Bloodstained American Constitution

Editorial

Uvalde, a town in the southern American state of Texas, witnessed a horrific incident on 24th May, when an 18-year-old opened fire in an elementary school, killing 19 students and 2 teachers. 34 incidents of such school shootings wererecorded in 2022 alone in different parts of the US. With such incidents occurring repeatedly, the constitutional liberty to possess armed weapons is once again under scrutiny. According to a private institute named ‘Gun Violence Archive’, this was the 212th public gun shooting incident of 2022 in the US. According to another report, such mass shootings claim about 20,000 lives every year in America. Although the American population is around 33 crores, a total of 39 crore armed weapons are collectively possessed by its citizens. This summarizes how deep and scary the situation is.

Shameful American democracy!

‘Uniform Civil Code’ is an involuntary right of every Indian and it defines how flourished a democracy is. An absurd ideology like ‘Shariat’ cannot be an alternative to democracy. Although India is heading towards its 75th year of Independence, incompetence towards a Uniform Civil Code accounts for regressive politics and unwillingness. The issue of gun violence in the US is not that straightforward. After American Independence from the British in the Revolutionary War of 1776, the year 1791 witnessed a crucial second amendment in the American constitution. As per the second amendment, ‘for the security of state, a well-regulated militia is an absolute necessity, and for the same, people have the right to bear firearms’. This means in American society, bearing firearms is as important as having the freedom of expression. Any attempt towards the dissolution of this constitutional right of Americans is an uphill battle for the Senate and the Supreme Court of America. The possibility of a British uprising, constant threat from Native Americans, and protection from wildlife in remote areas were the prime factors to pen down the gun law 200 years ago.

However how essential is this law at present times? The Second amendment right and the Supreme Court’s verdict in a hearing in the year 2008, further complicates this issue. In 2008 The Supreme Court issued a statement that the American constitution allows its citizens to bear firearms and there should not be any issue in possessing a ‘hand gun’. On one side the Democrats attempt to change ‘gun rules’ to make the weapon acquiring process more stringent and on the other side, the Republicans try to regulate the usage of guns. Both dragging in different directions continue to make this issue a debatable and unsettling matter. According to the profound author of ‘The Founding Fathers and the Origins of Gun Control in America’, Saul Cornell, this is not the way to resolve this issue. With the Democrats in power under the leadership of President Joe Biden, why don’t they act upon this law?. Thus, it is shameful for the 244-year-old, self-proclaiming ‘responsible’ democratic America to have this issue unresolved.

There is another angle to this situation, according to ‘Vox’ an American website, in the year 2019 about 24,000 people committed suicide by shooting themselves. Whereas around 19,000 were killed in mass shootings. These figures show the futility of the right to bear arms in self-defense. In reality, what was constitutionally meant to protect is now being used to kill.

What should India do?

The American way of thinking and attitude has also contributed to this problem. In the name of freedom of expression, it is largely observed that an attitude of ‘if being angered take out the weapon and shoot’is prevalent. Fortunately,  Americans at large, have a sensible mentality compared to several other nations. Although America is home to 5% of the world’s population, considering the killings due to mass shootings, it accounts for 31% of the total deaths globally. These numbers question the general upbringing of America as a nation. There are several people in India who blindly support American ideology but unfortunately, they are very influential in India. Such pro(re)gressive intellectuals must understand the ground reality of America. However, they lack the clear thoughtfulness to have this reality check.

Ever lecturing India on the protection of human rights, America often fails to protect its own Nationals. India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar needs to question the US on the rise of such open killing incidents. Indians feel it is time India makes America realise the fact that the most self-reliant American constitution is indeed a provision for bloodshed.