Persuasive Essay On Gun Control

“Guns don’t kill people, people do.” This is a well known statement that is oftentimes considered true. However, it is not completely true. Someone who is mentally ill may be unable to make logical decisions and the perception they receive of reality may be tainted by the illness. Gun laws pertaining to those suffering mental illnesses should be more restrictive. Weapons such as guns make committing an act of violence, especially when there are multiple victims, much easier. It is difficult to assess the probability of a person to commit a violent act that harms anyone including himself/herself. Therefore, gun laws need be monitored very closely and made more consistent throughout each state in order to prevent violence that could

Nine students were killed at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. A man opened fire in a church, in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine people, including the pastor. Twenty-seven were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. Twelve were killed in the Washington Navy Yard. This is only a few examples from a very long list. The grim truth is that mass shootings are becoming the new normal. Every few months, another mass shooting occurs and the public goes through the same routine of mourning, honoring, and ultimately debating. What causes these manic episodes of multiple, indiscriminate gun deaths? Some push for more gun control, others argue that the U.S. mental health system is a failure. Controversy aside,

In the 1980’s a “mental illness” was removes from the list of 26 identifiable mental illnesses. The American Psychiatric Association, the organization responsible for mental classification, is the apex of subjectivity. They are responsible for arbitrarily adding or subtracting a lifestyle from a list of mental illnesses. They are also the organization that will determine who is mentally capable of owning a gun. Through comparisons made between Switzerland and Chicago, more evidence points to the problem being the people and not the tool or gun they choose to use. (Vargas, 2014). Gun Control is not efficient as it has not shown to reduce the amount of gun-related crimes.

n the U.S. gun violence is becoming a very critical issue as death tolls increase. In 2015, the Unites States had an average of one mass shooting per day, meaning there have been no shootings in which four or more people have been killed by a single gunman. As hundreds of people die each year from gun violence, strengthening the United States gun laws in becoming a necessity to reduce violence, as done in other countries; however, because of the belief that mental illness is the primary cause of gun violence, political lobbying, and the Second Amendment, passing these laws may prove very challenging.

Mass shooting situations are never capable of clear premature warnings shots. Friends and family are mostly never aware of what is happening in the shooters life. Mostly outcasts and people that don’t have a connection to people that check up on them. Violence cannot be acted on by the weapon itself, it requires a gunman. Gun restriction of certain sales and consistent background checks violate the second amendment that 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.” ("Gun Control Laws: Should the United States adopt stronger gun control laws?" Issues & Controversies, InfoBase Learning, 11 Oct. 2017). On the other hand, many can argue that the sale of automatic weapon to citizen can be much more dangerous that the sale of semi-automatic weapons such as handguns. After the last decades events, many politicians and people of the public are outraged and want some sort of control on who can access the weapons.

Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Pulse Night Club, and Las Vegas all have one thing in common. They all became household names after experiencing horrific mass shootings shocking Americans across the country. We hear of other tragic shootings almost daily and the question we hear the media asking is, “are guns the problem?” The debate over guns has been around since our country was founded. Our founding fathers felt it was so important that citizens have the right to protect themselves, that the right to bear arms is the second amendment in the constitution, making it a secure member of the Bill of Rights. Since this amendment was published and made law of the land, people have been debating its validity, especially in recent years. Our country seems divided with half the citizens blaming guns for mass shootings and the other half adamantly defending our right to own guns. While some people argue that guns are the cause of mass shootings in America, the Bill of Rights should be upheld for citizens to have their rights to bear arms for protection of our property and from a tyrannical government.

People with apparent psychological disorders have committed a number of serious gun crimes in the United States over the past several years resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. Children have been murdered by gunfire in their classrooms in Connecticut, moviegoers have been shot to death while watching a film in Colorado, and a member of Congress, her constituents, and bystanders have been gunned down in Arizona. And of course, Columbine is a word, the name of a town, now etched into the consciousness of virtually every U.S. citizen and resident. We immediately then begin to think of places such as Virginia Tech after hearing and reflecting on the massacre at Columbine. These are just a few examples of shootings by individuals who appear to have been in the grips of psychological disturbances. These shootings made national headlines; nevertheless, gun shootings claim lives every day in this country. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld an individual’s Constitutional right to bear arms based on Second Amendment court cases emanating from Washington D.C. and Chicago; thus the proliferation of guns appears to be with us indefinitely. Inevitably, individuals with psychological disorders will commit gun crimes, yet there is currently no direct way to prevent such individuals from purchasing guns. In order to decrease the likelihood of further shootings by people with apparent psychological disorders, it should be required by the government that prospective gun buyers be given

Mentally unstable people often seek professional counseling and some are required to take medications to ensure their thoughts are stable. Some medications have properties in them that causes the brain not to respond in a timely manner or make a sound decision. When carrying a gun proper judgement on when and why to use the gun is mandatory for adequate operation. Having unnatural thoughts or an extensive history of mental health issues can cause conflicts when carrying a gun. For example, carrying a gun after returning from a long tour in Iraq and taking medications to suppress vivid dreams or thoughts of suicide. If placed in a predicament were these thoughts were enhanced major trouble could come about. People deemed mentally unstable or at the time prescribed any medications that can cause compromise judgment, should not operate a firearm.

