One of the many controversial subjects in America is gun control. There were new executive actions that could be put into play with gun related crime being as high as it is with over 100,000 people being killed in the past decade. One of the plans being implemented is background checks. Anybody who is in the business of selling firearms will be required to have a license to sell guns and conduct checks on the buyer. Another plan being used is to increase funding for surveillance across the internet, for missing guns, and acquire new agents. In addition to these two plans, the government is offering to put a five hundred million dollar investment towards healthcare which will help increase access to mental health treatment to prevent any potential crimes.

When you look at those plans it does look like a good idea in the grand scheme of things to prevent crime, but some people may consider it an invasion of privacy, or that it will lead to even more attempts to limit accessibility to the public.

“I don’t disagree with the new laws, but I feel that as time goes on it will be too difficult for anyone to get a gun,” said Joe Rhodes, who is a frequent hunter and history teacher at Parkway South.

With that thought in mind, the difficulty to obtain guns could potentially spread to any type of recreational activity that has been shown to be detrimental in the wrong hands. Examples of activities spoken out against include violent movies and games, the purchase of old war weapons such as swords, or even music that promotes a certain lifestyle.

The legislation will also cover people that are unable to manage their own affairs- such as mental illnesses or conditions. The SSA (Social Security Administration) has stated that they are going to create a process to make sure that there is proper recording of the people who are reported to have documented mental issues. Many injuries and crimes committed by the mentally ill usually have other factors. For example, more than 50% of gun fatalities are strongly implicated in suicide, which is often committed by people diagnosed with clinical depression.

Andrew Dreste, a senior who rarely hunts, stated that he thinks that it is a good idea that there will be more concentration on people that are diagnosed with mental illnesses.

“I think that it is a good idea as many people that cause the crime have mental disabilities, and as someone who has seen a powerful a gun can be I am not sure I would want a crazy person using it,” he said.

However, many people don’t agree with the gun control law, saying that it is an unnecessary display of government power and the fact that the president didn’t go through Congress was a very bold action. Obama has taken other actions on guns before. In 2013, Obama signed multiple executive actions and tightened gun control after Congress had failed to pass a gun control legislation after the Sandy Hook school shooting.                                                                                             

“I don’t support this action because I feel like it will lead to even more restrictions of the current rights we have,” said junior Josh Seipp, who is an example of one of the many people who do not support this action.

Overall, this law has the potential to do some good and some bad to the country. Where some see it as a way to reduce gun related crime, others see it as a way to slowly break down boundaries of what people can own. Where some people see it as a good and effective way to get things done, others see it as abusing power to get laws passed without congressional approval.