The Intersection of Illicit Firearms Markets with Social, Political, and Geopolitical Issues: A Critical Analysis Using the Parkland, Florida Mass Shooting as a Case Study (Essay Sample)

The Intersection of Illicit Firearms Markets with Social, Political, and Geopolitical Issues: A Critical Analysis Using the Parkland, Florida Mass Shooting as a Case Study Students Name Institutional Affiliation Course Name Tutors Name Date of submission Introduction The integrated relationship of illicit firearms with other social, political, as well as geopolitical concerns makes the problem very intricate and complex one that aggravates other threats like terrorism, drug cartel, and political instability. This assignment will examine these intersections by further examining the mass shooting of 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida by a man with mental illness named Nikolas Cruz who legally purchased an AR-15 rifle. The case involves key aspects concerning the problems of regulation, emergence, and aggravation of social problems, and political aspects of the regulation of the availability of firearms. Analyzing these aspects, this essay will also discuss the fact that firearms, both acquired legally and illegally, escalate social and political enmity, thus perpetuating violence and insecurity. How do regulatory failures in gun control contribute to the exacerbation of social issues such as mass shootings? The Parkland shooting is a good illustration of the challenge that increased us regulation poses to society by amplifying some social ills such as mass shootings. However, countless signs that could have prevented the shooting were ignored, such as Cruz's obsessive and threatening posts on social networks and his previously checked record, he was still able to legally purchase an AR-15 rifle (Schildkraut et al., 2024, p 5). This raises important questions on the efficiency of present-day gun control regulations, especially in the United States of America where the rules and regulations differ between states. It is evident from the literature that even though some measures like the background check and the limitations in the maximum capacity of the cartridges frequently cut down the occurrence and the intensity of mass shootings, they are usually spiked by the various loopholes or the differential application of the laws (LaRose et al.,2022, p 45). The case of Nikolas Cruz exemplifies this failure: even though he had some mental problems and violent behavior, owing to weak rules and their effective absence, he was able to purchase a gun. Furthermore, the increased access to firearms particularly in the U. S. ensures that society gets a cultural influence of violence whereby firearms are used to address individual grievances, as depicted in the so-called American dream and the gun culture (LaRose et al.,2022, p 45). The deep-rooted culture of firearms also poses a challenge to efforts to put into practice sound measures for preventing the occurrence of mass shootings. In what ways do political dynamics and the influence of powerful interest groups, such as the NRA, hinder effective policy responses to gun violence? The political context of gun control in the U. S. is determined by strong political lobbyists, particularly the NRA. The NRA's most striking competency is political where it tends to shape laws and public perception of gun control as an infringement on the Second Amendment (Smith, 2020, p 41). This influence was quite evident in the recent past especially following the Parkland shooting incident in the United States when demands for reform in the acquisition of firearms were resisted by proponents of the Second Amendment. According to Carlson (2020, p 184) a stark contrast between the U.S. and other countries, such as Australia, which implemented stringent gun control measures following the Port Arthur massacre, resulting in a significant reduction in gun violence. On the contrary, the US has failed to implement such Changes because of the NRA and other gun lobby groups' influence. This political resistance is aggravated by the dichotomy surrounding the issue of gun control, any attempt to control the possession of firearms is usually perceived as an infringement on the fundamental right of the people by some political groups instead of a move meant to promote the safety of the public (Lacombe, 2022, p 508). Therefore, if the different governing authorities do not demonstrate enough political will to put into practice effective gun control measures, the social vices that are linked with gun violence continue to persist thus putting different communities at risk for future similar incidents. How the proliferation of illicit firearms markets intersect with other geopolitical threats? Efforts to curb the flow of illicit firearms accentuate problems of international security because these firearms markets are connected to other security risks: terrorism, and organized crime. Although the murderer who committed the mass shooting at Parkland bought this firearm legally, the question of whether firearms, both legally and illegally, are available in this country cannot be dismissed (Catlett, 2019, p 507). With the high accessibility of Firearms and participation through the use of, legal ways, and loopholes & the black market helps terrorists and organized crimes to boost global security threats by providing them with the weapons to conduct rocket attacks According to the literature compact arms proliferation is connected with organized crime and terrorism (Blocher & Charles, 2020, p 1286); criminals tend to use firearms to establish dominance over certain areas and markets, and also to support other unlawful activities, including drugs trafficking ((Blocher & Charles, 2020, p 1286). These firearms that are both legally and illegally acquired help these groups to continue with violence and insecurity hence augmenting the challenges in providing security in society. For instance, in areas such as West Africa, there has been free circulation of small arms that has led to more conflicts and terrorism and renewed cycle of violence that cannot be easily Addressed (Weigend Vargas et al., 2021, p 53). As demonstrated in this post, ignoring the legal supply of firearms while dealing with other geopolitical threats intersects with the illicit firearms markets and thus, there is a need to adopt a more inclusive approach to gun control. Conclusion The case of the Parkland shooting is fresh in people's memory as a stale reminder of the havoc that guns can unleash when there are holes in the system. The problem of access to illicit firearms, coupled with othe...