In recent months and years, our world has witnessed some unthinkable events of violence, slaughter and ultimately death. Whether it be mass shootings, suicides or in an effort of self-defence; there is never a time when we switch on the news only to hear another depressing account. Who or what are the culprits? No-one knows for sure. But a main factor in America’s case is almost certainly guns.
In 2014 the United States had a population of around 319 million. It was estimated from production data of firearm manufacturers that there are 371 million firearms owned by American citizens all over the country. This is a substantial amount of guns being owned by families from around America. As a result of ready access to firearms more and more
When looking at all of the important issues of today’s society, one of the most neglected issues revolves around guns. Guns serve two different purposes: to defend and to kill. Even though I’ve been on this Earth for only 21 years, I’ve become keen and have taken an interest in the study of guns and how they pose more problems in society than any other issue. My interest all started around the time of the Columbine shooting in Colorado and how society has taken steps since that point in history. Going back to the two different purposes, both have been used to help explain the differences in the distinctions of different gun related events that continue to occur, such as mass shootings. Problem analysis, as stated, will help to explain how
There are presently in excess of 200 million guns in the United States, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Each year this number grows by 4 to 5 million. There are 60 to 65 million legal owners of one or more guns.1 There is a firearm on the premises of more than half the households in America. Most gun owners keep guns for protection. Others keep them for hunting, target shooting, collecting, and similar pursuits.
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,
I am writing to you today about the recent gun problems in America. In the past, America has been notorious for its’ mass shootings. From 1966 to 2012, almost a third of the world’s mass shootings took place in America and this is only the shootings where four or more people were killed. The number would be significantly higher if every single shooting was counted. Since the beginning of this year, there have been 384 shootings and we still have two months left in the year. That’s more than one shooting a day. However, it’s not a surprise there are this many shooting in America because there was a study done that shows that there are approximately 270 million guns owned by U.S. citizens. That means that in every hundred US citizens, 88.8 of
In the last two decades, mass shootings have become seemed to be dominating news headlines in North America. These local acts of violence have devastated families, communities and countries and have since shone a light on debates surrounding gun violence and the laws that govern it, the negative affects of social media, bullying, and the wide and deep breadth of mental health issues. A mass shooting is largely defined as a shooting perpetrated by one or more persons, where four or more people are killed. Since 1966, in the United States alone, there have been twenty mass shootings yielding eleven or more victims. All of these atrocities were carried out with the use of semi-automatic rifles, all of these massacres continue to garner more and
The amount of gun violence in the united states has risen to epidemic proportions. The U.S has allowed guns to become so easily accessible, that violence and gun related violence have become a daily occurrence. In the United States, there is a mass shooting that kills four or more people every twenty-three hours. The united states also manufactures and imports a huge surplus, Approximately 30 guns are produced and imported for every one exported from the U.S.. There are more than enough guns being circulated in the U.S. The number of gun murders per capita in the US in 2012, the most recent year for comparable statistics, showed that nearly 60% of homicides were gun related.
When a person hears the word "gun," he or she usually associates the purposes and uses of a gun with crime-related issues and plots of terrorism because of modern culture. They are used for that purpose by some people, but those people do not represent all aspects of the relationship of firearms to society. In the United States, many laws have been passed in order to regulate the use of guns by certain individuals, along with the establishment of associations that specialize in the usage and handling of firearms. With the regulation of firearms passed by the government, guns has become an integral part of modern society, attributing atrocities such as homicide with them, but also providing a portable means of protection. The addition
This paper will explore the history of guns, myths and realities of gun violence. Gun violence is a hot topic in America today and some may believe that America was built on gun violence. This country was colonized by the use of violence with guns. We’ve had wars since the invasion of this country. The violence has been around also with the well-known 1775 speech from Patrick Henry, “Give me liberty or give me death” (Jr.). Give me death is a very strong statement that to me means this is of a violent nature. Since then violence with guns would only escalate from taking land to taking lives whether it be homicides, suicides or threats of violence against one another. With the violent history of gun violence in America and so many different opinions, who or what is responsible for the destruction on self and society and what are the some of the ways to discourage these behaviors.