With all of the recent tragic events involving gun violence the debate between gun control and gun rights has been at an all-time high. The most recent and deadliest example of gun violence in Las Vegas, Nevada being still fresh in peoples’ minds, the San Bernardino attacks in which deadly fully automatic weapons were used, and all of the recent school shootings are all making Americans wonder and debate about the proper response to these events. The majority of Americans are responding by asking the question on how these events can be prevented. Many Americans believe stricter gun control, background checks, or even complete bans on firearms are the solutions to gun violence. Many others believe gun control is not the answer, or the issue is not with guns at all, that maybe the issue lies with our overall mental health of our society, or even putting resources into other means of prevention is the answer.

You probably know someone who owns a gun. They might own it for hunting, going to the shooting range, or protection against crime. Even though these are practical reasons for owning a firearm, some harmful uses of guns have stirred controversy within the United States. Incidents such as the Sandy Hook shooting, Columbine shooting, and the Aurora shooting have some Americans calling for stricter gun control laws. These gun control laws would infringe on the right to bear arms stated in the Constitution. Law-abiding citizens should not have their liberties trampled on because criminals or a few mentally-deranged people were able to acquire guns. With exceptions such as those with criminal backgrounds or psychological issues, there should not be any gun control or restrictions for United States citizens because it would infringe on our rights to bear arms stated in the second amendment.

“The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun.” Says the CEO of the National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre, at a news conference on 16 December 2012. But the thing is, his statement is wrong.

“We will keep guns out of the wrong hands, enforce our guns laws, and ensure those with serious mental illnesses get treatment”, President Obama stated in January of 2016. Gun Violence has become one of the leading causes of death in the United States resulting in over 32,000 fatalities every year(US National Library of Medicine). For years, politicians have been contemplating methods of gun control in order to reduce gun violence. Republicans have argued that prohibiting mentally ill individuals from purchasing guns is a violation of their second amendment right, whereas advocates of stricter gun laws support President Obama’s regulation to keep guns out of the hands of those who have applied of Social Security benefits through mental illness and those who are incapable of managing their own finances. As President Obama stated that guns must be kept out of the ‘wrong hands’, various arguments have risen over which specific group of people ‘wrong’ refers to. Many consider gun violence to be the action of using firearms to harm others, however a majority of gun violence by mentally ill individuals have resulted in suicide and self harm; more than 90% of those who die from suicide are diagnosed with a Mental Disorder( Mental Health Reporting, University of Washington). Although some may argue that prohibiting mentally ill and disabled people from owning guns is an infringement of their second amendment right, mentally ill people should not be allowed to purchase guns in order

In the United States, 1 out 3 homes with kids have guns and approximately 1.7 million children live in homes with an unlocked, loaded gun. Having unprotected guns lying around is not only extremely dangerous, it can also lead to fatal accidents. Diane Dimond and David A. Fryxell both agree that adults who own guns need to be responsible about having guns in homes to protect their children and as a nation, we are accountable to open up a legitimate conversation regarding gun control. Having such a powerful weapon end up in the wrong hands will lead to devastating tragedies and can possibly destroy families. This nation needs to understand that without having an open conversation to make a change our country will not progress but it will lead to increased homicides.

The Second Amendment is a very controversial topic in politics. Opinions vary, but no one has never really come up with a compromise to solve the issues put forward. Some see the laws that are passed as a compromise between them, but it still brings new conflicts to the table. These conflicts include the views of gun control, permits, and laws/restrictions, with regards to whom should have the right to guard against threats with weapons, how to ensure the safety of guns in a home, and much more. The issue with these comes from many biased opinions, on both sides, and not factual information. Some even believe that some of the laws are necessary, but some are not, and that they do not need to be addressed because they are irrelevant. When based on a biased opinion, the information given is not factual and cannot help further a solution to an issue. This only seems to cause further confusion with the addressed issues, making the already unsure even more chaotic.

Having lower rates on guns has kept guns out of criminals’ hands and weapons like AR-15’s out of civilians’ hands as well. As of October 8th, 2017, a few days after the mass shooting in Las Vegas; Congressman have rallied together to find a solution to this problem. Some say that the right to bear arms is in the Constitution, but certain gun policies aren’t taking effect in United States. With this implemented, Congressmen agree these policies are the answer to their prays.