Wielder of the Gun
By
LaMerrence Edgeston

A weapon can be used to do many things. Usually when you hear the word weapon, you would think of something that would harm you. In one way you would be right. In another way you could be wrong. Just because the tool is a weapon doesn’t mean the wielder will or can use it as a weapon. Confuse? That’s ok I’ll I explain. The person that wields the weapon can decide to kill or just disarm. It has been said that it’s not the weapon that makes the killer but the spirt of he that wields it. The weapon that I will take about is that of the gun. A weapon that everyone is familiar with and can use it. A gun is usually the type of weapon that is use in different types of situations. A gun is sometimes a weapon that is use for killing. Then the next question would be to kill who? Well my answer to that is whoever it is pointed to. Since the gun is pointed at you. Your first thought is that the person will shoot me. Well who is the person that is holding the gun and who is the person that the gun is been pointed at? Well that question can have many answers. So let’s start it off with the police with the gun. The job of the police is to serve and protect. Well how can you protect if you always kill. Law Enforcement is going through a change. Certain people that have power are misusing the power. So what is this power? The power that they use is a badge and the uniform. People that have those two things think they can do whatever they want. Who are the people you asked? Good question. They are people like you and me. The difference is that they carry a big responsibility. I believe you heard the saying “With great power comes great responsibility.” (Ben Parker Spider-Man) This might be just a line out of a movie or comic book, but it has a powerful meaning. Responsibility is a word that is taught to us when we were little. So the word and its meaning has not change. Unfortunately for the ones with that responsibility does not understand or care. With that said the things that have been done by people with this burden cannot be over looked. We as the people have a power as well. It is equal in power to the law enforcement, but can be greater. How? Easy! By not staying quiet! We have always talked about how things use it be and what should or could be change. That’s all good and fine, but talking among ourselves won’t change a thing unless we come together to show and tell what needs to be done. With that look on your face I take it that you are not convince. That’s ok. Allow me to show and tell you examples of law enforcement’s change. I’ll be addressing three things. The three things are: how police can enter in a person’s house with a warrant, how with the police having a gun is there only way to protect them, and how it would feel to be the one that the gun is been pointed at. Once I’m done with these three reasons for change you deiced what shoot hits your heart if not all.
The first of the three reason is how a police officer can enter in a person’s without a warrant. An officer must have a warrant before entering a person’s house. If the officer asked if he/she can enter your home. You are allowed to say NO. Know you’re like Wow! Really! Well yes. The officer can asked and if the officer is turned down then the next step should be that the officer go get a warrant instead of forcing their way in. One example is that a man at his house was being visited by an office and the officer forces his way in the house. The man is asking in fear and confusing, what have I done? Why are you doing? With all the question flying around all the officer is saying is be quite or I will shoot. The whole ordeal was video by someone that was there. The video itself is evidence that the officer is using his power to do as he wish. Well then the questions would be what is the officer’s reason, what was it that the man did to be visited by the officer? All good questions that don’t have answers.
The second reason for change is when the police thinks that a gun is their only protection. An office ca carry a gun, but knowing how and when to use it is a complete different story. When an officer is handle a case depending on what it is about depends on if the office should use less-lethal or lethal force. At times the office must use lethal force, but there are times when they do not. Since when has a gun really solve a problem. An office life can be dangerous and you never know what might happen. So let me ask this. When dose have a title like Neighborhood Watch gives you the right to suspect someone then at the end the suspect is killed because you feel threated for your life. If this sounds familiar I’m talking about the Trayvon Martin case. Just because of looks his life came to an end. The person responsible for it was not charge right away, but was finally done. All that shows is that by you looking like someone on the run or in the wrong place at the wrong time you are the criminal. Another incent that actually involve an office and others is that an officer is pointing his gun at an army soldier. The soldier is recording what is happening to him and his friend. On the video the soldier’s is laying down on the ground hands over his head. The soldier is asking why he must lay on the ground if he does not have to. He has done nothing wrong and yet the gun is point at a unarm man. While he is still trying to figure out why another office comes to the scene and just pull his gun out and the video ends. I believe the solider and his friend is still alive, but was scared for their life. So tell me why the training in the academy is not being use. The academy is to teach you when you should use lethal force. The training is something you don’t forget. It is something that can save your life and make you a better person. With this happening how should I ensure that the training is being use for the each case? Well that could be answered by y third reason or by you the reader.
The last reason is what it is like to have the roles changed. It’s plain to see if a person is holding someone by gun is probably in control. Why is that? Good question. The unarm person has nothing to defend themselves with so fear and anxiety takes over. So I’m I saying that police uses this some method. You tell me how you would feel if a gun is pointed at you. Then again it might never have happen to you. The training probably teaching how you can disarm an armed person. If so then the training should also teach how to approach people. So if the gun is turn on an officer that is disarm then the officer should use the training and experience has taught them. So let me ask when is it right to take someone’s life? Well it’s never. In the army you are taught to fight for your people and country. In war you are taught to kill or be killed, but does that make it right it’s still not, but it happen. He same can be said to and office, but tell me how make lives does it take for you to sleep at night. So yes the office has hard times, but can still change the outcome unlike the war zoon a solider face.
All in a nut shell , the things showed and tell shows how law enforcement has change. How the office can enter in your home with a warrant , how the gun can be there only protect , and how it is like to have the roles change. With this you can see that much has to be change and not overlooked. The people that have being lose do to things that people say and what has happen because of an office can not be change now. All tha can be done is to stop it from happening again. The things that has happen can always teach us what it is like to be one as people. Hopefully this has shade some light of things happening and are still happening. Also you see how the wielder of the gun can change and what can actually happen with this change.