Guns have been is society for centuries. They have been used for hunting, war, and even safety. However, in the past several years they have begun to take the lives of many innocent victims, often young children. In response to the killings in Newtown, Conn., it has been noted, “If this were a country, the number of children killed by gun violence would violate international law.” (Browne-Marshall) F.B.I. data shows in 2011, 1,668 African American children were killed due to guns. Day by day gun violence is rising and it is not only in ghetto neighborhoods.
Former Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer once said "Yes, people pull the trigger - but guns are the instrument of death. Gun control is necessary, and delay means more death and horror". Spitzer’s words makes one think: should we fear the person behind the gun or the gun itself? The majority of violent crimes that happen in America are not only caused by a criminal, but also the weapon in which the criminal is holding. America’s gun violence problem stems from the increasing accessibility of firearms. Many of the mass shootings in America could have been prevented if access to semi-automatic and automatic weapons were completely banned. Gun violence is an arising issue, and a change needs to be made concerning the gun laws in the U.S. Stricter gun control laws is necessary to prevent high accessibility to firearms and mass shootings, also research shows that Australia’s strict gun control laws are proven to be more efficient in preventing gun violence.
Gun violence has been a conspicuous problem in the US, especially in recent times. The problem appears to be unique to the U.S, perhaps due to the advocacy that exists for guns by the NRA (National Rifle Association), as well as its constitution that permits household gun ownership. Thus, guns have grown to become a part of U.S culture, and there is an ongoing debate about how ethical or appropriate its (guns) prevalence is. Some argue that guns are needed, since they enhance the ability of people to protect themselves, while others protest that guns are harmful to society. I for one, am a strong believer in the latter, and assert that gun violence is the highest cause of death under the age of 40 in America - basing my argument of factors, such as the pervasiveness of guns, mass shootings, and the intertwining relationship between gang violence and drug distribution.
Society tries to find objects and opinions to blame but refuses to acknowledge that it is the denial of human imperfection that will continue the crimes and violence. Unfortunately, no matter how many restrictions and orders are placed, the wickedness of the human heart will always find a way to persevere and inflict damage and control onto others. As Hunter Avallone has remarked, “[...] but until we start teaching people the value of human life, then lives will really start being saved” (Avallone, 2016). Therefore, before banning assault weapons from the United States and the dignities of human rights along with them, a look on how current gun laws work and the types of people entrusted to hold these weapons should be conducted to unveil a proper solution in regards of the
The number of Americans that own guns is unclear because some people will not admit it and a lot of people own their guns illegally. “More than a third of Americans say they or someone in their household owns a gun. There are by various estimates anywhere from 270 million to 310 million guns in the United States — close to one firearm for every man, woman and child” (pewresearch.org). This statistic is very frightening. Not only is a gun available for every man in the United States but for every woman and child. The issues from having an outstanding number of guns and the guns even existing are that anyone can obtain a gun, including criminals. Guns can be accessed by children through their parents. A teenager might decide to committee suicide or shoot everyone in school. Mass murders has not stopped happening since guns were invented. Animals are hunted for fun and not for survival. Americans think that owning a gun is necessary and okay. The situation of parents teaching their children how to shoot is thought of it not being that big of a deal. One story has proven otherwise.
It is impossible not to open a newspaper, watch the television, or listen to the radio with out hearing about some type of gun violence. Perhaps the main reason for such high gun violence is that guns are so plentiful in the Unites States. In fact, there are sixty five million handguns in America ("The `facts' about Guns"). These guns contribute to an annual medical cost of fourteen billion dollars, which is spent solely on treating gun victims ("Handguns in America"). Not surprisingly, handguns are the cause of eighty percent of homicides, seventy percent of suicides, and almost every accidental shooting ("Youth and Violence"). Handgun violence is a problem that is easy for everyone to see. How to solve this predicament is another
The issue of ‘guns laws in America’ has created grave concerns for the wellbeing and safety of it’s citizens, particularly in Oregon. Barak Obama, President of the United States, reads out a calculated speech addressing the many concerns and shocking truths that America faces on a ‘routine’ basis when these powerful ‘killing machines’ are in criminal possession. Expressing a sombre tone, Obama discusses that as an ‘advanced country’ on Earth ‘we’ need to do more to prevent this kind of behaviour instead of succumbing to ‘[numbness]’.