A Call to Arms...Attack the culture of violence itself not the tools.

Distinguished Readers,


To walk through the world in which we live our daily lives, it is amazing that we get out of bed at all. If one simply turns on the television, internet, print media, or radio; one is overwhelmed by the sheer amount of violence and horror in our lives. After the recent spate of extremely sensationalized mass shootings of recent memory all of them are horrific and tragic to the extreme. 

Yet again the talking heads and pundits of various interests ranging from the anti-gun crowd and their opposites namely the National Rifle Association war with each other. I hope to offer you a rational post of my thoughts upon this subject and to elicit a response in you the reader. 

The response I am hoping to elicit within you is to have you take the time to fully research this issues and what is really going on.  Let me first begin saying that I personally own several handguns and rifles as I enjoy the discipline required of a marksman. I also have a concealed carry weapons permit and intend to always have one as I am very committed to the exercise of my freedoms as a law abiding citizen of the United States of America.

Both points of view upon this issue have made it quite clear that neither side of this issue will accept anything less than total victory of their goals.  We have had gun control in the United States since the passage of the National Firearms Act in 1934 during the Franklin D.Roosevelt administration. This legislation prohibited the possession of fully automatic weapons, silencers, sawed-off shotguns, ect by private citizens. 

The National Firearms Act was followed in 1938 by the Federal Firearms Act which required those whom sold firearms; specifically interstate or international sales to purchase a Federal Firearms License. So we can see that we have had some form of gun control since the depression in the United States. Also one can specifically find instances of earlier restrictions upon the carry, possession, and use of firearms throughout our nations history. An accurate example is the Tombstone, Arizona law requiring those entering the town to leave their  firearms at the Tombstone Marshall's  office circa 1870s boom-town era.

Yet we continue to see a raging debate upon the 2nd amendment of the bill of rights because of the tragic shootings of past and recent memory.  Are further restrictions upon firearms ownership and other firearms related items required? One statement that I have heard often is  that we should "enforce those laws on the books" rather than passing further legislation. Furthermore those whom resist further restrictions upon firearms see any reforms of existing laws as a evidence of intention to take away their rights to bear arms.  And this concern is often ridiculed  and those whom utter it are often labeled derisively as "gun-nuts".

The advocates of stricter gun laws and regulations often state that private ownership of firearms creates more potential harm to society at large. Often called "anti-gun" or worse by those whom support the more liberal interpretation of the 2nd Amendment. Another area that often is cited as a reason for further regulation  and restriction of firearms is the prevalence of firearms found in criminal activities. Gun violence is in their views all too common and tragic could be easily prevented by the aforementioned  reform of gun control legislation.
The concerns about gun violence are not entirely unfounded or without merit.

Yet  I offer you this what is really at stake here within the gun control/2nd amendment debate? Do we no longer require the 2nd amendment? Should we have unrestricted access to firearms and to use those firearms for any purpose that does not harm others? At the heart  of the gun control/2nd amendment debate is a a deeper question that does not get address at all by either side in  my humble opinion, the culture of violence itself. What is the culture of violence you ask?

The culture of violence is in my own words; the cultural acceptance and inculcation of the usage of violence to achieve one's desired ends or to defend one's self from the violence of others. To clarify I am addressing the root cause of gun violence, which is the act of committing violence rather than the method that is used to commit the violent act itself.  Among the feminist community there is a concept  called "rape culture"; feminists state "rape  culture" is the cultural elements that trivialize rape, protects the perpetrators of rape, and ignores the victims of rape. I believe that our society has made the same cultural mistake with violence within our culture.

We glorify violence and encourage our young children to embrace it as a legitimate way to get what they want from others. Violence comes in many forms and flavors whether its against women, children, minorities, or simply for the sake of violence itself. This inculcation of violent behavior is ingrained by everything from sports to music. Yet sadly we see those areas blamed as the root cause or at least part of the problem of violence rather than ultimately laying blame where it truly belongs  ourselves.

It is we whom permit the use of violence as a socially acceptable method to get what one desires, not guns, video games, movies, music, or any other medium consumed by us. I also wish to clarify that violence per my definition also includes aggression as that is the act that often proceeds violent action. We have the duty and responsibility to educate ourselves and others; when violence is permitted and even necessary such as the defense of those whom cannot defend themselves.  I do not say that violence itself the evil that must be fought but that it is the ignorance we permit in regards to understanding the culture of violence.

I hope these words reach you and cause you to ponder a moment upon what really is wrong within our culture. I firmly believe that violence is a tool but that it should never be employed lightly or without the understanding of its consequences.  To long have we pointed fingers at everything but ourselves in attempting to deal with this issue. Please read, research, and critically assess the nature of the problem and educate yourself upon the culture of violence. We all must learn when, where, what, and how violence is necessary as well as when it is clearly not justified in its application.



Very Respectfully,

Jared M. Royka