Keeping Guns in Safe Hands

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Created on Monday, 04 March 2013 19:13
Written by Jessica Walsh

gunlawNORTHEAST KINGDOM - For the past couple of months, the issue of gun control has been the topic of many debates around the country. Lawmakers are trying to make sense of the mess, while putting restrictions on gun use and gun storage. One of the bills being proposed calls for a national and instant background check on those purchasing guns at a gun show.

 

Here, in the Northeast Kingdom, people are aware of the possible changes. Joel Howard, the owner of Jake's Sport Shop in St. Johnsbury, sells guns at his store as well as gun shows. Howard is also in full support of the idea for full background checks. "All gun laws do are affect law-abiding citizens. Criminals don't care. They don't follow the laws. So all you're doing is taking away rights of law-abiding citizens who haven't done anything wrong", said Howard.

While background checks would help monitor adult gun owners, it's important to remember that educating children on guns is just as important. Another bill that is being proposed calls for gun storage that would keep guns out of the hands of children. Brian O'Farrell, a counselor at the Saint Johnsbury School and a member of the youth suicide prevention coalition, says that even though most children are educated on guns, new knowledge won't be any help in a moment of crisis. "When a student is in crisis, and what we know about suicide is that lethality plays a large part. So if a student has access to a weapon, and they are in crisis, they are not going to be thinking about what they learned or what their training when someone's in crisis", said O'Farrell. As lawmakers continue to fight the battle over gun control, both bills are currently under debate in the House of Representatives.