The distinctive bang of a gun when fired evokes a different emotion in every individual. To some, the very presence of a gun can be fear-inducing. To others, guns are a tangible symbol of American freedom. In light of Obama’s recently enacted executive actions to implement more background checks, gun safety technology, and gun licensing, the gun control debate has risen to the forefront of the media. Some Aragon students shoot as a hobby — and bring a multitude of views on gun control, and shooting in general.
Guns are often accompanied by an acute sense of power. “The first gun I ever held was an M1911 pistol,” junior Clement Wu, who has used guns since the age of 14, recounts. “I was really nervous at first because of how powerful it felt, and what I knew it was capable of doing.”
Junior Enzo Fuenzalida, who also started shooting when he was 14, adds, “The adrenaline you receive from pulling the trigger from the gun is definitely a unique experience. You feel like you are wielding power in your hand.”
To some, shooting is similar to a sport — value comes from the art of marksmanship. Wu says, “Shooting in its purest state is about the accuracy and control the user holds over the gun. I practice shooting in the hope to obtain mastery over myself and my own weapon.”
For others, guns are a leisurely form of recreation. “I go shooting on the range with my family and, competition to be the most accurate always makes it enjoyable. The family aspect really makes shooting a unique and rewarding experience, ” Fuenzalida says.
Gun control laws, however, can seem to limit these rewarding experiences. Wu says “The new laws are very unconstitutional and it violates our rights embedded within the Second Amendment. We are entitled to our guns, and no matter how many laws are passed, my view will not change — I still fully support gun rights.”
Some gun users, on the other hand, support gun control. Says Fuenzalida, “Gun control is fine right now. What needs to be eliminated is the mass shootings and the unnecessary deaths. More background checks on mental health will moderate the accessibility to obtain a gun to make sure not just anybody can get a gun easily. Responsibility is the most important part to consider.”
Fuenzalida, who shoots in California, but also out-of-state in Montana and Colorado, sees a difference in the cultural and social views towards guns in different parts of the country. “It’s rare and not so popular for people to shoot in California, I think partially because of the tighter gun laws here. Out-of-state, like in Colorado or Montana, you are allowed to have a bigger magazine [storage for ammunition] for your gun, and the people over there are generally more open to having guns,” he says. According to a Business Insider demographic, while 52.3 percent of Montana’s population owns guns, and 33 percent of the nation overall use guns, only 20.1 percent of Californians own guns — seemingly confirming the social openness of gun culture out-of-state.
While using real guns doesn’t seem to be as popular, many teenagers use guns in video games known as first-person-shooter games. Sophomore Desmond Hart shoots both in real life and on his computer. “Shooting in real life is really a privilege. It is unique, but something you can’t do on a regular basis. When you [shoot in] video games, the experience is the closest thing possible to shooting in real life,” he says.
To many Aragon students, shooting can seem like a distant reality that only affects them through the media’s extensive coverage of the gun control debate. But there’s a whole world to shooting beyond whether or not the United States government should implement background checks.
