Gun Control The issue of gun control has created a lot of controversy in America today and for many years. Those who support gun control feel that guns are the reason for the uprising crime rate in our country. I disagree with the supporters of gun control. I feel that because of the black market, violent criminals being released from prison early, and personal safety, stricter gun control will have very little impact on violent crime in America. I believe that gun control works in theory, but not in real life. Sure, there are many violent crimes where guns are used, but most of these guns are obtained illegally, because the gun control laws enforced are not enough. With the growing gun-related crime rate in the United States today, many bills have been proposed to control guns. The most popular of these bans is The Brady Bill. The bill focuses on semi-automatic handguns. People wishing to buy a handgun will have to answer a federal questionnaire. The person’s background will be checked thoroughly for criminal records or records of past mental illness. The process should only take five days. This five day waiting period, or the “cooling off” period, is supposed to allow a person’s temper to cool down. The Brady Bill claims that people act on impulse. A person’s temper can interfere with his/her ability to think clearly; he/she is angry, so a gun is bought to get revenge. I have no problem with the Brady Bill, because it has stopped crime, but not enough. A bill was passed
As Americans, we are very used to the scene after a new mass shooting happens: outrage, fear, and families suffering the death of their beloved ones. Politicians start debating on gun policy, again, arriving at no solution. This has been America’s reality for the past decades. The problem in which lobbyists and a dominant minority stop any attempt to find a solution. Dan Gross, as president of the Brady Campaign, is seeking to promote sensible gun control in the United States. Mr. Gross advocates for gun control and for laws that put a stop to the gun violence problem (Ted Talk). Another article by Tom McCarthy in The Guardian gives some data and ideas about what gun control would look like. McCarthy’s article gives us a context in which
Additionally, various credible sources have attained proven statistics that deter any misconceptions pro-gun control activists put forth, such as their most common scapegoat saying: “it was the gun” (Schmidt). This statement is distorted by the rage and helplessness experienced by every American after an act of terrorism is executed; real issues such as the “breakdown of the American family, out of wedlock births, and fatherless children” are the true complications that have led to an increase in violence and crime (Schmidt). One of the most candid statistics supporting the anti-gun control viewpoint is that "as the numbers of ‘assault weapons’ and ‘large’ magazines have soared to all-time highs, violent crime has been cut in half,” which provides a direct correlation between the number of guns owned and the amount of gun violence (“A Ban on Assault Weapons Would Not Reduce Crime”). Furthermore, police reports and felon surveys across the country have found that "assault weapons are used in only 1%-2% of violent crimes,” depicting how insignificant the problem is compared to others, including robbery, suicide, sexual assault, abduction, and physical assault (“A Ban on Assault Weapons Would Not Reduce Crime”). After comprehending the information collected from these two facts, the transparency of the false blame on guns is blatant; unfortunately, due to the easy targeting of guns prompted by fear, the endless circle of polemics continues. Not only do assault weapons make up a miniscule part of violent crimes, but "most guns that are traced have not been used to commit violent crimes, and most guns used to commit violent crimes are never traced," making firearms extraordinarily difficult to manage in the first place (“A Ban on Assault Weapons Would Not Reduce Crime”). There is no purpose in exerting gratuitous laws restricting good samaritans’ right to bear arms. These gun control laws will not prevent criminals from obtaining guns from underground black markets, nor will they prevent offenders from breaking the laws in the first place. Essentially, an increase in gun control laws would give law abiding citizens a disadvantage, and at the same time provide lawbreakers with an augmented number of opportunities to
As the debate over gun control continues to spread throughout the nation like the plague, everyone is trying to choose a side. Some argue that their Second Amendment Rights are being infringed on, however, when looked at in detail that is not the case. Many others argue the decrease of guns is not beneficial because criminals are okay with doing illegal things, therefore they will obtain guns anyway. There is much, however, to disprove that. These weapons are the reason why the United States has such a high rate of violence even with such high wealth. The cost of gun violence has continued to rise over the years in medical bills. Criminals should not have the access they are currently have to such destructive weapons. Gun control must be put in place in order to decrease much of the violence and suicides the United States has.
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
“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.
Gun control is a controversial topic that has been around for decades in the United States and all around the world. After the recent terrible events, it has become an issue of controversy between the two groups that agree and disagree with gun control. Between 1970 and 2000, firearm injuries in the United States annually has 32,703 deaths. After motor-vehicle crashes, firearm injuries are second leading reason of injury and death in the United States.Majority of people that are against with gun control believe that gun can help them for self-defense in home and society. However, other people believe that if we reduce the number of guns in our society, we will reduce the amount of violence. There are many reasons for gun control. Let’s focus on three main reasons: manic people, economy issue, and accident by children.
On a list of things that are capable of ruining lives, guns and social media would be on the top of many Americans’ list. However, numerous well-meaning adults jump straight to the worst-case scenario, including these two authors. M.D. Anderson’s article “Arming Teachers: A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Idea” and Amy Webb’s article “We Post Nothing about Our Daughter Online” both have many assumptions, both which lead to the worst case scenario. Some are sensible speculations, such as not wanting to post about a child online. Others are overblown, such as assuming all schools will allow teachers to have guns. Without some of these pre-given premises of the authors, these articles do not work as well as the writers might have intended or wanted, and when picked apart, seem quite extreme.
