It feels like every day, countless news stations, websites, and social media users break the tragic story of yet another mass shooting in the US, a fact that is shared by almost no other developed countries. Clearly there is something anomalous about the U.S., why else would the U.S. be the only country where this regularly happens? The answer lies in one key difference between the United States and other developed countries, its policies on gun control and ownership. The 2nd amendment to the United States Constitution states, essentially, that every US citizen has the right to own guns, and that the United States Government may not infringe upon those rights. The truth of the matter is that controlling American Citizen’s access to firearms is the only solution to the undeniable issue of mass shootings and gun related homicides, a fact that is backed up by the example of several other developed countries, in which guns are controlled and incidents of gun homicide and mass murder are far less common than they are in America. Controlling guns in America is a task that has been halted numerous times by the antiquated constitutional stance on American armament, and is the only sensible option for lessening the atrocious tragedies that are seen so often on U.S. soil.
It’s often argued by those against gun reform in America, that rather than violating constitutional rights and limiting civilian access to firearms, that streamlining and regulating the process of acquiring guns
“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.” These are the famous words drafted by the founding fathers into the Bill of Rights. This particular amendment has since then been a major part of American culture. Through the second amendment it has given American citizens freedom to buy firearms of any sort: AR-15s, AK-47s, handguns, and the like for self-defense. However, in light of the most recent mass shootings, people have felt that it is time to change if not regulate the freedom the second amendment grants. That is to say that some believe that there needs to be a solution to reduce if not end the gun violence in America by regulating and restricting the access to weapons meant for the police and military by American civilians. Ultimately, the solution to this social problem of gun violence in America is gun control. What is gun control exactly? From an extreme conservative's perspective, gun control is a means of disarming the public and infringing the right the second amendment grants Americans. What this point of view fails to take into account is that gun control is not about infringing on any right or disarming American civilians. It is about restricting the access and sales of deadly firearms to potential felons who have the capability of using them to commit mass murder. Furthermore, what some do not realize is that the second amendment was written in
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.
Statistical analysis about states in the U.S. proves the correlation between strict gun control policies and deaths related to firearms to the least extent. According to an article published by Richard Florida on CityLab, a research shows that states with stricter gun control have fewer gun-related fatalities. The study in the article was conducted by researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard School of Public Health. Researchers measured “legislative strength” of gun control policies in each state using data from Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Specifically, the elements that the researchers include when accounting for “legislative strength” are:
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
cited for demanding unlimited access to firearms, but according to the data provided in this paper, there is only a small chance that privately owned guns will be used in a situation against a robber, intruder, or a criminal. Firearms that are legally purchased by civilians will most likely be used by criminals and will leave innocent citizens injured. Also, supporters of gun rights believe that ‘the right to keep and bear arms” is a guaranteed right to all citizens of the United States and cann
Gun Control in the United States has gone out of control. The United States should enforce laws to not allow any guns in a house hold in order to reduce violence and crime in the country. Reducing the rate of crime in the United States, controlling big weapons, taxing ammunition, and gun collection can help make this happen. Gun Control can make this country a safer environment to live in.
On March 24, 1998, firing from the woods overlooking their school, 13-year-old Andrew Golden and 11-year-old Mitchell Johnson shot and killed four middle school students and a teacher and injured ten other students in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The two boys had a semiautomatic M-1 carbine with a large ammunition magazine, two other rifles, seven handguns and more than 500 rounds of ammunition which they took from the home of one of the boy?s grandfather, who had a large arsenal of weapons left unsecured. Officers arrested the two boys as they ran through the wooded area near the school, and they were convicted on five counts of capital murder and ten counts of first-degree battery in September 1998.
