Catholic Social Teaching Gun Violence Essay

Abby Hirsch

R8W

May 18, 2023

Semi-Automatic

One social injustice that heavily influences all families, institutions, and communities in the world today is gun violence. This global dilemma encompasses the first and third principles of Catholic Social Teaching and also involves both modern and historical figures who fought for peace. In the United States, gun violence is the leading cause of death for children, surpassing car crashes—though this is not surprising, given that three in ten adults in the country say that they own a gun. We are suffering a collective failure to address this violence by legislators and authorities alike; those in power offer legal protections and additional ammunition for those who respond to the slightest offense

The first Catholic Social Teaching, Life and Dignity of the Human Person, articulates that everyone has value and worth. This persists regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or personal beliefs. Gun violence targets certain groups within those classifications. For example, black Americans are twice as likely than white Americans to die from gun violence, and 14 times more likely to be wounded. Gun violence influences racial inequalities, which dismisses the notion that everyone is of equal worth. Furthermore, when someone opens fire on a gathering of innocent people, they strip them of a fulfilling and unharmed life. All those injured, all those killed, and all the families of those affected were brought unnecessary suffering. To end this injustice, we must first realize the value that every single human life has. The statistics are appalling in themselves, but gun violence is so normalized now that they remain just that. Every data point represents a human person, and each uptick in the averages signals an outcry for

Thich Nhat Hanh was born on October 1, 1926, and died on January 22, 2022, having established a legacy as a committed peace advocate and one of the most famous teachers of modern Buddhism. Thich developed a new way of practicing called engaged Buddhism, where individuals focused on inner peace while also involving the suffering and politics around them. He believed violence needed to end and called for a non-violent process toward social change. He knew that his ideas could benefit the world around him, so he worked to make that positive difference. Personal ideologies and convictions, when applied to injustices, can fuel societal or legislative change. One specific value of Thich Nhat Hanh was non-violence, which completely aligns with what we need to strive towards today. In a world and country ravaged by unnecessary violence, more violence is not the way to end it. Those advocating for gun rights instead of gun control are merely adding to the problem. Energy towards peace and security, contained in Thich’s life’s work in his home country Vietnam and beyond, can guide legislators and communities in silencing the cruelties of the world