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Gun Control And The Effects Of Gun Control

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Most Americans believe that the effects of gun violence are tragic. While the right to “bear arms” is granted to Americans under the Constitution’s Second Amendment, guns pose a safety threat because many people do not understand the risks and responsibilities that come with gun ownership. Sadly, the nation lost over 15,000 human lives last year due to gun violence (Kelly). The issue of gun violence is attributed, in part, due to lenient rules and regulations pertaining to all types of firearms. There are countless inconsistencies in the nation’s gun control laws, which need to be addressed through enforcing nationwide personal background checks, required gun competency tests, and mandatory continuing education to maintain gun licenses. Universal background checks have been proven to save lives but need to be utilized and enforced nationwide. For example, according to a 2016 report by National Public Radio, universal background checks “can significantly curb gun violence. Researchers found that a 1995 Connecticut law requiring gun buyers to get permits (which required background checks) was associated with a 40 percent decline in gun homicides and a 15 percent drop in suicides.”
However, there is a problem surrounding the implementation of mandatory nationwide background checks, which is due to decades of lax gun control laws. The leniency in the law starts with interpretation of The United States Constitution and its Bill of Rights. This “supreme law” for America

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