UNITED STATES—Following the horrific mass shootings in New Zealand, and its government's swift action to ban semi-automatic rifles, the rhetoric of gun control talks has reached new levels, and many wonder if it will lead to significant changes in the United States.
Aside from the law-abiding citizens who own firearms, many of the nation's aspiring mass-murderers have been forced to rethink their plans. Whereas they were initially prone to brooding over perceptions of having been wronged, and although they fantasize about getting revenge on the ones they see as persecutors, with the prospect of new challenges in obtaining firearms legally, they have decided to put all of those problems behind them.
We reached out to Ben Yeates, 17, of Akron, Ohio, who has been obsessed with thoughts of payback to teachers and classmates whom he feels belittled him throughout his entire high school experience. "I was so angry about them all the time," he said. "I would fantasize about how I would get my revenge, and how sweetly horrifying it would be, and how sorry they would feel. But, now it seems like it might be kind of a hassle to get some of the items I was going to use, so I've been filling up my time with college applications and meeting people at social events for people my age."
Similar sentiments were shared from multiple others who were in a bad way, and very seriously considering harming others. Kendall McAlister, 16, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, explained, "For so long, I was just filled with rage against everybody. It felt like society had cast me out, and that no one really cared. I was going to make them care. But now that it might be hard to get one type of firearm that I might have used in a plan, I figure I should just try something new, like see what kind of careers are a good fit for my interests. I have also decided to come out of my shell and just start fitting in. The ladies have really noticed, let me tell you."
Gun control advocates have wasted no time in touting the success. A spokesperson for the Brady Campaign said, "We have said for years that the underlying root of all of society's problems were the existence of firearms and their availability to people who meet the requirements in their states. We feel vindicated, and we are pleased to announce that all violence seems to have ceased for the foreseeable future."
School administrators have also been outspoken about the success, noting a marked improvement in social cohesion among the students. High School Principal Armand Harris, 55, of Loveland, Colorado commented, "It's hard to describe, but overnight our school feels like a piece of heaven on earth. I haven't seen a single kid in my office, detentions are way down, and football jocks are taking chess club members under their wings, introducing them to cheerleaders."
"It's amazing!" he added.