA Trends & Statistics, 2012).

 

Source: NIDA & Centers For Disease and Control Prevention

            When it comes to families that are affected by a member with a drug abuse problem, money is not an issue. Families are always caught in the middle of a drug addict’s antics. Addicts start out by supplementing themselves for their drug of choice. During this phase, family members are either unbeknownst of the individual’s drug use or have an inkling of what is going on. There are addicts who keep jobs to solely feed their addiction, but in the end it will always affect a family member financially. Even though the addict is working, he or she usually blows almost all of their income solely on drugs. This leads to unpaid bills and a delinquent mortgage bill, which leads to the addict going to a family member for money. An addict who has either lost their job from drug addiction or is unemployed will intentionally steal from family and friends to buy drugs. This phase tends to be the worst, which results in abandonment and trust issues by the addict’s family.

 

Source: NIDA & Centers For Disease and Control Prevention

          According to the CDC, a staggering statistic shows that death from drug overdoses has risen steadily since 2001. The organization doesn’t keep up with all drugs, but it estimates that these statistics apply to all drugs, including prescription drugs.

            As someone who has a close family member with a drug addiction problem, I felt obligated to write about this growing disease. I have not lived addiction, but I feel like I’ve been there and back by witnessing it from multiple fronts. In closing, I feel that the problem is in the government’s lap. Although we use a staggering part of our budget to do what we can to treat addiction, it’s still not enough. There should be mandatory and stricter sanctions towards the addicts themselves. It may sound harsh, but I’ve learned that the best love for something like this is tough love. Most addicts enter drug rehab facilities, check themselves out after only a month, and continue using drugs. More of the budget should also go towards research and development. Also, there should be better laws about reporting drug activity to local police. I interviewed 3 individuals (who wish to remain anonymous) who claim they have made multiple accusations to the police on known whereabouts of strong drug activity. Yet, it falls on the deaf ears of our law enforcement.

 

Source: John Moore/Getty Images

            One of the individuals I interviewed stated that her neighbors sell drugs right outside on their front porch and she claims to have seen armed individuals going in and out of the house at odd hours of the night. Yet when she reported it to the police, they mentioned sanctions of obtaining search warrants for the illegal activity, which could take weeks to obtain. Another individual I interviewed lives in an apartment building. Next door, individuals smoke marijuana, which leaves her apartment smelling of the drug also. She states that the faint order makes her 3-year-old child act out differently behaviorally. She’s reported it to the local law enforcement, but the police stated that she needed definitive proof of drug activity.

In closing, I want to say that as a society we should try and do what we can for individuals who are affected by drug addiction. Especially the individuals who are constantly around it: because they are hurting as well. It’s difficult to watch someone you love become someone entirely different because of a drug that they are consuming.

 

If you or someone you know is addicted to drugs, please call 1-877-714-9801 or visit www.drugabuse.com

 

 

References

Hari, J. (2015, June). Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong. Retrieved June 16, 2016, from https://www.ted.com/talks/johann_hari_everything_you_think_you_know_about_addiction_is_wrong?language=en

Moore, J. (2013, October 10). Drug War [Protesters hold a candlelight vigil and a march calling for the end of the drug war on September 6, 2012 in the Harlem neighborhood of the Manhattan borough of New York City. Mexicans who have lost loved ones in their country’s drug war joined with American supporters as part of the Caravan for Peace with Justice and traveled some 6,000 miles through 25 cities, before arriving to New York.]. Retrieved June 16, 2016, from http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/mexico-drug-war-policy-increase-homicides/story?id=20537561

Trends & Statistics. (2015). Retrieved June 16, 2016, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics

Iconic Photo of the Week: Stalking Vulture

 

This photo, taken by photojournalist Kevin Carter, depicts a starving African toddler. The toddler was trying to reach a nearby feeding center, when a hooded vulture landed near her and began stalking the child. Carter, who was traveling with the United Nations as part of an operation in Sudan, was instructed not to touch any of the children, to avoid the spread of disease. It was reported that Carter chased the vulture away after taking the photo.

The photo first appeared in the New York Times issue of March 26, 1993 and Carter would go on to win a Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography. Sadly, more than a year after taking the photo, Carter committed suicide. His suicide note would read; “I’m really, really sorry. The pain of life overrides the joy to the point that joy does not exist… depressed … without phone … money for rent … money for child support … money for debts … money!!! … I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings and corpses and anger and pain … of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen, often police, of killer executioners …”

 

Carter, Kevin P. “Snapshots: Miracles and Metaphors.” English Journal 94.3 (2005): 15. Web.

Keller, Bill. “Kevin Carter, a Pulitzer Winner For Sudan Photo, Is Dead at 33.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 1994. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.

Parental Sacrifices

When we’re kids, we never consider the things our parents do for us. In our young minds, we just know that we’re getting what we want. It could be something as simple as a toy or candy; when we see something we immediately ask our parents to buy it for us. As young adults, it may cross our minds and we are thankful for what they do or for what they’ve done. But its not until we have children ourselves that we know the full extent of the sacrifices our parents have made for us. When we begin to make sacrifices for our children, it forces us to stop and think about whether our parents experienced the same sacrifices for us.

