The recent media footage of the destruction of innocent, young lives re-ignites the gun reform debate again, and what we as a community can do to prevent another tragedy. The outpourings of grief and horror are becoming all too frequent in our society. What has gone wrong? Why do human beings feel the need to express their anger and disappointment with their lives by resorting to such extreme violence? The ramifications of easily accessible firearms are like opening a Pandora's Box. If the owner is mentally stable, then the likelihood of the devastating consequences such as those we have been witness to in Newtown Connecticut, is small. However, if someone who is unstable, and who is unlikely to take responsibility for their actions, has easy access to high powered firearms, the likely consequences can be more readily predicted. In Australia, the Port Arthur massacre was the turning point for gun reform laws. Ownership of weapons is now subject to far stricter controls and legislation. The United States of America is a different matter with a population of 314,947,000 making it a far more difficult and complex issue to grapple with. …show more content…
At least two references are required for any potential gun owner, and their knowledge and understanding of that person has to have been apparent for a minimum of three years. Confirmation that a new owner is not likely to be a menace to society is also a prerequisite, along with a thorough background check. A minimum waiting period of 28 days is standard before any firearm is registered and the transaction approved. In contrast to these rules and regulations, the State of Connecticut, which was the latest example of a firearm tragedy, has only a 14 day waiting period before completing a firearm purchase. Under Federal Law, any individual who is considered mentally defective, convicted of a felony, or misdemeanours will be refused gun