Way back, during Pennsylvania's Democratic presidential primary election, many publicly admonished now President-elect Barack Obama for his comments that some people "cling to their guns and religion." Perhaps even more than other social issues like abortion, the right to bear arms has been a very sensitive issue for Americans.
What frustrates me about the gun issue is that what could have been a fairly technical policy debate somehow became a part of a "cultural war." Perhaps it is because the National Rifle Association has deliberately politicized the issue for partisan motives. But it may also be because Democrats have done poorly in communicating to the public what they exactly mean by supporting "gun control."
Americans have owned guns since the founding of this nation. There is no question that guns are very much part of the U.S. culture. At the same time it is often practical to readjust our cultural patterns to fit current social changes. The debate on gun control should not be about whether to ban guns but rather on how the gun culture could be properly accommodated in our modern society.
In contemporary U.S. society, as most Americans live closely to each other in the cities and suburbs, we should discuss what the standards for carrying guns among other people are. While respecting personal freedom, should people be allowed to openly carry guns in public areas or even in commercial locations like grocery shops? Being aware of how much damage a single psychopathic killer can do to neighbors, should there be background checks before a person is given the gun license? To prevent people from being accidentally harmed by stray bullets, should there be safety regulations on firing guns at specific locations? How can we minimize gun violence in this society?
While there are valid arguments for a person's right to self-defense, a street where everyone carries a gun is not necessarily safer than a street where most people do not. Perhaps the important question is whether police can effectively protect the citizens and properly enforce the current existing gun regulations.
Any debate on gun-regulations must include the role civil authorities would play in protecting the people from armed criminals. Increasing police surveillance is one method, but it will also be necessary to reduce the chance of criminals being better armed than the local police, henceforth the reason many support strict restrictions on the sale of assault weapons.
The United States is a nation proud of its tradition of law and order. Far from violating gun owners' civil rights, the establishment of strictly enforced standards on gun usage and purchase protect those who properly exercise their rights from those who abuse them. The Democrats should not be afraid to engage in debates on safety regulations for guns, but they must also be transparent in the purposes of these regulations.
These legal debates are not about the justification of gun ownership but on how to make gun ownership safer. While respecting the rights and lifestyles of the vast majority of honest and careful gun owners, Democrats have a public responsibility to lead the discussion on what pragmatic steps all Americans could take to promote a safer and more considerate gun culture in this country.
Jong Eun Lee is a senior in the School of Public Affairs, AU College Democrats vice president and a liberal columnist for The Eagle. You can reach him at edpage@theeagleonline.com.
