For as long as guns have been around, society has been debating the issue of gun control. Guns are weapons that make it easy for anyone to harm another, whether it be an animal, an intruder or an innocent. Guns are not only seen as weapons but as a right guaranteed to the American people by the Constitution, which seems to place guns on a pedestal; it is important not to forget that guns can and are meant to cause harm to whatever is in front of them, whether it is a target, a deer or a burglar.

Guns instantly level the playing field for even the most physically challenged. With the invention of guns and the improvement on manufacturing and distribution to the masses, humans no longer needed to rely on physical strength to end a life. It is definitely important not to place this power in the wrong hands, and the recent bill approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee reflects this fact.

I feel very torn on the whole gun control subject, and for an issue on which everyone seems to have a firmly set list of beliefs, I find that I can see where both sides are coming from. From what I can gather, most Democrats would like to put certain restrictions on guns, like limiting the magazine for guns to ten bullets or less or limiting the sale of automatic weapons, while Republicans generally believe that gun restrictions should be less … restricting?

I guess I am just too indecisive, but I would like to think in the words of the immortal Chris Rock:  “Anyone who makes up their mind about an issue before they hear the issue is a fool.” In this case, there are so many sides to every argument and so many issues to look at, I feel like I can never truly decide.

Gun violence just can’t be as bad as it’s depicted in movies, TV or even the news media, can it? Despite being from the notorious Bronx, the only time I have been near guns is when I was firing them in a controlled range with the people who owned the guns. I have turned on the TV to shows counting down the worst shoot-outs and spree killings like they happen all the time. Thankfully, they do not – although 2012 was a banner year for crazed shootings, and I pray it’s not a trend. Besides, that kind of attention to gun violence (TV shows and such that don’t seem to take it seriously) makes it seem more like a sport than an actual event that should be respected. I’m not saying that these things don’t happen or they are not important. I simply don’t believe every mall I walk into is full of proverbial sitting ducks just waiting for someone to come in and shoot everyone trying to get a deal on shoes and housewares.

My fiancé is a military veteran, and he, although being very liberal about many things, believes that we as Americans should be allowed to own a military-grade tank if we could afford it. Responsible ownership is huge in our home, and even his mother has a gun in her apartment – sitting in a lock-box, with the bullets out of the magazine.

“Everyone should own one [a gun] because it is a measure to protect against tyranny,” he has told me.

I agree. But to what extent? I don’t think we should just hand out guns like they’re the free gift with purchase of a new Chevy. It’s hard to walk the line between unconstitutional gun restrictions and just letting everyone have one, because there are people out there who should never be anywhere near a gun, and the country also should protect us from those people.

So I guess I don’t really have a clear stance on gun control.  I’m liberal about some things, and conservative about others.  I feel like most people are the same way, if not with this issue, then certantly others.  If the two major parties of the government can learn to compromise on important issues like gun control, maybe we can focus on rebuilding our economy a little more (still looking for a post–grad job…).  If not, they could always have an old fashioned duel.

– Lana Lagomarsini can be reached at [email protected]