The Ethics of Gun Control
The phrase "Gun Control" means different things to different people. One bumper sticker states that "Gun Control means hitting your target."
However one defines gun control, the mere mention of it brings controversy. Opposing sides have for years fought over the laws that govern firearms. For the purposes of this paper "Gun Control" is defined as policies enacted by the government that limit the legal rights of gun owners to own, carry, or use firearms, with the intent of reducing gun crimes such as murder, armed robbery, aggravated rape, and the like. So defined, gun control understandably brings favorable responses from some, and angry objections from others.
The gun control
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The arguments of the anti-gun lobby are generally based on so-called "common-sense" and emotional pleading, with relatively few statistics backing up their claims. They argue that the Second Amendment to the Constitution is only giving the states the right to regulate militia activity and therefore possess and "bear" arms (Rowland 3). Some of the more extreme anti-gun lobby advocate repealing the Second
Amendment altogether.
Since the most extreme advocates of gun control wish to ban guns regardless of the Constitution, it becomes necessary to not just examine the law of the land, and the courts interpretation, but also the underlying philosophies of both sides of the debate. This is not to say that the issue cannot be argued from a legal standpoint. In the past few years, as class-action lawsuits have become more prevalent, some lawsuits have been brought against gun manufacturers on the grounds that they produce and distribute a dangerous product. In some cases, juries decided for the plaintiffs, and thus set precedent for more anti-gun suits. This hardly sets an actual legal precedent against the legality of guns themselves. In fact, US v. Emerson, a case resolved just last
Spring, a federal appeals judge upheld under the Second Amendment the right to own/possess
Gun control is an extremely controversial issue in the United States, and the debates around this topic has started many decades ago. According to the article “Gun Rights vs. Gun control” by Brianna Gurciullo, these debates are fueled by the people who defend the gun rights and the people who advocate in favor of gun control. It has been difficult to prove that gun ownership is directly related to an increase in violence due to the fact that researches tend to disagree on the impact of gun ownership in the American society. These debates tend to be brought to the spotlight whenever there is a mass shooting in the United States, which according to Abbey Oldham, who is a reporter from the PBS News Hour, happens quite frequently. However, organizations, such as the National Rifle Association (NRA), defend that the laws for gun control violate the Second Amendment of the constitution, which states “the right of the people to keep and bear arms” stated Gurciullo. Due to the distinct interpretations of the constitution and the difficulty to agree on the best approach to tackle the issue, this controversy seem to be almost unsolvable.
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
Gun Control has been a controversy for as long as people can remember. This Controversy has increased recently due to the mass shootings taken place all over the United States. Gun control has its pros and cons, Some believe “Gun control laws state that the Second Amendment was intended for militias; that gun violence would be reduced; that gun restrictions have always existed; and that a majority of Americans, including gun owners, support new gun restrictions.”While others say that the Second Amendment “protects an individual’s right to own guns; that guns are needed for self-defense from threats ranging from local criminals to foreign invaders; and that gun ownership deters crime rather than causes more crime.” To be able to pick a side one must look at the argument from both perspectives, that 's what this paper accomplishes. You must go into detail about this issue and conduct research to form your own opinion.
This paper discusses and is centered around the on-going debate over gun control, I directly address how each major political party views this subject and what I believe the United States Government should do to be able to best combat this tremendous issue. I use research from multiple sources that contrast each side of the argument and give an overall insight into the world of modernized gun control.
The 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, outlining the right for any citizens to bear arms, is considered a cornerstone of our culture, but given how weapons have advanced so much since the amendment was drafted, is the “right to bear arms” truly ethical? In the past several decades, the United States has witnessed an unprecedented number of mass shootings (372 in 2015 alone), increasing in deadliness as citizens gain access to more advanced tech. Despite the frequency of these shootings and the number of victims killed, there has been little effective action taken to curtail these shootings in the United States. While liberals argue that the solution is strict gun regulation, conservatives claim that it infringes on the rights guaranteed by the 2nd amendment. Effectively, we’re forced to ask whether our right to own weapons is ethical in light of these tragedies where many innocent lives are lost. In good faith, I will argue in favor of the liberal argument of strict gun laws.
With an increase in the number of mass shootings that have occurred in the United States in the last few years the issue of gun control laws has become a prevalent topic of debate throughout American society. This debate stems from two opposing arguments over gun control. Some feel gun control laws are fair and not the contributing factor to these mass shootings, whereas, others feel that there is an urgent need for strict laws in order to end the problem of mass shootings. There are numerous pros and cons to the enforcement of stricter gun control laws but we must note a few things: stricter gun control laws would interfere with the second amendment, it is not the gun that kills it is the individual, and it is ultimately not laws that are
The continuing Mass Shootings in the United States has caused the gun control debate to intensify. While anti-gun control advocates say the Second Amendment guarantees each individual the right to bear arms, the pro-gun control group reads the Second Amendment as a collective right to bear arms; meaning organized militia are the only ones with that right. This essay will analyse the effectiveness of several different articles which present arguments for and against gun control.
