If You’re Pro-Gun, You’re Not Pro-Life
Karina Fox (PPS ‘25)
Across the nation, Republicans have helped institute total abortion bans in states, all in the name of the sacrality of human life. As Republican Congressman Jim Jordan stated against abortion, “You don’t have freedom, true liberty, unless the government protects your fundamental right, your right to live.” However, what happens when the children come out of the womb? Then, it appears they are anything but pro-life. Republicans are forcing children into a world in which firearms are the leading cause of child and adolescent death, thanks to their own beliefs and policies.
April 10th marked the 146th mass shooting in the United States in 2023 as a man shot and killed five people in Louisville, Kentucky. Just two weeks before, on March 27th, six people, including three children, died in a shooting at a Tennessee elementary school. This year alone, 71 children (ages 0–11) and 400 teens (ages 12–17) have died from gun violence, with 157 and 976 more injured, respectively. From 2019 to 2021, gun deaths among children and teens increased by 50%. Yet, despite this clear spike in gun-related deaths, Republican lawmakers still believe gun control legislation is “premature.”
Because of this belief, Congress has failed to pass effective gun control measures and it does not seem as though progress will be made soon, especially since Republicans have control of the House and Democrats only have a slim majority in the Senate. Republicans have resisted any kind of gun control legislation, including proposals on universal background checks, raising the minimum age for buying assault-style weapons, and banning these kinds of weapons altogether. In fact, Republicans have continually been expanding access to guns rather than restricting them.
Twenty-six states received an “F” rating on Gifford Law Center’s 2023 Gun Law Scorecard, with only 21 states receiving a score of “C” or higher. In states such as Kentucky, Texas, and Virginia, Republicans have advocated for limiting gun-free zones and removing background checks, among other pro-gun measures. Meanwhile, Florida Governor Republican Ron DeSantis just signed legislation into law allowing Floridians to carry concealed guns in public without a permit. This law means gun owners do not need a background check or any training in order to carry the weapon. In Tennessee, lawmakers have looked to arm teachers, allow college students to carry firearms on campus, and more.
Many Republicans contend that guns are necessary for self-defense and protecting innocent people. They argue that “having a gun to defend oneself and others actively demonstrates the sacredness of life” as it helps to fight against those using them to endanger others. In defense of this argument, Republican Representative Andy Biggs claimed that the United States Justice Department “conservatively estimated that guns are used 1.5 million times per year to save lives.” However, in reality, the Justice Department found that guns were “used defensively” 1.5 million times, but not necessarily to save lives. Phillip Cook, a co-author of the report, said: “Many of the crimes being defended against would not have been fatal even without gun defense.” Additionally, if access to guns is limited, the likelihood of needing to defend oneself in this way dramatically decreases.
I wonder, how many more lives do we need to lose in order for Republicans to take this issue seriously? For them to actually protect lives, not just fetuses? I am only twenty years old, but I am afraid that nothing will change by the time I start thinking about having children. I hope my future children will not have to live with the same fears that I had in K-12 and still have in college. I do not want them to go to school scared that one day the lockdown will be real and not just a drill. But with the current stance of the Republican Party, the reality is that nothing will change unless they do.
Although I wholeheartedly support a woman’s right to choose, if Republicans remain steadfast in being “pro-life,” I urge them to pass measures that align with that belief. One cannot be “pro-life” and “pro-gun” at the same time. Republicans preach the importance of defending the fundamental “right to live” when, in reality, they continue to make the world more and more dangerous. They are doing more to protect the lives of unborn children than protect those who are actually living, and it is time for that to change.
Karina Fox (PPS ‘25) is from Bayville, NY and an Undergraduate at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. This piece was submitted as an op-ed in the Spring ‘23 PUBPOL 301 course. This content does not represent the official or unofficial views of the Sanford School, Polis, Duke University, or any entity or individual other than the author.
