Sunday, May 5, 2013
Shooting at McDonald's in East Palo Alto
Six people were shot at McDonald's this afternoon, pretty near us--Palo Alto. The victims were old people, young children, and middle aged people. It's suspected to be a gang-related crime. It seems like people are always getting shot these days. How does that make you feel? Can gun control ever be effective?
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Obviously, I don't think people getting shot as "frequently" as people are these days makes anyone feel good. I am curious, however, how the shooting in Palo Alto is gang-related, as neither old people, young children, nor middle aged people seem like gang murder targets. Either way, this incident is largely illustrative of the national gun control debate - how effective would gun restrictions be on incidents of violence such as this one. At one level, I think that gun restrictions have the potential to limit shootings caused by violent outbursts, i.e. shootings that are not planned. But I also feel like if this was truly a gang related shooting, gun restrictions wouldn't be all that effective because gangs and other people motivated to violence will find ways to get guns legally or illegally. Thus, I am curious if it really was a gang-related crime.
Responding to Rory's comment, I believe that East Palo Alto is known for their high crime rates and street gangs. In this case, the shooters might have simply been trying to stir up commotion by shooting unknown people on the street. However, this incident highlights one of the major problems of gang-related violence. Innocent passerby often constitute a large percentage of casualties and injuries resulting from gang-related violence; like the six people who were shot in East Palo Alto, victims are not targeted, but just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
This problem can also be expanded to encompass victims of mass shootings (such as the Sandy Hook shooting), where the murderer indiscriminately shoots at other people without having a personal grudge against them.
It is a matter of personal opinion whether one believes that gun control can truly prevent the shootings in America, but I believe that gun control is a measure that the government should attempt to implement, especially to protect the lives of innocent citizens who can become victims of a random shooting.
East Palo Alto is very well known for crime rates and gang affiliation. In some cases, gangs have shootings as their "initiation" into the gang. It is possible that a new gang member was "forced" to shoot people as a sign of commitment and loyalty to the gang. The victims were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I think that there needs to be some kind of gun control. However, I am fearful that guns would create a black market craze. It is possible that gun control would keep guns out of the hands of potential dangerous people. It is also possible that gang members start an industry around selling guns on the black market. With their involvement in narcotics, gangs could begin to profit from selling guns illegally. I would be fearful that guns sold on the black market would be sold to especially dangerous people, though I agree that there needs to be some kind of gun control to ensure the safety of the American people.
I'm going to play devil's advocate, which probably will create some pissed off readers. Anyways, what does gun control really do? We know it limits the guns that people can get. However, will people that are crazy, gangsters, or terrorists have a problem of getting guns? Probably not. Think about it. Most people that cause gun violence probably don't have a license, let alone get the gun legally. People who keep saying gun control is needed don't understand that doesn't harm killers, it harms people who like collecting guns, hunters, etc. Eventually people will complain that pistols are too dangerous because they can kill people. (Well yeah) We might as well make knives illegal because there can be stabbing massacres. But in reality, there isn't much we can do to really control violence.
I have to agree with Bruce. There are a lot of "Controlled" substances out there today such as drugs. Guns can also be considered a controlled substance. On the black market, you can honestly find just about anything you need even if it is against the law. So I feel that whether there is gun control or there is not, it won't make a difference. If someone wants a gun that bad, there are countless ways they can get one.
While many of the points made above are valid, it is also valid to point out that in countries such as the UK, in which ownership of guns is rare due to the strict gun control laws, the percentage of homicides by firearm is much lower than the rate in the United States (6.6% in England and Wales as compared to 60% in the US). Of course, these figures do not prove that stricter gun control laws are the only factor causing the lower rates in the UK. However, with statistics as striking as these, there must be some correlation.
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