Are guns really the issue?

We are in a defining moment in American history where we can not seem to go more than a week without tragedy.

Many of these events involve firearms. Whether it is the police shooting and killing individuals, particularly those of Color. Or it is a mass shooting at schools or events.

This has lead to the "great debate" over guns, gun laws, regulations and restrictions. I would like to examine the simple question of are guns the real issue.

Background

Firearms have been around since the 10th century, with the Chinese fire lances. Throughout the next 11 centuries, the gun was modified and changed to where we are at modern times.

By the 14th century, we were already experimenting with multi shot weapons, firearms that can shoot more than one projectile before being reloaded. The Ribauldequin, was the one of the firsts of its kind. This multi chambered "gun" was used by King Edward III during the Hundred years war in 1339.

This design was made larger and improved upon by the Italians, Ottomans, and many others following the 14th century to the 16th century.

Multi-Shot rifles made there way into the scene during the 18th century with the Puckle gun (1718) and the Nock gun (1779). Both weapons were invented by English men.

(Puckle gun and Nock Gun. )

The Belgians in 1851 created arguably the first "automatic" firearm with the Mitrailleuse. The Mitrailleuse was a 50 barrelled weapon with the capability of firing 100 rounds per minute.

Conclusion

The point of going into this history is that firearms capable of mass destruction have been available for several hundred years now. The population of both the U.S., England and other nations have had come access to these weapons, yet mass shootings are a "newer" advent.

Since the Revolutionary War, a large chunk of the populace have had firearms. Since the Civil war, soldiers and militia men have had access to repeating rifles.

The issue is not that rifles are too powerful; it's an issue with our current cultural attitude towards violence.

We went from a nation that dueled, to a nation that shoots up schools. Something in our culture has changed to affect this, not the weaponry. Until we address the issues of the "angry" men that are committing these horrendous crimes, mass shootings will remain as American as apple pie and baseball.

Take away the firearms without addressing the larger issue, and we will continue to see large scale attacks with other ordinances used to take lives.

(Article by Jaimes Campbell)