Tighter Gun Laws Are Not The Only Way To Reduce Gun Crimes
A new report concerning gun trafficking was recently issued by a coalition of concerned mayors. The group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, is headed by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the report’s findings advocate a toughing of gun control laws in ten states with the highest gun crimes in the country.
The report indicates that these states: Mississippi, West Virginia, Kentucky, Alaska, Alabama, South Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, Nevada, and Georgia, have not only the most gun crimes in America, but are all hubs for illegal gun trafficking. The report suggests that the loose guns laws in these states make them natural centers for gun violence.
Bloomberg and friends make a compelling argument. It seems like a logical step to take. If a state’s crime statistics show it is particularly plagued by a certain type of crime, it makes sense to first identify the frequent crime in question and then look for what makes it so endemic to that state. In the case of these states it is illegal guns and the loophole-filled state gun laws that encourage them, respectively. By investing time and money to pass legislation to eliminate those loopholes, one would think that the natural result would be a lessening of gun crimes. However, within this sound logic lies a problem: it assumes people only commit these sorts of gun crimes because the law is so relaxed.
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not a part of the “decriminalize everything” camp. After all, guns and hardcore illegal substances, like cocaine and methamphetamine, are called vices for a reason. That reason being that when they are left uncontrolled, abuse of them leads to destruction and decay in both the users and society. From this perspective, the laws in place restraining such vices must be strict because they are necessary to preserve our country’s future prosperity. But they are only necessary until a society has evolved beyond the need for their bounds, which in all likelihood will probably never be in our lifetime, and even then the laws should probably still remain intact.
The point is that though strengthening gun control laws is a necessity to destroy the illegal gun trafficking markets in these states, as well as curb gun-related violence, what Bloomberg’s group and our government seem to be forgetting to address are the deeper social reasons for why these crimes are committed in the first place.
Imagine how our country would be if no one wanted to shoot people to death or be placed in a position where they felt they need to do so. It may sound like a pipe dream, but in some sense this is somewhat of a reality in other countries. Japan for instance has some of the lowest homicide rates in the world. Some sociologists attribute this to the fact that their culture is one that is based around strict adherence to respect for societal order. Their culture is integrated into how their government governs its people. Programs such as full public health care, housing, and other social services with offerings beyond what America offers to its people reinforces the idea that crime isn’t a necessity to live. This can also be said about many other Asian and European countries as well, such as Singapore and Denmark. Though these countries have strict gun control laws in place, they also have a strong government funded support system to enforce the idea to their citizens that crime isn’t necessary in a society where everyone’s needs are met. Their laws also emphasize a restorative model of punishment. That is, instead of sentencing criminals to harsh prison terms as an example to deter other potential criminals, these countries focus on rehabilitating the criminal so that he or she can reenter society.
Filling in the holes in gun laws is a good first step toward reducing gun trafficking and crimes. But Bloomberg’s coalition and legislators in general have to remember not to get tunnel vision when it comes to the bigger picture of how to ultimately make our country a safer and better place. Society needs laws, but it also needs people who understand why laws should be respected in the first place.
Comments
Gun trafficking has become rampant. Stricter laws are might solve 100% of the problem but it will definitely curb some illegal activities. Once in Billings a woman was caught for procuring ammunitions illegally and was given a 2 and half year sentence.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/article_f9c64566-90e8-5c6d-8a05-209e545b6ddb.html
“Mississippi, West Virginia, Kentucky, Alaska, Alabama, South Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, Nevada, and Georgia”
Are you kidding me?? How about you ad New York, California, Illinois & New Jersey to the top of that list? Or better yet how about you actually fact check before you post someone elses BS and avoid making yourself look just as uninformed and arrogant as the people your writing about. You have no clue what the h*ll your talking about and this is a really sad indicator of that.
“That reason being that when they are left uncontrolled, abuse of them leads to destruction and decay in both the users and society.”
Oh really is that a fact now? I guess its a good thing the NEITHER of them are “uncontrolled” then isn’t it? You see, the funny thing about criminals is that they will ALWAYS have guns weather the populous can or can’t. So when your buddies there make guns illegal for thoughts of us that DON’T abuse them guess who will be the only ones that DO have them…
“The point is that though strengthening gun control laws is a necessity to destroy the illegal gun trafficking markets in these states,”
YES! Lets make a law that makes something thats already regulated more regulated for law abiding citizens while criminal are STILL selling ILLEGAL guns out of the backs of vans! IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE!! (If your an idiot anyway) More gun laws DOES NOT = Less crime, if you really think it does, your an arrogant, uneducated moron…
“Japan for instance has some of the lowest homicide rates in the world. Some sociologists attribute this to the fact that their culture is one that is based around strict adherence to respect for societal order.”
