This guest post is contributed by Rebecca Gray, who writes for background checks. She welcomes your comments at her email id: GrayRebecca14@gmail.com.
Gun rights issues come and go from the public
spotlight, as violent episodes illuminate gun culture in America. Unfortunately, as quickly as gun violence is
recognized as a crucial social topic, concerns seem to fade into the
background, during incident-free periods.
A school shooting or other gun-related atrocity starts the dialog and
fervent discussions between pundits, lawmakers and police officials, only for
it to slip from public focus before anything is actually done about it.
At issue is the intensely divided sphere of public
influence, which decries gun crime and doggedly protects gun rights at the same
time. There is no question a problem is
at hand, yet legislators and staunch gun rights advocates continue to defend
the status quo. Until we open our minds
to serious reform, the proliferation of guns across U.S. society will continue
to serve as a license to kill for criminals and accidental shooters defining
the national gun culture.
State
and Federal Influences
The proliferation of legal concealed-carry
accommodations includes a vast majority of states as permit providers, with
each jurisdiction maintaining its own set of laws. Depending on the
requirements imposed, some states hardly restrict access to concealed carry
permits, issuing most as a matter of course.
A few states do maintain stringent standards, which limits access for
certain members of society, even requiring gun owners to define their need for
concealed weapons.
Despite the call for federal gun control and shifts
in national attitudes about gun violence, states play crucial roles in
legislating and enforcing gun rights.
And while it is important to protect Constitutional freedoms, states
need to fill the gap between Constitutional provisions and real-life outcomes
seen on the streets. Combined with stand
your ground laws on the books in some states, reckless concealed carry
practices hold the potential for escalating violence. As a result, states that aren't active enough
preventing guns from getting into the wrong hands actually contribute to the
problem of gun violence more than they help solve it.
The National Rifle Association remains firmly
committed to reciprocity
and universal federal gun laws regulating gun rights across state
lines. Though currently on the books in
all 50 states, concealed carry laws vary according to jurisdiction, so
travelers carrying firearms must do due diligence to ensure they are acting in
accordance with state statutes. NRA
proposals, on the other hand, would standardize laws across states, even going
as far as creating federal laws to codify the national standard.
Gun rights advocates justify the proposed change by
arguing the universality of crime, which can occur at any time and place. According to the NRA, gun owners should not
be forced to sacrifice safety and security just to travel across state borders. Unfortunately, standardizing gun laws would
be a step backward for public safety, because such a proposal would naturally
pander to the lowest possible standard. As a result, the federal conceal carry
law would account for the lowest common denominator, compromising the strict
licensure policies adopted by other states committed to curbing gun violence.
