Gun policy is unlike any other form of public policy. The topic is rich in content, stemming economics, history, political science, law, governments just to name a few of the disciplines. Unlike may forms of public policy, most everyone seems to have a set opinion when it comes to policies regarding guns. Many people focus on a desire to regulate gun commerce, possession, and use, with most policy proposals engendering intense controversy. America is distinct from other advanced nations because it is one of the only countries wherein the right to bear arms is constitutionally protected. America's relationship with guns, by the numbers, is unique in a tragic way. On an average day, 93 Americans are killed with guns and American’s gun homicide …show more content…
In the case of gun control there is a certain kind of tragic cycle that occurs and if the government wants to make a difference it must find a way to break it. The cycle of trying to prevent gun violence starts off when tragic accident occurs this might be a mass shooting in a night club or an elementary school. Though there’s more to gun control than just mass shooting the triggering event could be urban violence, an accident, or even suicide. There is going to be the outrage, anguish, and fear that appear calling for action. However, the reaction may lead to active engagement in political debate, but not necessarily to good policy or any policy that is actually implemented. After the December 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook, support for controls on gun ownership spiked to 51% of the U.S. population, per the Pew Research Center. Five years after the Sandy Hook shooting, there has yet to be any effective gun limitations. It could be that the time for effective gun legislation passed after the shooting at Sandy Hook, but how many more people need to be massacred for there to be any real and systemic change? The cycle (wheel) keeps turning more and more people are injured or even killed while the politicians debate. The reason to bring up this continuous cycle is to …show more content…
While the constitution does guarantee a right to bear arms it is still open to interpretation as to whether it the guarantee is in place to protect private property or to be a part of a militia protecting the USA. Either way, unlike most other nations, there is a long history within the US that goes back to the founding of the country and like freedom of speech, the right to bear arms is a passionate part of the ethos of the country. Therefore any attempt to regulate or denigrate that right will be seen by some as an attack on the constitution. The most practical way to balance this right with the practicality of today’s weapons, which are much more lethal than a musket of the 1700’s, is to regulate the accessories such as bullet types, magazine sizes etc. or regulate the process of obtaining a weapon through closing the loopholes that currently exist in the law background checks, waiting periods, or restrictions for mentally ill or previous violent
Guns are one of the most controversial and debated-upon topics in America today. In the Constitution, Americans are given “the right to bear arms,” and many Americans are proud of and believe strongly in that right. Though, that right has been constantly misused. Homicides by gun are at a higher rate in the United States than any other country in the world, mass shootings are at an all time high (many of which have occurred in the past two years alone), and terrorism has been at an all-time high. So, naturally, it is a topic that needs to be discussed. In the articles Change Your Gun Laws, America (1), author Fareed Zakaria provides the readers with some harrowing statistics on guns and insight over how the U.S. laws on guns need to be managed.
Gun control in America is one of the most fiercely debated topics in today’s political sphere. Nearly everyone has an opinion and there is a mind-boggling amount of information typically discussed regarding the matter. Media hot takes and campaign talking points aside, far too many lives have been lost to gun violence. A total of 12,902 in 2016, to be exact. The fact that more lives have been lost to gun violence in the United States this year than the 5,000 lost in the almost 10-year war effort overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan is appalling. Is sensible and reasonable gun control progress attainable in our near future? That remains to be seen, however it is my intention to respectfully dissect an argument presented by none other than an essay
Laws regulating the use of guns in America have been a hot topic for years. Media coverage of mass shootings, acts of terrorism in and outside of the United States, and stories of families being murdered in the night has resulted in a desensitized, or perhaps, overly sensitized nation. People are scared and have centered their idea of safety on one of two main approaches: creating stricter gun laws so less crime occurs, or taking away gun restrictions so everyone can protect themselves against crime. Policies stemming from these vantage points begin by the agenda set by pertinent support and opposition groups, reflecting these approaches.
