Gun

Two years ago, I went to LA on business trip and I met an accident that one gang's car was shot by another gangs car then, crush into the fence of the hotel that I stayed at. This was the first time that I strongly felt about the gun society in the U.S. and I had a doubt why guns still exist in the U.S.

So, I watched the movie "Bowling for Columbine" directed by Michael Moor.

This is a non-fiction movie douched on the affair of shooting to death at Columbine high school in 1999. In this movie, he tried to investigate why the total amount of shooting incidents in the U.S. isn't reduced. He prepared a lot of interesting examples. For instance, In Canada, the rate of having guns per person is higher than in the U.S., but the total amount of shooting incidents is much lower than in the U.S. and he gave the interview to Charlton Heston. He was former leader of NRA(National Rifle Association) Finally, Michael succeeded to stop selling bullets in K-mart, but in 2007 a new terrible massacre happened at Virginia Tech University. Thirty three people were killed. It was about twice as much compared to the Columbine high school massacre.

And now, I'm living here in the U.S. So, I can't pass without describing about the gun society in the U.S. I think there are a lot of reasons why the U.S. people still have guns.

First of all, the existence of Text of the Bill of Right in United States Constitution. In second, amendment It says" A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of s free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed "（規律ある民兵は、自由な国家の安全にとって必要であるから、人民が武器を保有し、また携帯する権利は、これを侵してはならない）

So, American people are allowed to have guns by law. Also, to see the history of America, frontiers fought the native people. After that, they took black from Africa as slavery. After they released them from slavery, they had to guard against black. So, the U.S. history means always fighting. It's natural to use gun for protecting themselves. So the spirit that our security should be protected by ourselves still remain in their heart so deeply. Living without guns means like being naked. In addition, the existence of NRA is one of the big reason why gun control can't spread. NRA is the biggest lobby group in the U.S. They have tons of fund and big influence to politicians. Basically, the Democratic Party takes a positive attitude toward the gun control, but they are afraid of NRA. So, no one appeal about gun control even president Obama. That's why the total amount of people who were killed by gun is still over ten thousands per year. Compared to the U.S., guns are really well controlled in Japan. The rate of using gun in total amount of murders in Japan is three to four percent. It's the second best in the world. So, for us Japanese, the gun is not important something faraway. Our image of guns is that police man and the Self Defence Forces are allowed to have them. So I think living in the U.S. especially in LA, means that we have to be scared about being shot anytime, anywhere. I think people are animals that are easy to get mad. So if people have easy more access to guns, they can use them easily not only for defense, but also for killing people. I hope president Obama will conduct "the gun hunt" from all the people like shogun Hideyoshi Toyotomi's "Katanagari"(sword hunt) in the future. No gun means no shooting to death. I'd like to live with my family in the place as safe as possible.

Written in 2009 and revised Oct 2013