Hate crimes have been for long known to be the most severe way of targeted harassment. A hate crime can be any violent action against a person or community, based on their race, color, gender identity, or nationality. But today, its known to be a bit more than violent activity.
Gun ownership, not only in the United States, but around the world have been an area of great questioning, in terms of ethics, morality, and especially safety. Last week, the attack on the AAPI community (Asian American and Pacific Islander) in Atlanta, was a recognition of how deep-rooted such hatred can be. But the most devastating thing, perhaps, was the realization of many around the world of just how easy it is to kill someone you don`t like.
Under law, “a law-abiding person shall be granted a permit to carry concealed firearms”. The laws allowing the use are more strict than any potential punishment given to those who carry irresponsibly. Crimes are to be indicted under this country`s laws too, however not as severely as others. Countries like Japan and Australia strictly forbid the ownership without proper process, which in itself a lifetime to complete.
In America, there are some local, state and city laws, which prohibit the ownership and use of a specific weapons, including guns. But not nationwide which makes it easier to purchase and hold a gun. Every time, a gun is used for the wrong purpose, a national reckoning on gun brutality is expected but never ceases to be expected. Major problems are usually important basics. Family devastation and workplace harassment, contributes to motives for such events. The amount of money that goes into firearm production is almost a million times more than social help, to help combat devastation.
Research released by amnesty international , charts a case of destruction and chaos with firearm harm. It is estimated that more than 500 people die every day due to brutality committed by guns. A staggering statistic showed that between a five term period, from 2012 to 2016, there were 1.4 million deaths globally only committed by the irresponsible use of prominent and generally available guns such as the AR-15.
Now, arguably it is a large business, with 8 million new small arms produced every year and is estimated at $9 billion a year. And NRA`s influence over gun rights and second amendment opinions is very convincing. But is all that trade money worth thousands of lives every day? Now, many reforms have been introduced to help combat such issues, but only few have gone so far. In the US, we have seen many laws aimed at background checking, and hindering of police availability to guns and firearms.
In Pakistan, though, an estimated 20 million firearms were owned by the public in 2012. In specifically, the state of Punjab the minimum age is 25, but prevalent among younger people, guns are helping shape graveyards. From weddings to family disagreement, to even police violence, gun laws are not being enforced, despite constant government action and legal prosecution. A warning here, another there, words cannot stop these hateful actions, only actions can, and those too, concrete steps.
Juan AbbasÂ
Lahore