That or maybe its an attribute to the lack of racial hate that most people in the US have. But then again Japan has the highest suicide rate on the planet so obviously something there just isnt quit rite. Also, you might want to take a good look FAR into Japan’s history. They have been governed with an iron fist for most of there existence and defiance usually meant death.
“Singapore and Denmark. Though these countries have strict gun control laws in place, they also have a strong government funded support system to enforce the idea to their citizens that crime isn’t necessary in a society where everyone’s needs are met.”
So then maybe instead of wasting time and money on banning guns, just MAAAAAAYBE we should focus more on improving peoples livelihoods? Gosh doesn’t that actually make just a tiny bit more sense?
“Filling in the holes in gun laws is a good first step toward reducing gun trafficking and crimes.”
Yeah, now if only there were actually “holes” to fill in…
“But Bloomberg’s coalition and legislators in general have to remember not to get tunnel vision”
Yes, because god forbid that the freaking billionaire mayor surrounded with armed bodyguards everyday that thinks that he and his goons should be able to have guns but no one els should. Have you ever heard of the term “hypocrite”?? It means someone (normally in a position of power) that whats something for him (or her) self, but doesn’t want anyone els to have that same something…
Please learn how to fact check, thanks.
@Troy
First off, great use of question marks and the shift key. But more importantly I think you missed the point of the blog, or at least only read the parts that infuriated you without understanding the whole thing in its proper context. Essentially as far as I can tell from your reply my blog actually agrees with some of your key points, specifically that stricter gun control in and of itself isn’t a sufficient means to curb gun crimes. And that a better way to do this is to tackle the social reasons for why crimes occur in the first place. Doing things such as reducing poverty and other crime catalysts is a much better way than simply banning guns.
Also, regarding my apparent lack of fact checking abilities. The statistics regarding gun trafficking states are from Bloomberg’s report itself. If you go back and read the post closer, you’ll see that I’m not quoting them as absolute facts, but merely restating them as findings from Bloomberg’s report. All of which I’ve used not to necessarily advocate against gun control, but merely to suggest that there are better ways to reduce gun violence other than getting rid of guns themselves. Of course there will always be guns even if outlawed. Criminalization alone can never end a society’s problems, that’s why black markets have existed since the dawn of civilization.
@ Andrew
First of all sorry about the rough draft of my first post, I was already off on a tangent with someone els on another website and I was getting tired of typing. I was fact checking on Google and thats how I found your article, But after rereading it there are still some things that feel you have still over looked.
First off, I’m sorry, but there is not one thing that comes from Michael Bloomberg’s mouth, origination or otherwise on guns that is going to be true if the sentience goes deeper the than three or four words and even than you should still question it.
I mean seriously, on his web site it says that California has the 46th highest in crime rate and New York is the 49th. Its kind of ironic how two of the stats with two of the the most crime filled cities in the world are somehow two of the safest states in the country, don’t you think?
My primary beef with your article is that you use Bloomberg as a credible source when hes anything but. Thats why I called you out for not fact checking, the man is an anti gun bigot that lies out hes butt to anyone that will listen and a quick Google search will show that.
Lastly to finish this off, I wasn’t so much “infuriated” as much as just trying to heavily emphasize my disagreement. Its just really annoying to me how anyone can give that man any credibility at all much less his POS anti gun BS.
No worries Troy, politics is always going to be fertile ground for disagreement. The anonymity and instantaneous nature of the internet just make it all the more volatile. Anyway, the credibility of Bloomberg’s report, or any report for that matter, is always subject to debate, bias, and a need for outside scrutiny. However, regardless of its credibility, I agree with you that Bloomberg’s report is pointing the country in towards the wrong direction in terms of reducing gun violence. I think there are always better ways to solve societal problems other than restricting something. The Prohibition Era and even the continued criminalization of marijuana are perfect example of why these sorts of methods don’t work.
Feel free to keep the post coming. The other good thing about the net is all the great debate over everything.
I don’t get why gun laws are not tighter. There has been a sky rocket amount of crimes in the past year. Post that in your article.