With more guns in the U.S. than people and statistics showing that Americans are 25 times more likely to be shot and killed than citizens in other high-income countries, gun control is a hot-button topic in 2024’s upcoming presidential election.
Presidential candidate Donald Trump and the Republican party have pushed the narrative that the Democrats want to take people’s guns away, but Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris rebuked this claim by stating that herself and her running mate, Tim Walz are gun owners.
Professor Patricia Logan-Green said that no party is trying to take anyone’s guns away, and those who are, aren’t in mainstream politics. “The idea that anyone is trying to repeal the Second Amendment is a scare tactic,” Logan-Green said.
One reason for guns being so ingrained in American society is that, “This country was born out of skepticism of government and central power,” Yotam Ophir, associate professor in the Department of Communications, said in an email to The Spectrum. He added that guns have become part of this greater culture war that shapes liberal and conservative identities.
“Whether one will want stricter gun control regulation or not is a politicized and polarizing question in America, but as an expert on misinformation I think we should make decisions based on evidence and facts, not emotions and dogma,” Ophir said in the email.
Gun violence is a common topic of discussion when it comes to gun rights. Active shooter incidents have increased in recent years, but only make up 1% of mass shootings in the U.S., 54% of gun violence deaths are due to suicides.
Logan-Green explained that this is a harder problem to solve, but “nothing kills quicker than a gun.” Some research shows that having a firearm in the home makes you more likely for you or somebody else in your house to die by suicide.
When it comes to voting on the issue of gun violence, both Logan-Green and Ophir believe that students should do their research and vote based on policy.
“It is not my job to tell people who and what to vote for, but I would definitely encourage students to be engaged with politics, to be aware of what each side is bringing to the table, to avoid sensationalism, smear campaigns, and hype and actually read what each candidate plans to do when it comes to gun control. Gun violence is hurting us, our friends and family, and our communities. I think a responsible citizen would make the effort to learn more about it and about how we might want to approach it,” Ophir said in an email.
Sarah Owusu is the senior features editor and can be reached at sarah.owusu@ubspectrum.com
Sarah Owusu is an assistant news editor at The Spectrum. In her free time she enjoys reading, baking, music and talking politics (yes, shockingly). She'll also be her own hairdresser when she needs a change.
Photo: Ryan Hagen | UB Athletics
