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 gang’s car, then crushed into the fence of the hotel that I stayed at. This was the first time that strongly felt about gun society in the U.S. Also, 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 focused 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.

Also, he gave the interview to Charles Heston. He was former leader of NRA(National Rifle Association) Finally, he succeeded to stop selling bullets in K-mart, but in 2007 a new terrible massacre was happened at Virginia Tech Univ. 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 U.S people still have guns. First of all, The biggest reason is 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 a free state. The right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” So, American people are allowed to have guns by law. And 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, U.S history means always fighting. It’s natural to use gun for protecting themselves. So the sprit that our security should be protected by themselves still remain in their heart so deeply. Living without guns means like being naked. And additional to say, the existence of NRA is one of  the big reasons 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 murderer in Japan is three-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 self Deffence Forces are allowed to have them. So I think living in 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. If people have easy more access to use gun, not only for defense, but also guns, they can use them easily 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 in 2014.