Since I joined CNN two years ago, there have been a series of gun-related tragedies, including the attack on U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and the Aurora, Colorado, movie theater massacre. Each sparked a short-term debate about guns. Yet each debate fizzled out with zero action being taken to try and curb the use of deadly weapons on the streets of America.
‘Tragic acts’
Now, following the grotesque slaughter of 20 innocent young children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, I sense that the mood has changed. The media have previously been quick to move on to other stories after these tragic acts of gun violence. That must change.
‘Tipping point for real action’
High-powered assault rifles of the type used at Aurora and Newtown belong in the military and police, not in civilian hands. High-capacity magazines, too, should be banned. And background checks on anyone buying guns in America should be comprehensive and stringently enforced.
As President Barack Obama said, doing nothing is no longer an option. But, at the same time, law-abiding Americans who want to protect themselves under the Second Amendment right to bear arms must be respected. As should the rights of Americans to use guns for hunting and sport.
Some 12,000 people are murdered in the United States with guns every year, compared with just 35 in Britain, where there are strong gun laws. Sandy Hook should, and must, be a tipping point for real action to bring this number down.
Do you own a gun right now? Are you for or against stricter gun control laws?
Source: Piers Morgan, CNN
Image: Film Industry Network
Recent Comments