Guns and killings in America: Taking action during the holiday

By A. Akbar Muhammad | Last updated: Dec 28, 2012 - 10:49:11 AM

The British are not coming back nor are the Russian’s and Iranians coming; America needs to reconsider the 2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution that allows citizens the right to bear arms. In light of the tragic school massacre in Newtown, Conn., and the wider culture of violence gripping America today, the whole country is wondering what actions we can take right now to address this state of affairs. While the pain of 20 children and six adults being brutally killed is fresh on everybody’s mind, I suggest that over the holidays every city and state participate in a national "gun buy-back program."

Consider the fact that over 30,000 Americans die every year from gun violence according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, an advocacy group. In order to bring down that number, we must reduce the number of guns that are in the homes of Americans. With a national gun buyback initiative, corporations and big business can make gift cards available for every gun that is turned in.

Then there should be a public destruction of the weapons—as other countries do—by using steam rollers to crush the weapons or burning them in a big bonfire.

Statistics show more than 300 million weapons are in the homes of Americans. With such a high number of arms, more tragedies similar to Newtown, Conn., are likely, perhaps within the next year. While the American people and the families affected are in pain, grieving over the loss of their children, the debate is raging with a focus on the problem of mental health. There have been mental problems and violence since the eons of time as in the story of Cain killing his brother Abel in the Bible and in America since it was founded with the killing of the indigenous Indian population.

Many Americans are trying to dodge the bullet of giving up these weapons under the pretext that to reconsider the 2nd^{Amendment will deprive sporting and hunting enthusiasts their rights.}

But in 2008 when President Barack Obama was elected and again with his re-election in 2012, there was a rush on gun shops across America to obtain weapons. People were not arming themselves to go hunting or target practice; they were arming themselves for protection from a changing social and political equation. This has backfired on America.

The world must be laughing at us, as we seriously debate in the media the idea of making our schools armed camps where teachers will be armed and our babies trained on how to use weapons.

One person ridiculously commented "that if we had weapons in the school this would have never happened." He must have left his brain home before engaging his mouth. Imagine if a shooting happens at a school that is armed; the result would be a shoot out.

We must eliminate guns out of American homes and make it difficult for anyone to obtain assault weapons that fire multiple rounds of ammunition. These are weapons designed for professional and qualified soldiers in theaters of war.

During the holiday season it is common for people to reflect and discuss plans and new changes in their lives.

I am a follower of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and thank God for him; may God forever bless him for teaching us away from the gun culture by instructing his followers not to carry or have weapons in our homes. Those who obeyed him never had the problem that America is facing today.

I am sure that every American family who has these weapons in their homes is nervous about the possible outcome of what could happen such as a child handling the weapon and harming themselves, the family or others. The solution is to remove these weapons from the homes.

Wake up America; we need to rescind the 2nd Amendment so that our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will have a future in America.

(A. Akbar Muhammad can be reached for questions and comments at ^{[email protected]}^.)

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