Argumentative Essay On Gun Control

Sandy Hook Elementary. Aurora, Colorado. San Bernardino, California. Las Vegas, Nevada. Orlando, Florida. (Words with Negative Connotation) These are just some of the biggest mass shootings that have swept America in the past few years. Hundreds of lives are lost each year to gun related violence in the United States alone. Gun control has been a topic in our country since our founding fathers adopted the second amendment to the US constitution. Although recently controversy has sparked to an all-new extent in America due to the recent spike in mass shootings and gun related homicides. So many families and loves ones are affected each year in the United States because of gun related violence and other mass killing events, because of these events gun control laws need to be revamped and strengthened in American in order to protect the citizens.

The Second Amendment of the US Constitution protects individual gun ownership. The Second Amendment of the US Constitution reads, "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." Gun ownership is an American tradition older than the country itself and is protected by the Second Amendment; more gun control laws would infringe upon the right to bear arms. Justice Antonin Scalia, LLB, in the June 26, 2008 District of Columbia et al. v. Heller US Supreme Court majority opinion syllabus stated, "The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home." The McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010) ruling also stated that the Second Amendment is an individual right. Lawrence Hunter, Chairman of Revolution PAC, stated, "The Founders understood that the right to own and bear laws is as fundamental and as essential to maintaining liberty as are the rights of free speech, a free press, freedom of religion and the other protections against government encroachments on liberty delineated in the Bill of Rights."

What cause crime? Is is an individual’s access to firearms or is it their willingness to act illegally given the opportunity? In this argumentative essay I will be discussing one of the most debated topics in the United States today, gun control. There are two extremely opposite views on this topic: the belief that guns enable crime, and the belief that guns deter crime. These polar opposites leave room for a very good discussion of what facts and truths may lie behind this topic. Throughout this essay I will be analyzing both sides of this issue.The significance of a topic such as gun control is very prevalent in today’s society. Some see it sad that we must argue over one of our supposedly deemed unalienable rights such as bearing a firearm.

You know a little about two major groups for gun control, now let’s take a look at a couple groups that are pro-gun control. The major group for gun control is Handgun Control, Inc. (HCI), which is headed by Sarah Brady. Mrs. Brady is the wife of James Brady, who was shot during an attempt on President Reagan's life in 1981. Another major group is the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV), which was formerly known as the National Coalition to Ban Handguns. The CSGV believes that handguns

The current gun control policies in the United States were implemented to ban gun possession by high-risk groups. They are to restrict the sales, transfers and purchase of guns to criminals, minors and the mentally ill. The laws restrict carrying guns in public areas, enforcing laws such as weapon permits and special licensing. The laws require licensed gun owners to register the weapons before they can be legally owned or possessed. There are restrictions and bans on certain guns on certain hand guns and automatic weaponry. Finally, the gun laws both state and local require a license by the federal government to sell guns.

Everyday, politicians and leaders of America are faced with many challenges that could potentially alter anyone’s quality of life, but a few are as urgent as gun violence. Gun control is a controversial topic in American politics because the Second Amendment is relatively vague. More often than not, gun advocates utilize the 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,” to guarantee their right to own a firearm and argue against gun control policies.

Many of you think that gun control is a good thing, but how good can such an idea really be? The people who know me are well aware that I am a right wing conservative republican and have been for quite some time. I didn’t always have this political stance. Before I began recreational studies in policy, I was a democrat, and at the time I did not know what being a democrat stood for. All I knew was that I should support the democratic party and not the republican party. This opinion changed when I began to actually study politics. My stance on gun control became in line with the beliefs of many conservative figures which is less government control and resultingly more individual freedoms. To achieve this goal of less government and more freedom, we must look at facts. The facts I would like to go over with you prove that gun control is ineffective because of examples of bad gun legislation, the intentions of the second amendment, and the true interpretation of the second amendment. (Intro paragraph=Ethos)

If the assassination of Franz Ferdinand started World War One, then the assassination of John F. Kennedy started the modern gun control debate. Lee Harvey Oswald bought the rifle used to kill President Kennedy via mail-order from a National Rifle Association magazine. Because of this, along with the mounting public outcry, the government began to move towards gun control. However, this movement faced opposition from some in the National Rifle Association or NRA. In 1974, after being a victim of gun violence, Dr. Mark B formed the National Center to Control Handguns (NCCH), the first true gun control advocacy group. Nowadays, The NRA is in a tug of war with various gun control groups, such as “Everytown for Gun Safety, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Sandy Hook Promise, Americans for Responsible Solutions, and Violence Policy Center.” These gun control groups had a 13-million-dollar yearly budget, the NRA has about 300-million dollar a year to spend. Gun control groups are afraid that the NRA will try to remove all barriers to buying guns; the NRA is afraid that gun control groups will succeed in limiting their access to guns.

We are fortunate to live in a country whose Founders valued the critical right to bear arms enough to protect it. They were able to defeat tyranny. In the end, that's what this right is about (Staff 1). The gun control controversy began when many started to die and get harmed due to gun violence. Gun control became a problem because people began questioning the 2nd amendment right, to a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms (Netzley 15). This was told to not be infringed. As a result of the issue, many feel gun regulations need to be tightened. There are two points of views concerning the debate on gun regulations being tightened. Even though some people believe stricter gun regulations will ensure the safety of

With all these mass shootings happening recently in our country it has brought up a huge discussion on if guns should be legal or not. My view on guns is if you have a clean history and no mental illness issues I have nothing wrong with someone owning a gun. Therefore I am for guns for self defense and hunting. I think having a gun is a huge responsibility and you shouldn’t be able to have any history of being a criminal or have a history of having a mental illness even to the slightest degree. These mass shooters I 100% think that they had a mental illness and sent them over the edge because I don’t know how anyone in the right mind could do a crime as big as killing hundreds of innocent people for no reason.

“Nobody’s saying this will be easy. The important things never are,” (Fagan 14). Gun control is among one of the most disputed issues in the United States. Different views collide with each other and split our nation into two sides; those who support gun control, and those who don't. The United States should implement stricter gun control laws, because: the rate of death has increased drastically, guns increase violence, and mass shootings are at an all-time high.

The debate around gun control in the United States has been growing, and for good reason. Recent tragedies involving gun violence highlight even more the need for changes in the current gun laws. There needs to be two key changes, and they can be even considered updates, that need to be enforced federally. It’s not time to start pulling guns away or limit the purchasing, but rather create better tools for the current system to do its job. The first change that needs to be implemented is federally mandated background checks that are consistent across all states. The other is having sufficient waiting periods in place before being allowed to purchase guns. Overall, federally mandated background checks and waiting periods across all states are the best ways to restrain gun violence and reduce gun homicides in the U.S. because they would prevent guns from being placed in the hands of criminals or mentally ill people, while also preventing gun-wanting people during momentary lapses of judgment to purchases firearms.

A common controversial topic that is discussed universally is the issue of shootings and gun use. Citizens views on the topic range from the wishes to completely ban guns, to the total allowance and ownership of such items. In comparison, some drugs may be illegal, although people still possess them. Would the same be for guns? Should more be done to implement the control over guns? Or should more freedom be given to gun owners? One can visualize the positives and negatives regarding gun control by learning more about the following: the suspected terrorist list,

Would you ever want to die or have one of your family members die from a gun? I have had friends that experienced a family member dying from guns or firearm suicide. People in the community would feel safer from gun threats and gun violence. More Gun control laws should be enacted in the United States to stop gun violence and firearm suicide.

"The long, difficult history of gun control." Washington Post. 23 Dec. 2012: A8. eLibrary. Web.