“Our love is to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them.” Since this quote that Thomas Jefferson once said, guns and their capabilities have changed history throughout the world and have affected all most everyone living in today’s society. Gun control and gun polices have created an upheaval among a growing amount of nations. With increasing gun rate crime and the ease of accessibility to obtain firearms in some places in the world, states inside America and countries around the world have altered its stance on gun control and their laws. From strong gun control and strict trafficking in Germany, too little to very light restrictions and laws on firearms in Kentucky, guns, either way, are a controversial issue that
Guns and weaponry have always been a major part of the cultures of the world since the beginning of time. For the United States of America, gun use can be traced back to the colonial days, our revolutionary roots. They have helped the United States turn the table specifically in times of dire need such as the Revolutionary War. Not only have advances in weaponry influenced the U.S., they have also helped to shape events across the globe. In 1791, this was understood by the Founding Fathers while writing the Constitution, which can be seen in the Second Amendment: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed”[1]. With the advancement of guns specifically, there has been a rise in mass shootings, casualties, crime and controversy that has begun to split the United States. All a person has to do is turn on the television to a news channel, and at any given time, heartache, most often linked to guns, can be found. Some cry for a need for better gun regulation or sometimes complete abolishment for recreational use, while others cling to their weapons with claim of self-defense and economic profit. Violent crimes have been on the rise years; there has been an estimated 1.2 billion crimes of violence that occurred in the United States alone [2]. One thing is certain: gun trade and regulation boosts the economy. Last year, 301,
American society has evolved since the eighteenth century and it is time the gun laws reflected it. In 1791 the Right to Bear Arms was adapted into the United States Constitution, It states, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." When our founding fathers were generating gun laws, they were surrounded by a completely different culture then we live in today, and they did not anticipate the types of weapons that would be accessible. The cities at this time were always under threat of being raided by enemies, and the army was new and
The reason why our nation is allowed to bear a large quantity of firearms is due to the Second Amendment of our constitution, which specifically states, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." (U.S. Const. am. 2) Because of how vague this amendment is when it comes to law interpretation, it is often used by gun advocates to argue for lenient gun laws. Even though the Second Amendment prevents the federal government from completely banning guns in America, there are still restrictions on the distribution and possession of firearms. Each of the states have their own specific gun laws but generally, a person must obtain a license or permit to purchase or possess a firearm. Also, another thing to note is that all states allow some form of concealed carry, which is carrying a concealed firearm in public. Despite the laws that allow the bearing and distribution of guns, society has multiple viewpoints concerning the usage and appropriateness of the freedom of having the "right to bear arms."
On December 14, 2012, one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School, in the little town of Newton, Connecticut. The shooter, twenty-year-old Adam Lanza, managed to kill twenty children ages six and seven, as well as 6 adult staff members within just eleven minutes. According to New York Daily News, “the shooter stormed the…school…and fired a total of 154 rounds.” “All but two of the 26 students and staffers massacred in [sic] at Sandy Hook Elementary School died from ‘multiple gunshot wounds,’ according to death certificates released (Hutchinson.)” As horrifying as this incident may seem, it is not isolated. There have already been 186 mass shootings this year
Malcolm X once said, “Sometimes you have to pick the gun up to put the gun down” (Malcolm X: "The Ballot). However, the news rarely accounts for when a gun has saved someone from potential danger. Every day, gun murders are broadcasted and dramatized on the news. Reports put emphasis on the guns, effectively making firearms look accountable for these evil acts. Indeed, devastation and destruction are what catch the public’s attention and get news channels high ratings. These broadcasts consequently convince the general population that controlling and even banning guns is going to stop the existence of violence. The United States does have the highest gun ownership rate in the world by a significant amount. On the contrary, the United States
In a country where the people own more than 70 million handguns and perhaps one million automatic rifles and assault weapons, public opinion on gun control is understandably divided. Those opposed to gun control often cite the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, which appears to guarantee private citizens the unrestricted right to bear arms; less theoretical arguments include the practical need for self-defense in a violent society, and the prospect of political tyranny in a society where only the government possesses weapons. Finally, the sporting rights of hunters and target shooters are said to be threatened by calls for registration of rifles and
In America guns have been a part of the country’s society since it’s birth. Throughout history the citizens of the US have used firearms to protect the nation, protect their families, hunt for food and engage in sporting activities. The issue of Guns and gun control is complex. Weighing the rights and liberties of the individual against the welfare and safety of the public has always been a precarious balancing act. In the United States, gun control is one of these tumultuous issues that has both sides firmly entrenched in their positions. Those parties in favor of gun ownership and the freedom to use and keep arms, rely on the fact that the provision for such rights is enshrined in their constitution. In this climate of
The topic of gun control in the United States is not debated enough. Every time a headline reads about an incident that happened where guns were involved, powerful politicians and everyday citizens alike turn the other way and choose to be ignorant instead of being upset about these awful current events. Clearly, with so many occurrences and deaths that are caused by gunfire, the United States needs reformation about its current gun control policies, essentially, the United States needs more gun control. It need gun control because several United States citizens take the Second Amendment too literally, and the amount of gun-related crimes, such as mass shootings, suicides, and homicides is too high.
Of all the developed countries, the United States has overall the highest per capita rate of gun homicides. In the year 2015, Americans witnessed 372 mass shootings, and somehow it has become “normal”. The topic of gun control has been a huge debate for some time. Earlier this year, President Obama implemented executive actions on gun control, ultimately aiming to lower the gun violence and deaths occurring every day. However, this topic of debate will not be over anytime soon, that would mostly be due to the strong lobbying group the NRA having influence on Congress, and gun right activists.
The purpose of this report is to analyse the result of a survey into Americans’ views on the national laws and policies on guns. It was conducted by Gallup from 2001 till 2016 and concerns people’s satisfaction with the current government policy on gun control. Those questioned who answered that he was dissatisfied with the policy were asked what they wanted to change.
Gun control has a history dating back to 1791, when the Second Amendment of the Constitution was ratified. However, more recently, the debate over gun control has escalated into a much more public issue to which many citizens can relate. After all, stories about incidents involving guns appear frequently today in newspapers and on television or the radio. One could say that the debate started with the passage of the Gun Control Act of 1968, which banned ownership of guns by certain groups of people and regulated the sale of guns. Since then, two main groups have gradually appeared: people who oppose strict federal