Unabated debate on gun control in America

Mohammad Amjad Hossain from Virginia, USA It is not about second amendment of American constitution which spells out that "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". It is about saving lives of hundreds of innocent, including school children, from gun violence in the United States of America. American rights to own gun have been hotly debated in America now than ever before. Since the massacre of 16 school children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut last month, President Barack Obama as a part of his second term domestic agenda unveiled sweeping gun-control legislation "to stem the epidemic of gun violence in America". President Obama signed 23 executive orders which include ending a freeze on research into gun violence, improving mental health and school safety programmes, and called on Congress to swiftly implement universal background checks on all gun buyers, reinstate an expired ban on military-style assault rifles, and restore a 10-round limit on ammunition magazines. These have caused fierce debate with pro-gun lobbyists and congressional legislators, who depended on financial support during election campaigns on National Rifle Association, a powerful lobby group of second amendment. More than 90 per cent Americans are in favour of gun background checks in Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Jersey states, according to polls conducted by Quinnipiac University from January 04 to 27, 2013. The results are the reaction as David Keene, President of the National Rifle Association (NRA), criticised the gun show check, saying that they would place an extremely high burden on individual gun sellers and would not deter criminals. Mr La Pierre, NRA's Chief Executive Officer is of the opinion that background checks would be the first step toward a national gun registry-a prospect long feared and vigorously opposed by supporters of the second amendment. The NRA has sent out an urgent fund raising appeal to its four million members, saying, this is the fight of the century, and simultaneously launched a scathing TV advertising campaign. The ad accused President Obama of being "an elitist hypocrite for having armed secret service agents for the security of his two daughters while opposing armed guards at the nation's schools". The White House denounced the ad as "repugnant and cowardly". Obama has been facing opposition not only from the NRA, but also from his party--Democratic Party--as has been reflected in the statement of Senate majority leader Harry Reid who is reportedly said that he does not believe a ban on assault weapons could pass the Republican controlled House, and was not confident it would pass the Senate. President's executive orders are consequential effects of the public fact-finding mission led by Vice-President Joe Biden in last December. Vice-President's recommendations are based on meetings with police officers, clergy, mayors, educationists, medical professionals, representatives of National Rifle Association and video game industry representatives. According to Time magazine special report of January 28, 2013, a total of 310 million firearms are in circulation at civilian hands. Of them, 55 million owners are registered voters in America. Anti-gun activists like Mayor of New York City Michelle Bloomberg are advocating votes on Congress: "Stand up and say, I am with the NRA and support killing our children or 'No'." Mayor Bloomberg is one of the richest men in America who spent $10 million on five contestants in America in last election and won four defeating pro-NRA candidates. He pledged to do the same exercise in 2014 congressional election. Other groups, according to Time magazine are organising campaign to stop gun violence in America. Gabby Gifford, the former Congresswoman of the Democratic Party, who was critically wounded in a shooting in Tucson in January, 2011, unveiled a fund raising campaign last week to counter influence of the National Rifle Association. Mayors from 48 states of America have formed a coalition led by Mayor of New York city to call on lawmakers to pass laws requiring background checks while selling guns. 70 mass shootings took place in America since 1982 causing 543 deaths. These crimes were, by any standard, horrific, including that of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown in Connecticut last year that claimed 22 lives. The New York Times in an editorial pointed out that actually this legislative package could save a lot of lives because of loopholes in the law, up to 40 per cent of gun sales take place without background checks, including most guns that are later used in crimes. The Newspaper said that requiring background checks at gun shows, online arms stores, and other private sales would reduce the cash-and-carry anonymity of millions of gun transactions, and would have no effect on law-abiding citizens who want a hunting rifle or a handgun to keep at home. The movements led by the anti-gun groups and pro-gun groups now grip America. President Obama does not intend to take away the rights from the citizens of America to possess arms as per second amendment, but to strengthen laws in order to stop guns being in possession of insane or mentally unbalanced element of the society. The second amendment was ratified in 1791. It was justified at that time when Americans got involved in war of revolution against the occupation of the Great Britain from 1775 to 1783 and again civil war from 1861 to 1865. It was true to muster militia to fight against southern slave states in civil war. In the present context there is no justification to retain second amendment. Every state has been maintaining police forces, militia, national guards, and security police to protect citizens of America. Provision exists in the constitution to amend article of the constitution. If need be, police forces could be increased in every state of the United States of America. The writer is a retired diplomat from Bangladesh amjad.21@gmail.com