American Gun Violence in the Eyes of a Spaniard

A week after the devastating events at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 people were killed by an unstable lunatic who was able to legally buy war weapons, lawmakers are busy trying to find new formulas that will prevent yet another tragedy.

Armed teachers, bulletproof vests in classrooms, reinforcement of background checks… I’ve heard many possible solutions to mass shootings, one of America’s most enduring and devisive debates, but none of them seem to tackle the root of this epidemic.

As a Spaniard who has never had to face this issue, I have struggled to understand the Second Amendment and all the arguments that support it. I still don’t.

I have heard many times that “the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” and I couldn’t agree less. In Spain we have just as many maniacs as in the US, maybe even more, but they very rarely –if ever– cause attacks the likes of Parkland or Sandy Hook.

This isn’t because we have police officers guarding every school, it’s because they aren’t able to buy weapons that are meant to be used in warzones in the first place. I obviously care about the safety of my dearests, I just know I won’t need a gun to ensure it.

Comparing both countries is unfair for many reasons, as the US has seven times our population, but the truth is that this is only an issue in one of the two nations, and it’s not Spain.

I also find the “guns don’t kill people, people do” mantra contradicting. If Nikolas Cruz hadn’t been able to purchase an AR-15, he probably would have still carried out an attack, but he most definitely wouldn’t have been able to kill 17 innocent people. Guns do need somebody to pull the trigger, but they magnify the amount of damage a shooter can cause no matter what his intentions are.

I know that banning bump stocks and the other actions I mentioned previously are all part of a first step that needs to be taken, but speed is a precious asset when you are dealing with the lives of your fellow citizens. There is no time to lose, and as long as assault rifles are sold like peanuts, mass shootings will be an issue Americans will have to deal with again and again.

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