National Catholic Reporter Editorial Staff delved into the issue of gun control on July 14, 2022. In their report, they argue that gun laws are important in reducing gun violence in the country. They support a total ban on assault weapons in the hands of civilians. In their report, they argue that increased cases of gun violence is made possible by the ease with which people can access assault rifles and several rounds of ammunition (National Catholic Reporter Editorial Staff, 2022). The government should ensure that there is a thorough vetting before one is granted the opportunity to own a gun. Some of the military-grade weapons should not be made accessible to civilians because they can easily be misused.
The editor opposes the existing laws that allows for indiscriminate ownership of dangerous weapons, especially at a time when the country remains sharply divided along the lines of race and religion. This is a conservative position when it comes to gun ownership as it champions for a policy that limits accessibility of these dangerous weapons. It is classified as and reflects views of conservatives because of its argument that increased availability of weapons worsens security. Although the majority of the population use their weapons productively, the few who are misusing theirs are causing immense suffering to their victims. I support gun control as the best way of fighting gun violence in the United States, as the editorial explains. I believe that limiting accessibility to assault rifles will reduce cases of mass murders in the country. This policy aligns with social work values of promoting a safe society where sanctity of life is protected.
The National Review Editors had a more liberal view on the issue of gun control laws in their editorial published on July 6, 2022. In these editorial, the arguments is that gun control laws do not prevent gun crimes. They argue that divisive politics, racial tension, religious divisions, depression, and extremism are some of the primary causes of gun violence (The National Review Editors, 2022). The focus should be on addressing these social evils and challenges that trigger violence instead of limiting accessibility of guns. They argue that if people cannot buy guns through legal means, then they will be forced to acquire it illegally. When the police are conducting investigations, it is not easy for them to trace owners of such illegal weapons, complicating the investigation process.
The point of view expressed in this editorial is that gun laws will not help fight gun violence. As such, they support making it easy for people to acquire weapons that can easily be traced to individuals. This is a liberal view towards the debate about gun control. It is a liberal view because it supports the argument that guns should be made easily available for people, despite the argument that such policies are to blame for the current problem of misuse of weapons. My personal perspective on the issue is that strict gun laws are essential in the country. I do not agree with the arguments of the editors of this paper. I believe that when these dangerous weapons are made easily accessible, then chances that they can be misused even by children remains high. I do not believe their views align with social work values of social justice.
References
National Catholic Reporter Editorial Staff. (2022). The new gun control law is good: Now, let’s do an assault weapons ban. National Catholic Reporter. Web.
The National Review Editors. (2022). When gun laws don’t prevent gun crime. National Review. Web.
