Bad Guys and Good Guys

“The Only Thing That Stops A Bad Guy With A Gun Is A Good Guy With A Gun”

This is an example of a half truth. Indeed, a “good guy” with a gun is able to use that gun to kill a “bad guy” with a gun, that is not a disputed fact. However, it is no small thing to forget that all guns, no matter in whose hands they rest, are no more than another opportunity to cause harm and death to another human being. When we actually consider the issue, however, it seems evident to me that this is not the only way to prevent a “bad guy” with a gun.

Consider this: what if this “bad guy” had never managed to get their hands on a gun in the first place? If we are talking about the United States of America, a place where it is considerably easier for some people to arm themselves than it is to get adequate healthcare, then I think from this initial fact it is plain to see that it is here that the issue arises. If you stop the open access to weaponry, you stop the ease with which such open access is abused by those who would seek to do harm to others. One could quote their constitution, could call upon their right to arm themselves. But the bottom line is very simple: Do you value human life over your right to take away human life?

If you value human life over your right to kill, then you are a good human being and naturally you would be willing to agree to stricter gun control. If the converse is true, then you are a horrible human being and should be ashamed of yourself. How can a good person honestly say that they believe that their right to kill takes precedent over another’s right to live?

People do tend to argue that it is not their right to kill that they are defending, but their right to arm themselves for the purposes of defences. Well, what are you defending yourselves from? Armed intrusion seems to be the most common response. Well, if you prevent the general public from being armed, then what armed invasion will you need to be defending against? Naturally, this does not cover all cases, but in all honesty, I feel that it accounts for the vast majority of situations.

I honestly do not know why I am writing this entry, for it seems like I am simply stating what is so clearly the case. Stop arming people and inviting terrible tragedies. Remove the guns and you remove the problem. Removing all the guns is not going to be easy, but in all honesty, things can be made a lot better.