The Florida Gun Laws Are Not Nearly Enough
It has been a month since we lost another seventeen American lives to gun violence in America. The victims of Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School ranged from ages 14 to 49 years old, all from different walks of life, backgrounds, and families, all faced with an unfortunate death that many believe could have been prevented if gun control legislation were enacted. Although many conservatives and NRA supporters argued that the time following the shooting was one for mourning the deaths, and not discussing firearm legislation, many of the students who attend Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School believed otherwise.
A majority of the students believed that this was the time to make change, hosting rallies at the Florida Capitol building, speaking out on national television, and calling out politicians on their reluctance to support gun legislation because of their funding from the NRA. This past week, it was shown that their hard work and dedication to a cause that is now so personal to so many teenagers in the area, paid off. The Florida legislature passed a gun control bill that appeared to be a big win for many of those in support of gun control legislation. However, the question remains: how much of the bill will actually be effective? And if it is passed, will it be enough?
Sure, the bill does a lot of things: It raises the minimum age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21, funds school security, expands mental health services and regulations, and creates a waiting period for gun purchasers before they can receive a gun (in order to facilitate background checks). It also makes bump stocks—a device attached to the firearm that allows for the rifle to be fired faster—illegal.
These are all steps towards proper gun control in Florida, and in the United States at large. However, another part of the bill would allow for school employees to be armed. This is definitely one of the more controversial sections, as it would mean that coaches, counselors, or librarians could be trained and armed. It goes hand and hand with many conservative and NRA-supporters’ arguments of “more guns” as the solution to gun violence. Additions to the bill like this do not truly seem to fulfill the monumental changes that students in Parkland were asking for.
Some may argue that yes, if this bill passed it would be a step toward more gun control legislation throughout the country, especially since Florida is a rather conservative state. But, what is the worth of such legislation and policy if it only affects a small part of what gun violence has become? For example, the new legislation does not ban assault rifles, or the sale of them. At this point in our country’s history, every American understands the damage and magnitude that guns such as an AR-15 can do.
This specific gun has recently been used in countless mass shootings; Las Vegas, Orlando, Newtown, Aurora, and San Bernardino, to name just a few. However, to ban at least the sale of this gun in Florida was not accepted as a tangible part of the bill. The bill also does not strengthen or push stricter background checks, something that many Democrats and pro-gun control legislators have pushed for. Although it may seem simple, it does truly affect who has the privilege to own a firearm in this country. Stricter background checks will not put an end to all mass shootings in our country, but they can easily prevent them from occurring on such a large scale.
In the past couple of years, it appears as if politicians, news channels, and even some of the American population has become complacent when it comes to gun control, and the conversation is only sparked for about two weeks after multiple Americans have died. Every time I see a dreadful notification on my phone, announcing that (insert number) of people have died in a mass shooting, I always wonder how many more until things actually change. It’s a tough topic sure, but what’s tougher is knowing that with certain legislation more lives could have been spared. Florida’s attempt at gun legislation is a step, one that may have not been made if the shooting in Parkland had never occurred. However, the time we are in right now calls for a bigger step, one that actually could make a difference.
