Imagine Black Friday shopping at the local mall knowing that people all around could be carrying loaded guns! Even though this may sound far fetched, under the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, citizens have the right to possess and carry guns. Was this the intent of the Founding Fathers when they penned the Second Amendment? When written, the Second Amendment was about protecting the American government from both foreign and domestic threats (Truthout). Gun control is one of the hottest topics at water cooler discussions across America today. This topic is very polarizing. American citizens news feeds are flooded with stories about shootings on a daily basis, innocent victims being shot during a crime, senseless mass shoots, shots fired in self-defense, police shootings of criminals, and last but not least, the shooting that occurs in war. Americans are bombarded with reports and images of gun violence from television, the press, social media, and computer war games. Yet, how many people have actually held a gun? How many have …show more content…
Research shows that whether attempters live or die depends in large part on the ready availability of firearms. A study by the Harvard School of Public Health of all 50 U.S. states reveals a powerful link between rates of firearm ownership and suicides. Based on a survey of American households conducted in 2002, it was found that in states where guns were prevalent—as in Wyoming, where 63 percent of households reported owning guns—rates of suicide were higher. The inverse was also true: where gun ownership was less common, suicide rates were also lower ( Harvard). Many lives could be saved if firearms weren't so accessible. The American government needs to adopt policies that would keep guns out of the hands of vulnerable adults and
Many teenagers and even adults feel worthless and depressed and give up on life. Instead of taking action and getting help to solve their life problems, these people choose to commit suicide. There are about 30,000 suicide deaths per year. This number is outrageously high. One out of every 45 attempts of suicide actually succeeds. Whether suicide attempters succeed or fail, all depends on how easy it is for them to get the resources they want to use for this task, especially firearms. Deborah Azrael, a research associate at Harvard’s Research Center, found that when guns were predominant in a state, suicide rates were higher. The inverse of this statement was also correct, in states where guns were not prevalent, suicide rates were lower. Many lives would be saved, many suicides would be prevented, and many families would be able to avoid heartbreak and despair, if firearms were not accessible in the United
“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
Imagine going to school where instead of worrying about a grade you got on a test, you have to worry about your school being the next victim of a mass shooting. 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” (United States Constitution), and yet instead of some people using their guns for self defense, they use it for mass shootings. Some argue that we already have gun control laws that don’t work, but others say if we had better gun laws than it would work. The debate on gun control started in November 22, 1963, when evidence in the assassination of president John F. Kennedy increased public awareness
Tougher gun control laws will most certainly lead to less people owning guns. It is argued that if less people own guns, then those who choose to commit suicide using a gun will be saved. However, there is no direct correlation between those who choose to commit suicide and the amount of people who choose to own a gun (Thompson, 2001). Although gun
The ongoing debate about gun control i largely intertwines with the 2nd Amendment. In 1791, our founding fathers ratified the 2nd amendment to the constitution, allowing the “right to bear arms”. As law-abiding citizens, we should exercise our right to carry a gun responsibly. A large portion of the American population feels that any form of gun control enactment would infringe on their rights as a gun holder and eventually eliminate their privilege to possess a firearm. Which could possibly lead to challenging other civil liberties. However, due to the carnage left from mass killings, mentally disturbed attacks, assault weapons, and terrorist, stricter
One of the most debated and polarizing issues in modern day America is the issues surrounding the second amendment. The issue of gun control has been raging on in the American political scene for years and, talk about the issue has only grown. The debate has always been brought to the limelight after major shootings throughout the United States, most recently with the horrible attack at the nightclub in Orlando, Florida. According to the crowd sourced website, Mass Shooting Tracker, there have over 370 mass shootings that have taken place this year itself. The tracker considers all acts of violence where four or more people are wounded or killed. The second amendment has been put into place over 200 years ago to give the people the right to bear arms. While people argue the exact interpretation of the second amendment, the ability to own a gun in America must be respected. There are many pros and cons to owning guns in America, but we can all agree that drastic steps must be taken to end the violence that guns have strangled America with.
America is the most well armed nation in the world, with American citizens owning about 270 million of the world’s 875 million firearms (Marshall). Indeed, this is more than a quarter of the world’s registered firearms. The reason why Americans own so many guns is because of the Second Amendment, which 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.” (Rauch) This amendment guarantees U.S. citizens the right to have firearms. Since this amendment is relatively vague, it is up for interpretation, and is often used by gun advocates to argue for lenient gun laws. Hence, gun control is a frequently discussed controversial topic in
The second amendment of The Constitution of the Unites States rules 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.” In recent years this has become a highlighted and popular discussion topic throughout people and media. Typical with American media the subject of gun control is visited with broad stroked of red and the use of fear tactics while completely ignoring the complicated and underling positives and negatives of public access to firearms and the benefits and risks associated with this freedom. Most people do not carry a weapon at all and may question others who do because of the moderately low risk of being a victim of a crime. Those how carry however like to think “Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.”
