John R Lott

Gun ownership in the United States is one of the most controversial issues today. The US ranks #1 in gun ownership based on number of guns per capita with 112.6 guns per 100 residents (2014). Lately, there is the so-called American gun crisis due to a series of mass shootings that are becoming more frequent and deadlier. Now, and more than ever, gun ownership is on the hot seat after the shooting in San Bernardino, California. And with this, we tackle the debate over concealed carry – its pros and cons.

Imagine the notion of being defenseless against an individual holding the purpose of wreaking mass devastation on the students and faculty inside of a school. In 2012, Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut endured a tragedy that carries historical significance to the notion of shielding those inside of a classroom in a worst-case situation. When twenty-six students had their life taken away during a school massacre, the thought of permitting teachers to carry handguns during class drew more consideration than ever. The safety of the students inside of a school facility may be in jeopardy as manifested in school shootings such as the ones which transpired at Sandy Hook Elementary School and Virginia Tech, where thirty-two students and teachers lost their lives (History.com). While many feel that presenting teachers with handguns may prove harmful to safety efforts, inflicting such standards would provide instructors and students equally with enhanced protection and overall security.

Current Gun Control regulations do not deter violence and crime. It has been shown that places that have relaxed their gun control laws have a higher crime and death rate. Data proves that homicide rates “[...] among the metro areas whose principal city is in a state that requires some form of permit to purchase a gun, is 4.32 per 100,000 residents, compared with 5.74 among cities in no-permit states”(Bailey). This is evidence that there is a correlation between gun control and death rates. It is also proven with statistical evidence that places with the least amount of gun control have the most violence. Statistics show that “‘none of the states with the most gun violence require permits to purchase rifles, shotguns, or handguns. Gun owners are also not required to register

Significance: This topic is extremely significant because gun rights are under attack from many politicians in America, who are attempting to take protection out of the hands of the law-abiding citizens of this great country. Current laws in much of the country control what kind of gun people can and cannot own, as well as when and where they can carry them (if at all). In addition, more restrictive gun laws have not reduced mass shootings and have allowed for a larger number of gun-related deaths to occur.

(Lott 12) in the United States there are 80,000 to 82,000 defensive uses of guns during assaults, robberies and household burglaries. Out of the 1,000,000 times guns are used for defensive reasons in the world 400,000 of theses cases have saved lives or prevented lives from being taken. (Lott 2) The use of guns by law-abiding citizens may create a positive externality for others. Therefore, when a person is going to commit a unlawful act on someone they might be reluctant because they have no way of telling if they are carrying a weapon or not. Our country is very restrictive when granting the public to own or carry guns. Therefore, our government came up with the "Shall Issue" law, which prevents anyone to own, or posses guns that have a record of criminal injustices or a record of mental illness.

Guns are becoming one of the top issues in the newspapers (The Monroe Evening News). There have been 394 incidents of students bringing guns to school in the United States since 1998 (Sutton). Legislators say that the law cannot prevent the tragedy of the fatal shootings in the schools

Throughout its history, the United States has had a fascination with guns. Americans have used guns in times of war, for protection, and for hunting. Americans also use guns when they are intent on killing people. When violence happens in school shootings, drive-by shootings, assassination of public officials, or in the workplace and shopping malls, Americans demand something be done. This demand fuels the debate between gun rights and gun control activists. It fuels the debate over the interpretation of the Second Amendment. It fuels the debate on allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons in gun-free zones. This makes us ask the question: Should guns be banned from college

A comforting fact about guns is that they enable the common citizen to protect themselves. In some parts of the country, it can take 20 minutes or longer for first responders to arrive. Because of this, a large part of our personal safety depends on our ability to defend ourselves (Gun Control Overview 5). This in itself proves the necessity of firearms for the well-being of the common citizen. There are also numerous colleges that implement what students should do in the event of a shooting in their handbook. “West Virginia University advises students that if the situation is dire, they should “act with physical aggression and throw items at the active shooter.” These items could include ‘student desks, keys, shoes, belts, books, cell phones, iPods, book bags, laptops, pens, pencils, etc.’” (Goldberg 12). The very existence of these policies is evidence that local law enforcement

