Time to Talk about Gun Control

Daniel Cooney – Staff writer

On October 27th, 2018, a lone gunman opened fire at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Eleven were killed and six wounded. This is very clearly a hate crime motivated by anti-Semitism.

The shooter, Robert Bowers, made anti-sematic posts online shortly before the shooting. He was upset that a non-profit Jewish organization in his neighborhood helped refugees settle in the United States. Bowers began shooting shortly after the beginning of the regular 9:45 a.m. service at the Synagogue.

Police responded shortly after receiving reports of the shooting. Bowers had left the synagogue when he encountered and exchanged fire with police. Four police officers were injured, however they are now in stable condition.

After exchanging fire, he retreated into the synagogue. Bowers suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was arrested and taken to the hospital. Bowers is being charged with twenty-nine counts of federal crimes of violence and firearms offenses.

The shooter entered the synagogue with an AR-15-style assault rifle and three handguns. Bowers had no apparent criminal record before this and appears to have purchased these weapons legally. This attack appears to be motivated solely by anti-Semitism.

It is important to bring up gun control at times like these. In the United States, there are 120 guns for every 100 people. Although gun control might be effective in some foreign countries, it could never work in the United States.

President Donald Trump suggested on Twitter that an armed security guard would have been able to stop such a tragedy from happening. While this is a nice thought, I do not think it is true. The horrible truth about the world is that sometimes, violent things happen, and these things are completely out of anyone’s control.

The only good solution is to show people love and support. Increased gun control would create an imbalance of power between citizens and the state. Increasing the number of people who are armed would prevent some violent crimes from happening, but it might also cause some violent crimes.

It is best to show kindness to people who may have been impacted by the shooting. The most important (fixable) issue in the United States is mental health. If you know someone struggling with their mental health, reach out to them.

Daniel Cooney, a senior, studies Computer Science and Economics. He is a staff writer for Le Provocateur.