Gun violence in the United States has been a growing anomaly. Everyday 309 people die from guns in America, and this number is growing. These tragedies can be a result of suicide, murder, gang related, racially motivated, accidents etc. In the past, many policy makers in Washington have attempted to create a law to decrease the number of gun related deaths, however, many of these attempts have become unsuccessful. The second amendment, the right to bear arms, is a right given to the citizens of the United States by our founding fathers. This rudimentary right is something that many citizens in this country hold dear and will not see taken away. Because of the struggle to find a common ground between acceptable guns and unnecessary guns is so hard, this has sparked a national
Our second amendment right is something that I feel that most Americans would go to war over. I never grew up around guns, I have never held a gun, or discharged a gun. More importantly, I have never used a gun to protect me, my property or my family. This is why I fail to see the fascination people have with the right to own a gun, especially military grade firearms like assault rifles. “Assault rifles were designed to kill people and have no legitimate civilian purpose.” (Infobased Learning 2008) So why then is ok for every ordinary Joe over the age of 21 with a permit to own one. Statistically speaking one in every three people in the U.S. own at least one firearm, and of those 48% own four or more firearms. In the past 40 years the percentage of gun ownership has gone from forty-seven percent to thirty-four percent. But guns do serve other purposes like protection and safety.
Imagine heartbreak, loved ones dying, and losing hope. This has transpired for many in America today, all because of gun violence. It has become a great problem for our society in recent years. Data from Every Town Research has shown In their article Gun Violence by the Numbers “...that on an average day, 93 Americans are killed with guns...For every one person killed, two are injured” Many will deny that gun violence is a dilemma, but it is. Most do not realize this but, over 62% of the deaths are suicide, and just over 1,642 people killed by gun violence were unintended. There is something very wrong here, and something needs to change quickly. If so many of these deaths are incidental, and suicides; There is clearly a correlation between something in our society today, and the terribly high rates of suicide which need to be addressed. I contend we need to get out there and instruct our youth, and adults on how to handle situations with a gun. Additionally, we should discover what is causing so many to feel as if suicide is the only way out of the pain, and suffering from a long unsatisfactory life.
Majority of the United States population do not realize how prominent the deaths due to gun violence are until a major incident occurs that shakes the country. The battle over gun control has been going on for decades and is now more than ever, one of the biggest arguments dividing America especially following the recent life changing events. Gun violence is not just seen in high crime areas or even gang affiliated but in places such as schools, workplaces and even at the hand of law enforcements. The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution 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." A major question is when it is acceptable for the right
If US citizens do not have guns than many of these citizens will be in harm's way. Gun control will not prevent suicides. If gun laws are enacted there will still be suicides. Suicide is one of the main causes of death. Many countries that have low gun rates have high suicide rates. Also taking away guns is not going to cure mental illnesses. The US should not take away from stable people but instead take these guns away from mentally unstable people. Many school shootings and or mass shootings happen from mentally unstable humans. The United States should send more money to mental facilities or psychiatric hospitals instead of taking the money and putting it towards gun control. Not only should the US put more funding towards mental and psychiatric
Every year, thousands of people, innocent or guilty die from gun violence in the United States. Gun violence is despicable while guns are still lawful with a permit. The Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution 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” (Cornell). This statement means that the government were to ever become corrupt the people have the rights to guns in order to protect themselves. This amendment was written because of the Revolutionary War. The founding fathers didn 't want the people to be defenseless like they were against the British so they guaranteed that right. However, our founding fathers failed to think about the disadvantages of giving access to guns in our country so easily. Many people debate that there should be more limits on gun control considering the many deaths and mass shootings that have occurred in the United States. Our country leads all nations in gun violence yet some still debate that it 's in the constitution for a reason, for the protection of the people.
More than 89 people die from gun violence every day and out of those 89 people, two- thirds of them are suicides. Guns displayed around the house make it three times more likely for suicides to occur (Gun Violence 2). Every day, out of seven children and teens that die from gun violence, two kill them themselves. Out of 41 children and teens that are shot and survive every day, one of those 41 survive from a suicide attempt. 89 people that die every day from gun violence, 55 of them kill themselves. Every day, 208 people are shot and survive and ten of those people survive a suicide attempt (Key Gun Violence Statistics 2). In one year on average 827 out of 2,677 kids kill themselves and 280 out of 14,822 kids survive a suicide attempt (Key Gun Violence Statistics 2). In our communities, hundreds and thousands of people commit suicide with a gun (Fact Sheet: New Executive Actions to Reduce Gun Violence and Make our Communities Safer 2). “Firearms were used in 19,392 suicides in the U.S. in 2010, constituting almost 62% of all gun deaths. Over 50% of all suicides are committed with a firearm. On average, 49 gun suicides were committed each day for the years 2005- 2010. White males, about 40% of the U.S. population, accounted for over 80% of firearm suicides in 2010. Firearms were used in nearly 44% of suicide deaths among persons under