Throughout the past several decades gun control has been put under scrutiny by the media and the general public. While the first major piece of gun control legislation was passed in 1911 in New York, it was not until the 1960’s that the gun control movement was truly galvanized(“Gun Control Reform”).This occurred because of a series of major political assassinations that led to the Gun Control Act being signed into law in 1968(“Gun Control Reform”). To this day the gun control movement lives on and many Americans believe that harsher gun control laws should be put into effect. These supposed gun laws range anywhere from a nationwide ban of assault weapons to a complete ban of guns. Supporters of gun control argue that taking away guns from
Gun Control has been a controversial issue in the United States for a long period of time. There are two sides to this debate, the pro-gun lobbyist who believe they should have the right to exercise the 2nd Amendment right which states that the Federal Government does not have the right to infringe the people from keeping and carrying a firearm. The Anti-gun lobbyist wants stricter run regulation or even ban gun sales all together. This essay will be analyzing the laws regarding gun regulations through the history of the United States. The essay will also look into the 2nd Amendment rights while also giving it a definition. This essay will also be analyzing some of the more important Supreme Court cases in which the ruling of the Supreme Court
Over the years separate interests have formed about guns, and what the United States should do to solve these “Problems”. As the years passed and debates started, two very distinct sides formed: one totally right and one totally left. The biggest groups for gun control are the Brady Campaign along with most Socialist and Democrats. They say that many school and nationwide shooting were mainly a result of the U.S.’s minimal gun control, and how we need more gun free zones and regulations to fix this. The biggest groups against gun control are the NRA and most Republicans. Those against gun control have argued that gun control laws are a violation of citizen’s constitutional rights often saying things like, “to take away the right to have guns is no different from the attempt of the British to “disarm” the colonists during the Revolutionary War” (Hanson 68). Some say that both are wrong or not completely correct. When the facts are presented it
In this paper, I consider the topic of gun control. First, I present Dixon’s argument in support of gun control, which is that all personal guns should be banned. Second, I introduce Huemer’s argument against the regulation of guns, which is that banning personal firearms is not justified. Third, I critique Huemer’s argument against gun control on the grounds of three claims. First, the right to own a gun is nullified by its negative repercussions. Second, gun control does not violate an individual’s right to defend themselves. Third, guns are not necessary for preventing crime. Finally, I argue in favor of Dixon’s position on gun control because the use of personal guns is immoral.
Gun control is a controversial issue in United States. Gun control concerns with the government regulation of the use of guns and ownership by private citizens. People who think the United States needs gun control are mainly democrats; they believe that gun control would reduce the number of accidents related to the guns as well as the violence. However, some people oppose to gun control, and these people are mainly republicans, believe that gun control will not take guns away from the criminals or gangsters and in addition, it is against the law which gives the right of residents to bear arms. Guns are a very controversial issue in United States. There are numerous reasons to support both sides on the issue. This paper will discuss how gun
This research is focus on the arguments against and for gun control? Gun control is a controversial topic in the United States. Therefore, the arguments against gun control are whether or not there is gun control law, and people still can find firearms from some illegal place. Second, the 2nd Amendment’s allows people have the rights to own guns for self-defense. Third, my friend gives me detailed explanation about why he likes to own a gun. On the other hand, I also research some arguments for gun control. People who vote for gun control because the children are innocent that he or she shouldn’t grow under the gun family to cause the death by easily touch the guns. Also, people who vote for gun control claims that the 2nd Amendment is not flawless. There are some data to show gun crimes in the United States why people vote for gun control.
Many individuals in today's society claim that guns are the common source for death and violence in the united states. Therefore, guns have been a very controversial topic that has been around since the formation of the constitution. therefore, the right to bear arms has been an important natural right given to every born or naturalized citizen. it has also, been stated by our founding fathers that such a right is inalienable and cannot be stripped away by any form of government and that the people themselves have the right to decide whether or not they want to carry authorized legal weapons and exercise their second amendment right. Moreover, guns should not be banned for many reasons that range from their importance in keeping the peace and defusing a situation that involves criminals and protect citizens from horrific events such as being held hostage by hostile criminals. Moreover, bans on guns can worsen our problems and cause catastrophic events that may deteriorate our current state due to the fact that these bans are restricting law abiding citizens from practice their second amendment right. Therefore, these rights have been implanted in the bill of rights as a basic right that must be enforced due to many reasons such as self defense. however, there are many factions that agree with the ban of guns and claim that guns are the root cause of deaths in America.
Gun control has dominated the political scene for the last five years ever since the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut where twenty-six children and teachers were shot up by a mentally ill shooter. Yet, it seems that every shooting since then has met the same reaction by politicians, thoughts, and prayers, which has enraged many of the victims’ families of major shootings including Las Vegas, San Bernardino, and many other occasions (Bernstein). Yet, the issue of gun control seems taboo for gun rights advocates and certain lobbies including the National Rifle Association which has literally blocked any attempt for regulation on guns to be passed due to the assumption of unfettered rights under the Second Amendment (Meckler et al, 2014). However, the approach currently being taken by Congress is not sustainable because it will lead to more deaths due to lack of background checks, the issue of mentally ill and felons able to fall through the cracks, and the issue that there are more regulations on things like cars, airplanes, and medicine yet for something that kills 36,000 people a year there seems to be an issue of dealing with it (Meckler et al, 2014). On the other side of the argument, there is a concern for total government overreach on the issue, the issue of states’ rights in terms of developing gun policy, and the potential issues of people being prevented to buy guns when they should legally be able to do so. Both sides make convincing arguments, but we must explore