The safety of schools have been tested more in the recent years with news coverage of the most recent incident in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where twenty children and six staff members lost their lives. With the recent rise of school shootings it is no wonder parents are concerned for their children’s safety in schools. Where drugs and peer pressure were once major concerns, in today’s society, we worry about our children dying in the hands of armed shooters. While there is much controversy over how to protect the future of America’s children, lawmakers are supporting a bill to allow armed guards to stand and protect our children in the school systems by creating laws to allow armed security in the schools. “The Indiana amendment's sponsor, Rep. Jim Lucas (R), said he believes mass shootings like the one in Newtown could be prevented by more firearms.” (Resmovits, 2013). In support of armed guards, the National Rifle Association has paid for research

“The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun.” -NRA chief. This statement has been largely disputed relating to the carrying of concealed weapons in public and whether it should be allowed or not. People try to use the history of guns in America and the interpretation of the second amendment to prove or disprove a point. One can also compare the good and the bad of each side and decide for themselves what they think the best option is. The argument is whether or not concealed carry affects America and it’s citizens in a more positive or negative way. It is only when it’s decided what the effects are can you go forward figuring out the solutions.

After enacting laws that allow permitted adults to carry a concealed weapon a number of states have witnessed significant, and even rapid, declines in crime rates, including murder, rape, and assault.

Is arming teachers the last way to stop violence? The number of school shootings is increasing rapidly in the United States. One of the ways people are thinking to solve this problem, is to arm teachers. Almost all of us understand that arming teachers will stop these school shooting from ever happening again. In this essay I will strongly argue that teachers should have guns, because a shooter can be disarmed, it may prevent the trigger from ever getting pulled, and any teacher to become, will have to prove that they are mentally stable to carry guns.

In 2015, 13,367 people lost their lives due to gun violence according to Gun Violence Archive. The Archive also states that out of that number, 693 were children from ages 0-11. We can all agree that there is indeed a problem that we have to address. The solution to that problem, however, has been debated by many. I believe the solution to this problem exists in three parts: Mandatory training and licensing along with more heavily secure gun storage, stricter regulations on the purchasing of a firearm—disabilities and criminal records should be more deeply looked into before transaction—and finally, equipping teachers at highs schools with the right kind of weaponry to prevent mass shootings.

Statistics say that forty percent of American homes own guns. In Texas, some students were restricted from wearing even holsters with no gun onto campus. This incident was taken top federal court and the judge enforced that this was completely lawful and they had the right to free speech their feeling about firearms. Another situation in Kentucky was brought to the attention of many Americans when a young man was released from his job for possessing a handgun in his locked car while he was working in the emergency room of a hospital (Burnett). Firing this man from his job solely on the fact that he had a gun in his car is unlawful and taking away what he considers a way for him to feel safe. According to Monica Davey, people express that establishing stricter gun laws does not increase their feeling of safety. Research shows that even though Chicago has the most strict gun laws in America, Texas has a lower crime and deaths each year caused by guns. Texas’ gun laws are one of the most lenient in the country and one of the safest referring to injuries due to guns (Davey). Owning a gun in America is no casual thing. Experts say that there are 310 million non-military guns owned in by homes in the United Sates, This number is excluding the number of guns in shooting ranges, government guns, and military guns (O’Brien). Taking these gains away to better “protect” people would be no easy task. No gun does not mean no crime. A

In a 225-page study by the National Rifle Association, the idea of having armed guards in schools is argued that it could possibly lower the rate of tragic shootings. In this study, led by Asa Hutchinson, he points out an incident where a high school principal retrieved his .45 caliber from his vehicle and stop a student who was trying to flee from the school after he had shot two and wounded 7 other students (Finn paragraph 6). This school shooting is one example of many that have happened throughout history where armed personnel was present and helpful in the detainment of the shooter.