Opponent of Gun Control Re-evaluates Stance After Seal Beach Tragedy

COMMENTARY | A tragic shooting rampage in Seal Beach, Calif., left eight victims dead and one victim listed in critical condition. The shooting eruption took place on the afternoon of Oct. 12 at a hair salon in the quiet community. Unfortunate events like these happen all too often, and always seem to bring attention to the forefront of the long-running gun control debate. These events often make supporters on both sides re-evaluate their stance. The deaths at Seal Beach made me re-evaluate mine.

I would never characterize myself as a proponent of gun control. As American citizens, we should be granted the freedoms that our forefathers battled for. However, with these freedoms come responsibility. And unfortunately, as the Seal Beach massacre proves, not every citizen can be responsible with guns.

I do believe that we should have the right to carry guns. We have the right to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our property. But what do we do when people miscarry that right? As much as we have the right to bear arms, those eight victims also have the right to pursuit of happiness. And through no fault of their own, their rights were taken away from them.

Gun control is an invaluable source of safety. But politically, both sides have to come together and meet in the middle. We need to come to some agreement that benefits both the pro-gun citizens, and those in favor of gun control.

I’ve always thought that the answer to less crime is more guns. If all citizens carried a gun, then criminals would be less likely to commit an infraction. After all, if everybody had a gun, or was presumed to have a gun, a criminal would know there is an equal chance they could get shot and killed. That is as big a deterrent from crime than anything else, including jail time.

Imagine if you will the last time you were a victim of an injustice. If you had a gun, and the criminal knew or at least suspected you had a gun, do you think the crime would have still occurred? More than likely, it would not have.

As a former owner of a local video store, I’ve been held up at gunpoint several times. But I never had the courage to get a gun. Back then, I was afraid of them. However, in retrospect, if I had a gun, the criminals wouldn’t have bothered me. They would have moved on. After all, nobody wants to lose their life for a couple hundred bucks.

It’s always sad to hear about shooting rampages. It’s disgusting that someone would take the lives of innocent people. But you have to wonder if anything would have stopped the suspect. News reports state that he went after his ex-wife and was disgruntled because of their ongoing custody case. Even if the suspect did not have access to a gun, chances are good that he would have found another weapon to use. He went to the hair salon to kill people. And the only thing that might had stopped him is if the hair salon had a gun of their own.

Hopefully, the Seal Beach murders will continue to get both proponents and opponents of gun control talking. There needs to be debates and communication for a solution to be found.

Kevin Dolak and Chrinstina Ng Seal Beach Massacre: Suspect’s Ex-Wife Claimed Abuse ABCnews.go.com


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