Just over a year ago, American citizens mourned the death of twenty children and six adults in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. The mass murder precipitated widespread reactions: NFL teams wrote “SHES” on their helmets; the filming premier of Django Unchained was delayed; and candle light vigils took place in India. Still, perhaps the most interesting response came from the states that collectively enacted 109 laws relating to gun control.
Of those 109 laws, 39 tightened gun restrictions and 70 loosened them, according to an analysis conducted by the New York Times. The disparity between these two numbers is fascinating. One might intuitively think that a mass gun-related atrocity would lead to widespread restrictions on firearms, but the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting has been proclaimed a victory for pro-gun activists.
Political parties played a major role in determining whether each state would pass laws tightening or loosening gun restrictions. As expected, Republicans tended to favor increased gun rights; 49 of the 70 pro-gun laws came from a states where Republican-controlled the legislature and held the governorship, whereas 25 of the 39 anti-gun laws emerged from Democratic-controlled states.
By looking at the raw numbers, it is easy to reduce the issue to another Democrat-versus-Republican contest, but a more thorough analysis of the data reveals that the gun laws move beyond party politics and legitimately address the concerns about school and public safety that followed the Sandy Hook tragedy.
Many of the laws that have loosened gun restrictions make it easier for security personnel, teachers, and people authorized by the school board to carry firearms. These laws seek to prevent shootings from happening in schools. Additionally, 22 laws were passed that make it easier for people to carry a concealed weapon, with the aim of allowing people to quickly respond to a possible crisis or a shooting. In the case of Sandy Hook, Connecticut State Policy arrived at the crime scene almost seventeen minutes after the shooter entered the school. By the time police locked down the school, the atrocity had already taken place.
While public carry rules have become more relaxed in the wake of Sandy Hook, gun supporters do not necessarily win the day. Of the 39 laws tightening gun restrictions, many of them mandate the submission of mental health records, require more rigorous background checks, and ban assault weapons. These statutes take more preventative measures than those that loosen gun restrictions.
Regardless of which party “won,” it is refreshing to see that the problem of gun control is being attacked quickly from multiple angles. While the new laws may not be perfect, citizens can rest knowing that the seemingly standstill debate about gun restrictions has finally translated into law, law that can hopefully protect the nation’s children and citizens for years to come.