Sandy Hook, then and now
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Congress at dead end for simple background check legislation (since 2013). The Sandy Hook tragedy was one that not only rocked the nation but also hit home for millions around the world. On December 14, 2012 20-year-old Adam Lanza went into the Sandy Hook elementary school and ended the lives of 20 young students between the ages of six and seven. He also shot and killed 6 staff members before committing suicide as authorities arrived. Lanza, who had a strong history of mental illnesses according to his father, had even killed his mother before starting his rampage.
Upon receiving word about the tragedy, then President Obama, broke down in tears in the Oval Office before stepping into the press briefing room to address the nation. He fought back tears as he called for “more meaningful action”. It was a call to Congress, a call for them to act. The nation called for better gun control laws, to help prevent another tragedy like Sandy Hook from happening but in 2017, years later nothing has happened and Congress seems be at a standstill. On April 17, 2013 the Senate could not get a diluted version of a background check legislation for prospective gun owners passed and yes, Obama ripped them a new one as a result.
The failure forced many to wonder just how powerful the emotional weight of a national tragedy could be when compared to the urgency in Congress as a result. A tragedy like Sandy Hook forced and many into action but according to Senator Chris Murphy (Connecticut), it is simply not enough.
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“There was no way not to have that. There was no way for the families not to feel like they had gone a chance. To just tell them, ‘Trust me, the votes aren’t there’, would have been unsustainable”
The explanation is not enough for the families of the victims and rightfully so. Owning a gun may be within every American’s rights, but it is evident that it is not for everyone. The fact that anyone can walk into a gun shop and purchase a weapon with little to nothing other than a State ID is troubling. If jobs require background checks then owning a weapon that could take another life should require the same thing.
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