Outright prohibition is only way to stop US gun violence epidemic

Following the Orlando shooting which claimed 50 lives, US President Barack Obama said in his weekly address that the easy access to weapons of war is unconscionable.

The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees an individual the right to bear arms with the view to maintaining the security of the country. Yet, time and again, different shooting incidents have told us that keeping a balance between protecting that right while stopping an irresponsible, dangerous few from inflicting harm on a massive scale is simply delusional.

Admit it: the epidemic of gun violence has got out of hand and thousands of Americans have been mown down by guns. Every time, as Americans mourn and grieve the loss of lives, a concomitant reaction is some ill-fated discussion on the laws governing possession of weapons.

But the discussion on the tightening of these laws seems to gather dust every time it is broached.

Some take the stance that not every senseless act of violence can be prevented and violence cannot be nipped in the bud. But if there is even one thing we can do to reduce it, shouldn’t it warrant some thought?

So what has essentially been done over the years? Pitifully little.

Sideline measures – the strengthening of background checks on buyers, stepping up of law enforcement, assistance given to schools to hire more resource officers – have failed to tackle the crux of the matter.