According to a World Health Organization study done in 2010, the Unites States of America has the fourth highest firearm homicide rate in the world after Afghanistan, Iraq and the Congo. More recently, a study done in 2013 by the Center for Disease Control found out that there were a total of 33,169 deaths with the use of firearms and more than half were a result of suicide. These statistics have sparked an extensive amount of modern debates on whether we as an American democracy need to amend the second amendment and regulate the purchase of as well as the right to individually bear arms. Two people who analyze this debate very differently but effectively are Zack Beauchamp who wrote “Rethinking the Right to Bear Arm”, and Nelson Lund who
In the United States gun control is a big controversy that has been blown out of proportion the last few years. Anything that has to do with guns in the news, reporters say it is the guns fault. Gun control laws are being changed and morphed for the new society that we live in today. What gun control really means is a group of laws to control the selling and use of guns.(1). Statistics have proven that most people want more control on guns. Many surveys have shown that the benefits of gun control in the United States out way the negative effects. Many people do not know enough about guns to get in on the argument, whether gun control is beneficial to the American people or not.
Did know that there are approximately 4.5 million firearms sold in the United States each year, and and estimated 2 million second hand firearms are sold each year? According to the IANSA (International Action Network on Small Arms of the United Nations), in the United States there are more than ten thousand gun homicides annually (IANSA). These statistics should shock every American. Gun control is the reason for these gross statistics. The strict laws on guns cases a lot of violent crimes, therefore the laws should be changed so that they are easier to buy, own, and protect oneself.
The citizens of the United States have enough pride to say that they have the right to carry their rifles and hand guns for self-defense. However, the Second Amendment is not unlimited to the use of all guns. Criminals and people who are mentally ill have found their ways of receiving a gun because of how flawed gun restrictions are in the United States. Because of the loose ends of gun restrictions, public shootings will continue to occur despite the alternative preventions available. The purpose of gun control is to manage the distribution of licensed weapons to people who qualify and have the right to carry a weapon with them for self-defense or sport.
On December 14, 2012, a gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, and killed 20 children and six adults. This tragedy shook the nation and made Americans wonder, how could this have been prevented? Recently published research suggests mass shootings are becoming more common in the United States. Harvard University researchers said in October 2014 that a mass shooting has occurred every 64 days, on average, since 2011, compared with every 200 days from 1982 to 2011 (McLeod). With the recent spike in mass shootings, the United States should regulate gun control by revising the process for gun purchases, ban certain gun accessories, and ban automatic assault rifles.
Incredible amount of gun violence has been on an exponential incline and has been a very serious issue in the recent years. Some of the hardest issues for gun control, is deciding on whether or not to make it stricter or ban all guns. Currently in the United States; passing new laws for gun control is in a standstill, thanks to politicians who do not wish to cooperate with each other. A vast majority of proposals have been made, but with little to none making it all the way to get passed. Another big challenge is trying to keep everyone happy, while also trying to put the U.S. in a safer environment to live in. The government needs to regulate the types of guns you can purchase and own, and who can purchase a gun or own a gun. These laws need to change mostly because times have changed, and America’s mental health system is currently not adequate enough. Which is why figuring out ways to contain the terrible unneeded violence is a must for the health and safety of the United States of America.
One of the biggest debates in the world ever known for today is the restriction on gun control and weather or not government and Obama should take away gun control or leave it alone. Just since 2013, there have been over 143 school shootings in the United States. Just in 2015, there has been over 45 school shootings in the United States. In some states, new laws have been added stating that if you’re going to buy a gun, you will need a background check. They do this for the safety of other people but not only that; but for the safety of that person as well. The United States government as well as Obama is on the debate on weather to add more strict laws for gun control in America.
The legality of having guns and possessing firearms in the United States of America is well engraved within the Second Amendment of the nation’s constitution. However, the issue of gun regulation has remained a central topic in America’s public. Some people advocate for a total ban on gun possession, while others are totally against this idea. The shooting incident in Las Vegas weeks ago has raised controversial debates in the United States of America. In fact, the White House is concerned on the stand that President Trump will take on the issue of stricter gun laws. One of the cities that has gained the attention of both the legislators on this topic is Chicago. For its reputation for its low rate of gang arrests, lax punishments for gun law violations, and comparatively weak laws in accordance with surrounding states, it is justifiable to say that Chicago’s daily shootings are a clear indicator that strict state gun laws don’t work.