Before they both passed away, my parents would tell me stories of the things that they used to do together. Today, I often find myself comparing myself to them. I discipline my own daughter the way they disciplined my siblings and me. I often find myself quoting the things they used to say. I crave to give my child the same childhood experience I had, because for some reason I feel she will never forget these things. When she grows older, she will look back at the memories that I’m creating for her now and smile just as I do now when I think of the memories that I have. I also want her to reminisce and realize that I would have moved the earth itself to make her happy.

Sacrifice is giving up something to make someone else’s experience easier. My father did this everyday. He worked 14-hour days to keep a roof over his family’s head and food on the table. He did this to give us unforgettable birthdays and Christmases. But none of his many sacrifices would compare to the one that blankets my mind ‘till this very day. My father had an on-the-job accident when I was young. An unmanned forklift hit him and pinned him against a wall, practically crushing the bones on one side of his hip. This injury would end up causing him insurmountable pain until the day he died. His health insurance refused cover the expensive surgery that he required and his job never paid him a dime for the forced time off. He could have quit and stopped working and applied for disability, but a disability case can sometimes take up to several years to approve. This option would have required him to permanently quit working, which would threaten our family’s financial stability. So, being faced with possibly being kicked out of our home and allowing his family to starve, my father continued to work, despite barely being able to walk. He would end up working almost 20 more years in agonizing pain. My mother also did what she could for him: maintaining things at home while keeping a positive and contagious attitude.

I’m afraid to admit that I didn’t come to this realization until I became an adult; something that I’m very ashamed of. I even ask myself ‘why did he do it?’ What would drive a man to continue to work and sacrifice his health and well-being? Even though I know the answer, I also know that I would do the very same thing for my family. It’s a trait we’re born with, but it remains hidden until we fully understand it’s true purpose. It’s instinctive: once we have our own families, we become very protective. And we will always make sacrifices, whether we know it or not, until the day we pass.

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My name is Joey Thurman. I’m a writer and Game Developer who reviews video games of all consoles. I also compose up-to-date essays of varying subjects including health, politics, education, and entertainment.

Capital Punishment

The death penalty or capital punishment has been used for many centuries as a form of “punishment” to people who commit certain types of crime. Today, many countries still use capital punishment, including the United States. It is a very heated and controversial worldwide topic that continues to be debated each day for its effectiveness, or its “monstrosity.”

In 1608, the first person was sentenced to death in America (History of the Death Penalty, 2010). The person was hanged for spying for the Spanish government. Public hangings were common and were seen as a good moral lesson for people, especially the children, who also often watched public executions during colonial times. A person that usually committed a crime would stand at the gallows, a high platform with a beam for the rope to hang. The prisoner would stand on top of the trap door, which would let down at the time of the hanging. Being burnt at the stake was also another common punishment in Medieval England; mostly, for those who were convicted of witchcraft or having wrong religious beliefs.

In the late 1700’s, the first prisons were built. Prior to this, small jails were only used to hold those who were awaiting trail, or waiting to be put to death by hanging. No prisoners were held long-term until the idea of prisons came to be (History of the Death Penalty, 2010). By the mid 1800’s, many states in the United States began to modify the death penalty, now only using it for murderers and those who committed treason. Capital punishment is currently retained in 87 countries and territories (2011), including the USA (38 states), China, and Islamic countries. Now, methods include electrocution, lethal gas, hanging, shooting, lethal injection, garroting, and decapitation (The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia, 2009).

Capital punishment is a highly contested issue that deals with the reasons why it is used, juveniles and the death penalty, and the crimes it is used for. People who are opposed to it argue that it is a cruel and unusual punishment to another human being; it is uncivilized, and it is discriminatory because most of those that are executed are of black or Hispanic decent. Those who are in favor of it believe that it is economically better for the country or territory, since keeping an inmate whose committed murder is more expensive for tax payers. It also provides the family of the victim a sense of security and retribution for the crime the prisoner committed. It also guarantees that the prisoner will not ever commit a similar crime again; seeing that the prisoner could easily commit it again in prison or escape from prison successfully to commit murder.

The death penalty or capital punishment has been used for many centuries and has evolved and changed over those many years. Because of that reason, I am neutral to capital punishment. I oppose of it because I have never believed in hurting or killing another human being. The act, or even the thought of it is bewildering and inhumane to even the wildest of men. Even soldiers in the Army have trouble sometimes with the idea of shooting another man during war. But on the other hand, this act of the death penalty I think sends a message to many other “potential murderers” or people who even think about committing such a heinous act of killing. I hate to admit it, but it is better economically. There are many prisons across the country that can barely even house the prisoners they have. And the idea of just sentencing someone to prison who chopped someone up into bits and pieces is a bit demoralizing. But in my view, the death penalty has been here for centuries, and will be here for many more centuries because of the many opinions and views that accompany it.

References

Capital punishment. (2009). The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia With Atlas and

Weather guide. Retrieved April 29, 2010, from

http://www.credoreference.com/entry/heliconhe/capital_punishment

History of the death penalty. (2010). Retrieved April 29, 2010, from

http://www.antideathpenalty.org/history.html