This incident indeed has shed light on the issue of gun violence in America. Many including New York City Mayor Michael Blomberg are now calling for stricter gun control laws considering the ease in which the perpetrator obtained the weapons used in the shooting.

Duncan, this incident should serve as a watershed moment in the gun control debate but however, I highly doubt it will make a difference. In the past when there have been such similar instances (Fort Hood, Columbine, etc), the outcry from politicians and the general public was loud and a hopeful tone towards gun control but once the tragedies disappeared from the national conscience, so did the debate on gun control. There are also legal and political aspects to the gun control battle. First, the 2nd amendment allows citizens to “bear arms, ” which loosely translated means a citizen can have access to guns so long as they meet the state requirements for gun ownership and this is also assuming they want to go about it in a legal manner.

The US Supreme Court ruled several years ago that Americans do have a right to purchase firearm much in the same way they have a right to purchase most things. Regardless of the outcry, there is little to no chance the Court will overturn this ruling should it come up again. Couple that with support from the National Rifle Association (NRA), one of the most influential lobbyists in Washington, D.C., and any legal step to curb gun controls will face a stiff test.