Hunting season has begun; a time when Montanans feel they can grunt, spit and savor their ability to hunt wildlife. Hunt- ers fear gun control because they think it would lead eventually to the government taking away their rifles. On the other hand, fear leaving guns in a society where a 14-year-old can go down to his local discount store and buy a gun along with his other groceries.
Two hundred years ago, America was just emerging as a new nation. By trial and error, our founding fathers and mothers developed a government that has endured. In the beginning, they rebelled against a mother government with their own guns, so they thought it was important that Americans ensure their security with the tools - i.e. guns - needed to thwart their oppressors.
But times have changed. The Second Amendment established the right to "bear arms. The founding fathers spoke of "arms" such as muskets, not AK-47's or handguns. The amendment process was included in the Constitution so that something that wasn't working or outdated could be changed. Without amendments, slaves wouldn't have been freed or women given the right to vote. Changes in the constitution are essential to reflect changing attitudes in society. Now, there has to be an amendment to take the guns out of the hands of irresponsible owners.
There are 222,000,000 guns in America, and you can bet they're not all used to shoot elk on Sunday mornings. In 1994, there were 13,673 murders by handguns in the United States alone. In England there are stricter laws on gun control. With a total of 409,000 arms in the entire country, England's police officers carry only nightsticks, not guns. There were 77 murders by firearm in 1994.
When a man with four rifles slaughtered 16 schoolchildren and their teacher in Scotland, the public was outraged. They thought the government's laws didn't control guns enough, even after Parliament outlawed all high-powered rifles, allowing citizens only to own .22-caliber rifles that had to be kept inside safes at gun clubs. A British newspaper, the Daily Star, called the government "blasted cowards" because the laws didn't go far enough. Compare that reaction to America, where a common bumper sticker reads "I'm in the NRA, and I vote."
The National Rifle Association is concerned over the control of everything from handguns to hunting rifles. But inner-city gang members aren't shooting each other in their own front lawns with hunting rifles. They use berettas, uzis, Mac-10's, semi-automatic pistols and assault rifles. Not exactly the tools used on a hunting expedition.
There is now a Republican majority in the Senate and House of Representatives. In 1994 they called it a "pro-gun revolution" when 82 percent of NRA-endorsed candidates were elected. For the safety of American citizens, hope they can see beyond the party lines and provide more anti-gun legislation. The opinions of Montanans need to change and realize that guns have to be taken out of the hands of the people who aren't using them to bag a trophy buck.