Books, Not Guns

On April 20th, tens of thousands of students from thousands of American schools walked out to protest against gun violence in the United States. A little more than a month ago, on March 14th this year, similar protest, but on a much larger scale, was made against easy access to guns resulting in gun violence. It has been called as one of the largest protests in the American history involving about 1 to 2 million people.

Guns in America have been the subject of several debates with the voices against gun culture becoming stronger in the recent times. However, such is the strong hold of the gun lobby over the legislature as well as the executive that no law has been made to make the situation somewhat controlled. No effort, perceivably, has been made to protect the hapless people from the fast-spreading gun culture.

The present state of affairs is most unfortunate and almost impossible to comprehend. The foundation of the United States has been on democratic principles giving every voice a respectable place and forum to be heard. Equality and provision of all the opportunities to rise to one's full potential have been the hallmark of the American way of life. How did guns get into the picture? With the development of technology related to manufacture of guns and the weapons becoming more precise and sophisticated, people with the desire to protect themselves from any attack, or simply for the satisfaction of owning a gun and may be to show it off, found it extremely easy and also affordable to buy a gun.

The law did not bother much as the gun manufacturers' lobby quite easily convinced the lawmakers that everyone in the country must have the freedom to buy any weapon they like; no questions asked. Also, it has been interpreted that using the gun against anyone is like exercising one's right to freedom of speech and expression, and pulling the trigger literally is surely a way of expressing oneself. How can the law makers, executors, and interpreters create an obstruction in the exercise of this freedom? If they try to do it, it will be interpreted in the light of the constitutional principles, constructed by the courts.

This constitutional protection has prevented like-minded persons from doing anything worthwhile against gun violence. The executive has been merrily dancing to the tune of gun makers' lobby. President Trump had suggested early this year that teachers in schools should be given weapons' training and should be made capable enough to ward off any shooter in school. Nothing can be more ridiculous than this suggestion. Teachers are not trained – and frankly there is no need – to carry guns. They are expected to carry books with them and spread the light of knowledge.

The children after studying properly can guide the nation in all ways – political, social, economic, technological, legal, etc. This is surprising that for decades there has been no conclusive debate among the ruling elite to just tighten the gun control law. Guns can never be a substitute for books. It is always said that a few books will add to the knowledge and make ignorance vanish.

Nida Fazli, the noted poet, had written,
"Bachchon ke chhote hathon ko chand sitare chhoone do,
Chaar kitaben parh kar wo bhi hum jaise ho jayenge"

In this couplet, he has emphasised on the importance of not confining the imagination of children, and books at times limit their imagination. However, books also make them mature and knowledgeable. Role of books in the growth and development of children can never be overstated. Guns surely are no substitute for books.

It is sad and most tragic that school children in the world's, arguably, most powerful country have to face the looming threat of gun attack, anytime, by anyone. What stops the country from making tough laws regarding guns? Openness in society and freedom to make decisions for most of the things in life is one thing, but providing legal access to lethal weapons to almost everyone is something very different, and there is hardly any plausible reason to continue with open sale of guns in the United States.

It is high time that better sense prevails and children in school carry books with a smile and not a gun in their hands. And, of course, teachers don't need training in using guns.

The author is a professor at IIM-A,
akagarwal@iima.ac.in