Lately, there have been frequent discussions plaguing the news which primarily emphasizes firearms and gun control. These debates have led to many American citizens questioning the laws revolving around gun control and the amendment to the constitution permitting the right to bear arms. In numerous cities across the United States, the necessity to own a firearm is incredibly important. For example, let’s imagine someone walking the streets of Chicago on a daily basis and is constantly looking over his or her shoulder over the prospect of someone deliberately assaulting them. What if that same individual was murdered at gun point in broad daylight because he/she looked like a vulnerable target? Unfortunately, the senseless murder of this innocent individual was then reported to a grieving mother where she had to bury her child at a very young age.
The Second Amendment 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” (Stolzenberg and D'alessio). These words were written over two hundred years ago, however the exact meaning of them are still not entirely clear. The Amendment’s true meaning has been rather obscure for centuries, but it wasn’t until recent years that the issue has become the center of legal and academic debates (Stolzenberg and D'alessio). Though there has been regulations on guns for quite some time, firearm regulation did not become a “prominent political issue” until the 1980’s (Stolzenberg and D'alessio). “Once gun control entered the nation's political conscience, there was a surge in academic study of the Second Amendment's language and the historical sources surrounding its adoption” (Stolzenberg and D'alessio). Various books and articles were written and published reviewing these issues and “even noted constitutional theorists such as Laurence Tribe” began to change their ideas and understanding of the amendment (Stolzenberg and D'alessio).
It was eleven days before Christmas of 2012 and the unthinkable happens. There was a mass shooting at an elementary school killing 27 people, which 20 of those individuals were children. All the major news outlets are reporting that a gunman forces his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School and goes on a shooting rampage in Newton, Connecticut. The President of the United States wipes away tears as he realizes that this has happen again and this time to first graders. Unfortunately, mass shootings are becoming the norm from year to year in a country already plagued with gun violence.
In an editorial published on June 12, 2017, the New York Times criticized President Trump for a tweet in response to a terrorist attack in London earlier that month. Noting that the terrorists used knives rather than guns in that attack, the president tweeted, “Do you notice we are not having a gun debate right now? That’s because they used knives and a truck!” Implicitly, the president was criticizing what he viewed as a knee-jerk reaction on the part of gun control advocates to focus on the weapon used by terrorists as opposed to their political motives or mental state; the president appeared to be advocating the view that preventing terror attacks is best accomplished by focusing on both the latter and the former.
Strict firearm laws could be the deciding factor of how to remove weapons off the streets, out of the black markets, and more importantly out of criminals’ hands. Gun control is one of the most controversial topics in today’s society in both the U.S. and all around the world. Debates about this issue have dated back to 1791 when it was stated in the second amendment of the Bill of Rights that "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”. Since 1791, there have been many issues, debates and proposed regulations which have sparked the enormous controversy over the issue of gun control and violence. Recently, on October 5th, 2017, the U.S. Senate introduced The Background Check Completion Act. Throughout history there has always been many different perspectives and opinions towards this issue that not only affects the activists and participants of heated debates and rallies both for and against strict firearm laws but each and every member of society. The two largest conflicting perspectives continue to be the Republicans and Democrats who have the power to veto or pass stricter laws.
The gun control debate has been one of the centerpieces of American political discourse for the last several decades. On one side are those who firmly believe that the widespread availability of guns makes America more dangerous, and that stricter scrutiny should be applied both to who can own guns and what guns people can own. On the other side are those who believe that not only would increased firearms regulation be a violation of constitutional rights, but that it would have little to no effect on violence in America. Beneath this fiery, sometimes irrational debate are two core concepts of US political theory: constitutional interpretation and federalism.
The issue of gun control has always been debatable in the United States. In the United States for every 100 people there is 88.8 guns. This is the highest number of guns in the world. There have been many mass shootings even at an elementary school. One of the deadliest massacre happened at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut. Twenty-six children and six adults are killed on December 14, 2012. Due to all the gun violence President Obama felt a need to update and expand background checks for gun control. He issued the new executive actions on January 5, 2016. Many individuals feel gun control is a necessity, whereas others feel it is problematic. One may argue the gun debate revolves around the interpretation of the Second Amendment.
Would society be better off with or without gun control? Plenty of people believe that owning a firearm can become dangerous or a way of security. Michael Warfel wrote an article, “Why Gun Control?”, explaining the reasons for more firearm limitation. Warfel does not believe in the complete ban of all guns, but he feels that gangs and criminals obtain powerful guns too easily. If legislators who create laws, made more regulations on guns, then people use guns less senselessly. Warfel wrote a argument that goes into what society can do to ensure that the use of guns have well intentions. The author’s structure, resources, and lack of acknowledging the opposing side makes his argument poor.