A Child 's Pursuit Of Happiness

In 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School was victim of a terrible mass shooting that prompted several states and cities to pass strict gun control measures. This sparked a widely debated and controversial issue for “gun friendly” states in the South and West, who responded with bills that would strengthen Stand Your Ground laws and allow weapons in most public places. The nation continues to be divided on gun control policies, as it is very controversial and continues to be a very hot topic in society today. There has been a rise in gun violence throughout the years, and it has been widely been debated that guns are too easily accessible and there is a continued push for stricter gun laws that can reduce the risk of gun violence.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that ALL men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” As you know these words come from the preamble of the Declaration of Independence, perhaps one of the greatest documents ever written. However, I do have a little problem with the last four words sentence, “the pursuit of Happiness” because I believe it actually sends an easily misinterpreted message.

More than 30,000 people are killed by firearms each year in the US. Most of which are caused by handguns. Homicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-24 year-olds. Most reasons for gun violence are caused by video game influence, and issues of mental illnesses. Video games are one of the biggest causes of gun violence because of the majority of in game violence that occurs. Today’s children are more prone to violence due to video games and the violent movies, but then that leads back to the way they were raised. In today’s world, both parents work, there is no family time to teach their children the main differences between right and wrong. When most people don’t know who they are harming, it makes it a lot easier for them to cause harm.

Juvenile gun violence is an ever-increasing problem in our country. With a wave of school shooting behind us it is time to get this under control. Many studies have been done on how to effectively diminish juvenile gun violence. It is clear that this must be handled on a state and local level with the federal government backing the states. Prevention and law enforcement is the key to successfully eradicate our nation of the ugly stain caused by youth gun violence.

* Page, Clarence. “Children are at Risk From Handgun Violence.” Gun Control: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Tamara L. Roleff. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1997.

In the use, purchase, and selling of guns, there are consequences for the actions of those who bypass the law. One major issue is in the contrast of people’s state of mind. For example, in the article about the two school shootings, the author includes the following statement from a child: “‘Just because I have access to a gun, that doesn't mean I'm going to go out and kill somebody,’ said Cummings, who took a safety course before receiving a state hunting license. ‘Anyone who does that, they've got to be messed up in the head.’” (Kids). The people, children or adults, who come to have access to a gun and do not use it solely for self-defense or the sport of hunting, will use it for violence and have the reputation for not being in the right

Only this month, 59 were killed and over 500 people were injured during a country music concert in Vegas in what is now known as the deadliest mass shooting in American history. Last year, 49 were killed and 58 were injured in a gay nightclub in Florida. In 2012, a mass shooting in Sandy Hook Elementary School took 27 lives, 20 of them being first graders. The list of these unthinkable and stomach-churning acts is quickly turning endless, forcing us to rethink why we truly have the right to bear arms. Many defend the second amendment by claiming we need this right for self defense, which is the most wretched part.When we look at what we have lost compared to what we have earned in this fight to keep the right to bear arms, this privilege does not seem worth the sacrifice of so many lives. In today’s world, we do not defense through guns but from them. Our policymakers keep trying to reach a compromise by putting in place certain regulations. “Some states require would-be gun owners to fulfill a firearms safety course in order to obtain their license.” “Such training courses, however, even when not required, are very advisable for the would-be gun owner, as they ensure that he or she has all the necessary information on liability issues, on safety, and even on care and maintenance of the gun” ( How to Get a Gun License 1). This lack of attention illustrates that despite the multiple tragedies that have taken place in our nation, some states do not even require a simple safety course that ensures the safety of our people. Furthermore, it is required that one must pass a background check. The questions asked on the test are the following:

Children often can be the victims of accidents involving guns. These accidents usually occur due to the child's lack of knowledge concerning the dangers of the weapon and their undeniable curiosity involving the unknown. Simply, parents do not educate their children in the correct manner to handle a gun, and they often place their weapons in an easily accessible location, resulting in dire consequences. For example, if

Many people in America are coming to the realization that gun violence is beginning to have a dramatic affect on teenagers. Christine Watkins, the author of, “Gun Crimes Cause Serious Harm to Children” Gives much evidence on why she believes more gun control, or even removing all firearms from homes will be the solution to this crisis. She tells readers that teenagers from urban areas have the greatest risk of being involved in some kind of gun crime. With her estimate of over 280 million gun in America, she believes firearms are too readily available and teenagers are accessing them with little to no trouble, legally, or illegally. Furthermore, she believes this is why teenagers suffer the most from firearm violence (Gun Crimes). Some

It is sickening to know that a child was able to sneak past his parents, teachers, and students with two firearms on his body. His parents were lucky they arrived when they did because many of people could have been hurt or even worse murdered. Obviously, the child that brought the two firearms to school should be the one punished, but what about the parents. The parents that did not have a weapon that could easily end someone’s life, properly locked up or hidden away. If parents are going to carelessly leave firearms unlocked with ammo nearby, what is stopping a child from doing wrong with that firearm? Leaving firearms unlocked with any aged child around, hoping they don’t touch it is a dangerous and irresponsible act.

The safety of schools have been tested more in the recent years with news coverage of the most recent incident in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where twenty children and six staff members lost their lives. With the recent rise of school shootings it is no wonder parents are concerned for their children’s safety in schools. Where drugs and peer pressure were once major concerns, in today’s society, we worry about our children dying in the hands of armed shooters. While there is much controversy over how to protect the future of America’s children, lawmakers are supporting a bill to allow armed guards to stand and protect our children in the school systems by creating laws to allow armed security in the schools. “The Indiana amendment's sponsor, Rep. Jim Lucas (R), said he believes mass shootings like the one in Newtown could be prevented by more firearms.” (Resmovits, 2013). In support of armed guards, the National Rifle Association has paid for research

Gun control has become an increasingly controversial topic in the nation due to the continuous debates relating to gun control and whether or not laws should be passed to make it harder for guns to be obtained. Guns serve for a variety of purposes that range from good to bad. Guns are not for everyone. Some individuals cannot handle guns properly, and some choose to use guns inappropriately. Lately, guns have become more of a problem in our society. There has been an increasing amount of shootings that have taken many lives and have wounded people emotionally, not just physically. Although guns are used for protection, firearms are reportedly used more in crimes. More and more shootings are breaking out across the nation. As a result, the

In 2015, 13,367 people lost their lives due to gun violence according to Gun Violence Archive. The Archive also states that out of that number, 693 were children from ages 0-11. We can all agree that there is indeed a problem that we have to address. The solution to that problem, however, has been debated by many. I believe the solution to this problem exists in three parts: Mandatory training and licensing along with more heavily secure gun storage, stricter regulations on the purchasing of a firearm—disabilities and criminal records should be more deeply looked into before transaction—and finally, equipping teachers at highs schools with the right kind of weaponry to prevent mass shootings.

Gun control is severely weakened by the few loopholes that exist in the system. These loopholes make it possible for minors and felons to obtain outlawed and high-powered weapons. They also serve to weaken the strength of the Brady- Bill and Gun registration. Adults are prohibited from transferring firearms to juveniles, but are not required to store guns in securely locked cabinets. This allows kids to get access to them. This Child Access Prevention (CAP) proposal would require parents to keep loaded firearms out of the reach of children and would hold gun owners criminally responsible if a child gains access to an unsecured firearm and uses it to injure himself or

When the concealed carry law went into effect in 2013 the amount of deaths from handguns went up by 10% because people were being shout when they tried to hurt a person. Because adults can’t possibly be trusted with things then you will be taking away the right from the rest of the people that do know how to use it right. Just because an adult has a lot of responsibilities, it doesn’t mean you can take it away from