Aufsatz: Position gegen Waffen

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to death with a knife before being overpowered. That is, "Guns don't kill people. But they make it hell of a lot easier than it should be." ,,IF EVERYONE IS ARMED, A CRIMINAL WILL THINK TWICE ABOUT ATTACKING AT ALL". The infamous "balance of terror," effectively the logic of nuclear weaponization on an interpersonal level. However, I think this argument starts from a false premise: Weapons use is rarely rational. If it happens in the affect (see 1.) not anyway, but also not otherwise. People who use firearms have usually already crossed a certain threshold of desperation and determination. In this threshold they already accept prison sentences of several years (or even life) or their own death. For the same reasons that higher penalties do not provide additional deterrence above a certain level, the potential "gun deterrent" does not work either. Affective acts are not prevented, because in these moments logic rarely counts. Acts of desperation are not prevented, because those who, for example, are looking for ways to finance the next "shot" do not make complicated cost-benefit calculations. Those who rob gas stations at night are not known for their careful "risk-reward" considerations. And finally, empiricism doesn't show that it works either. ,,TO BEAR ARMS IS MY RIGHT - THAT MEANS FREEDOM!" Of course, any interference with the citizen's freedom of action must be justified. One considers how great the risk of a particular situation is, and what the ultimate price of reducing that risk is. In this case, a general ban on weapons of war and heavy regulation of hunting and sporting weapons (as is the case in Germany) seems to me to be appropriate. As with the use of other potentially dangerous equipment, careful training and testing is reasonable, common, and necessary. Possible solutions would be the formation of crisis teams for the early detection of potential offenders. These teams would consist of educational and school psychology specialists, police officers and staff from youth welfare offices, among others, stronger controls on the school premises and locking the doors after the start of classes. All in all, I believe there are few valid reasons for placing firearms in civilian hands without regulation. In view of events, we had better make sure that this does not happen again. And give the U.S goverment a little thought-provoking push for tightening gun laws.