Franklin Roosevelt once said, “The United States Constitution has proved itself the most marvelously elastic compilation of rules of government ever written.” The Constitution ensures rights and protections of citizens, and it demonstrated the amazing ability to continue doing this through the changing centuries. One of the most basic of these rights is the right to bear arms. Recently, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and several others were shot by a deranged gunman at a rally in Arizona. Six were killed, including a federal judge and a nine-year-old girl, and fourteen were wounded. This heinous act calls some of these constitutional rights into question. Jarred Lee Loughner was the man who went on this shooting rampage in Tuscon. Mr. Loughner faces two federal murder charges and three attempted murder charges. By his erratic behavior in community college and the ranting videos he posted on Youtube, one can surmise that perhaps he was not mentally stable. But what turns an isolated maniac into the perpetrator of a massacre? And more importantly, how did such a mentally unstable person acquire a 9mm semiautomatic pistol? Because of the second amendment, a deranged man was able to get a lethal weapon. A more thorough background check could and should have been performed before allowing Mr. Loughner to purchase the weapon, a background check would have raised a whole slew of red flags, which would have deterred the state from issuing a gun license. Unfortunately, Arizona is one of the only states that does not require a license to own firearms. In Washington, shots have been fired from both the political left and right, hoping to blame the actions of a political party for the Arizona shooting. While the Republicans have criticized Democrats for politicizing a personal tragedy, the actions of former governor of Alaska Sarah Palin and the Tea Party in general seem much more causative. Mrs. Palin placed a map on the Internet with crosshairs on different parts of the country where the Republicans could gain seats in Congress. One crosshair was placed directly on Repersentative Giffords’ district in Arizona. While Mrs. Palin may place whatever she wants to on the Internet, the violently themed tactics and rhetoric of her party may have been the final push Laughner needed. This month, a new Congress convened for the first time. As a new Speaker of the House and many new representatives prepare to begin their tenure, they have the opportunity to capitalize on this tragedy. They can and should overcome their Republican ideology and regulate gun control, make gun licenses necessary in all fifty states, and enforce restrictions on the manner in which they are used. All of this can be done without violating their precious second amendment, as long as citizens are deemed sane and reasonable enough citizens to own such deadly weapons. I also believe this congress can overcome party-allegiance and stamp out the extremist branch of the Republican party—the Tea Party. If Congress can increase gun control and cut down the inter-party vitriole, they can prevent future tragedies like the one that occurred in Arizona last week. Ben Krapels is a three-year Upper from Andover, MA.
