Obama needs to focus on gun crime prevention, rather than gun control

Sandy Hook Elementary receives sympathy for recent massacre there (Image: Daily Telegraph)

The end of 2012 was a mixed bag for the people of the United States. First, the country's east coast was victim to a devastating Hurricane Sandy which battered places ranging from the Caribbean Islands to New York City. Shortly afterwards, Barack Obama was re-elected as President of the United States, overcoming close competition against Republican candidate Mitt Romney. And moments before New Year, the US government prevented a "fiscal cliff" which would have meant massive spending cuts and an increase in tax for the people in America.

However, in between the fiscal cliff negotiations and the elections, something truly awful occurred in the small quiet town of Newtown in Connecticut on 14th December 2012. Former student of Sandy Hook Elementary, Adam Lanza shot his mother to death at their home, then went to the school and brutally murdered students and teachers before taking his own life. In total, twenty children below the age of ten years and six teachers tragically passed away in what was the second-deadliest school massacre in the US, behind the Bath School bombings in Michigan in 1927 where 45 people were killed. What happened at Sandy Hook shocked a small town which rarely witnesses crimes at all, let alone to this scale.

The perpetrator was 20-year-old Adam Lanza. He was born and raised in Newtown - he was educated to college level as he attended his local University, Western Connecticut State University for a year. There is little to know about him as police continue to investigate him but for people, who knew him such as his lecturers, say he was "intelligent, but nervous and fidgety". He was raised mainly by his mother - his parents were divorced during his childhood. It is believed that he may have suffered from Asperger's Syndrome or autism - both of which are forms of personality disorders. He didn't have many close friends and wasn't known to be socially active. Also, he didn't have a criminal record prior to the 14th December. To many, it was baffling to why Lanza did such at a school he once attended. It seemed as if it was one day, he simply lost it.

Call of Duty video game (Image: techdeville.com)

It isn't any good speculating Mr Lanza's intentions. He apparently was seemingly harmless before he killed dozens of people needlessly, including himself. He was surrounded by guns as a child as his mother owned a few rifles and he was taught how to shoot in shooting ranges. It has been also speculated that Lanza was addicted to violent video games such as "Call of Duty". Also, it was reported, he spent a lot of his time in his windowless basement bedroom. Again, it sounds like he was a normal teenager. I know people his age who spend time in their bedroom and play violent video games but would never be capable to do something as heartless. I'm not sympathising with Lanza but psychologically speaking, he seems like a trapped teenager who was clearly angry about something. There is never an excuse to do something at this scale and it's a sorry story to hear. In the UK, this news was huge and many on both sides of the Atlantic are turning their heads to the Obama administration to see how they would respond to this massacre.

Barack Obama went to make a public statement about Sandy Hook, just hours after the incident happened. He showed genuine emotions and spoke more like a father rather than a President. He promised that he will do something to change gun laws. It won't be easy, remember, he only prevented a fiscal cliff minutes before the deadline to take action on it. With a majority of Republicans at the House of Congress to make the key decisions in the US, it will be difficult for a Democratic President to convince them that gun control has to happen. Republicans take pride in the current gun laws imposed in the country and Obama pledging for change isn't going to be easy. I don't think that the gun laws are going to change in the near future if I am honest but it isn't too late for Obama to change the way some people view guns. Gun-related crime happen far too often in the States and this embarrassing rate has to be decreased, and instantly.

Obama can learn from what happened in Newtown. He can look at the perpetrator and see that people who suffer from Asperger's Syndrome and autism need to be diagnosed early and receive individual support at schools from a very young age and be accepted in society. That was what Lanza lacked and he demanded attention - he received that attention but it obviously lead to tragic circumstances. In the UK for example, we have many programmes and charities which help people with such behavioural difficulties - most of them have proved to be a big success, such as The National Autistic Society. In Britain also, we have the role models for people with such conditions to be inspired by. For example, musician Example was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome as a child and today, he boasts numerous awards, number one hits and has overcome alcoholism and drug abuse. America can take advantage of their celebrities who have been suspected, or diagnosed with such conditions. People like actresses Daryl Hannah and Courtney Love, and producer and director Tim Burton are rumoured to have such conditions. They can really inspire those with such condition to break the taboo that being autistic is a bad thing because people with common sense should know, it isn't.

Piers Morgan (Image: The Independent)

With regards to gun control, there has been a lot of debate about the subject. One person in particular has spoken out that there needs to be new regulations. Piers Morgan has been in America working for CNN for over a year and has noticed the extent of gun-related crimes. He has passionately on his Twitter account, called for Obama to get gun control laws enforced, much to the displeasure of so many American citizens. Over 100,000 signatures have been signed on the White House official petition website to get the Brit deported back to England. This figure means it forces Obama to respond this month to the America's wish. To be honest, I don't see Morgan being deported. I feel Obama has so many more things to worry about and Piers Morgan isn't one of them. I do, on the other hand, see Piers Morgan's point as valid and would like to ask those 100,000+ people who want him out of the States why they want him out of the country, other than he is annoying.

The Lanza shooting spree at Sandy Hook has brought up a debate about video games. As like other gun-related massacres such as Anders Breivik (who murdered 77 people) in Norway 18 months ago, the use of violent video games has been put into question. Are they really influencing people to do such violent acts? Companies which make such games have responded in the past denying anything as such which they have a point - video games do not influence people's livelihoods, but it's up to the individual to be allowed to be influenced. I don't question video games motives as much as I question Hollywood.

Daniel Craig as James Bond (Image: The Guardian)

Let me explain - video games industry earned in Britain alone over £1.5 billion which is a 17.4 percent decrease, which is small compared to the $76 billion the industry is worth worldwide. However, films like Skyfall, the latest instalment of the James Bond franchise, grossed over $1 billion, the first Bond film to achieve such landmark. Although I thoroughly enjoyed that film, it is about a man acted by Daniel Craig shooting a lot of people, many of which are known to be bad guys. Films like these are much more realistic and influential than video games. Every man likes to be a James Bond (it can be argued).

Another example, 70 people were shot dead in Aurora, Colombia state in America last July just as they were watching the "The Dark Knight Rises". The perpetrator in this instance was said to be disguising himself as The Joker - one of the antagonists in the Batman films. This was another film that grossed hundreds of millions of dollars and offers the audience the thrill of three hours, watching gun-related crime frenzy. Although Batman is a super hero, those films give people the wrong idea about guns. Hollywood is an industry which is worth trillions of dollars, I know a lot of this money isn't used on gun-related films but a lot of this money is.

Guns can be used for safe purposes, I agree, and I think using shooting ranges are good but gun enthusiasts have to appreciate that rifles can lead to tragic circumstances if used inappropriately. I certainly don't want to hear children dying through someone's selfless act of misjudgement. The victims of Sandy Hook must be remembered and respected but Obama has to sit with the House of Congress and address the issue of guns. Whether the President will impose new law on guns will be another matter but prevention of such horrific crimes to occur in the future has to be a priority. No one is to blame for the recent gun massacre in Connecticut but the government has to think onwards and upwards.