In the United States, gun ownership is common. Due to America’s pervasive gun culture which originated during the colonial period, many Americans believe that they have rights to bear arms. In recent decades, however, the rise in the both frequency and number of mass shootings, such as Las Vegas attack and the Orlando nightclub shooting, has transformed the public sentiment toward gun rights gradually and led the debate over gun control to take the center stage in America. While some people still insist on having free access to firearms, more people call for implementing stricter gun control laws. In fact, 52 percent of respondents advocate they support stricter gun laws, yet 48 percent of respondents argue gun control laws infringe on their constitutional right (Davidson). People on both sides hold strong opinions on this topic and are unwilling to compromise to break the deadlock. I believe that the government should implement stricter gun-control measures to reduce future acts of gun-involved violence because on the one hand, the easy access to guns significantly contributes to the increased rates for suicide, homicide, and accidental deaths, resulting in escalation of societal costs associated with the gun violence; on the other hand, the gun violence brings severe psychological effects to survivors of shooting incidents and witnesses to gun-involved incidents. Allowing people access to guns increases the lethality of impulsivity and the risk of homicide, suicide, and
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
Taya Kyle, the author of the article “American Sniper Widow: Gun Control Won’t Protect Us”, believes that there are two sides of the argument on gun control. People can use statistics, facts, and real life examples to argue that there should be stricter control of guns in the US, but they cannot eliminate the emotional side of the story. While in the last two decades, violent crime rates have actually been reduced in the US, fears have gone up. Anyone can be a victim of a violent crime because if another person decides to do harm, they will do it under any circumstances.
People who appreciate activities like shooting competitions and hunting, use firearms responsibly. This use contrasts with other uses, which often result in consequences that can be both intended and unintended. With past and present mass shootings, and acts of bloodshed perpetrated with the usage of weapons; has triggered a focus on gun control that once again has been brought into the spotlight. The purpose of the ongoing gun argument addresses the crimes that are committed with guns. This issue of gun control separated people into two groups: those who believe that carrying guns might prevent some crimes and fatalities, and those who don’t. There are individuals who believe absolutely the reverse: that more crime and deaths
Researchers at the University of Alabama have conducted studies trying to find links between guns and mass shootings (Michaels). There are hundreds of millions of guns in circulation in America today. In fact, “the total number of guns in circulation is at least 240 million” (Ballaro and Finley). Adam Lankford, an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of Alabama, suggests that “America’s high rate of public mass shootings is connected with the number of guns circulating in the country” (Michaels). Implementing stricter gun laws would cause fewer people to want to purchase guns, resulting in fewer guns in circulation in the coming years. In the United States, “around 30,000 people die from gun fire each year. Around half of these are murders, a little less than half are suicides, and the rest are lethal accidents” (Ballaro and Finley). (2) Currently there are several million guns in circulation, and gun deaths in America are higher than any other developed country. (5) If the trend continues, the number of gun deaths will continue to increase. As stated in the article “10 Pro-Gun Myths, Shot Down.” author Dave Gilson states that “People with access to more guns tend to kill more people- with guns. States with higher gun ownership rates have higher gun murder rates- as much as 114% higher than states with lower gun ownership rates” (Gilson). (7) More
While Americans were contemplating gun control proposals in the wake of mass shootings at a Colorado School, another gunman massacred 50 people in a club in Orlando. This incident brought heated political exchanges between President Obama and Trump, the Republican presidential candidate. It is estimated that in 2015 alone, there were more than 351 mass shootings in the United States. This is a worrying trend that should be reversed as soon as possible. Surprisingly, the trend has divided Americans into two groups. On one extreme end, there are those Americans who believe that the government should enforce gun control. On the other end, some Americans insist that stricter gun controls will not help in the fight against killings. In this light, this paper will try to provide a detailed analysis of the gun control debate while highlighting the various points made by the proponents and opponents of the gun control. The essay posits that gun control is counterproductive.
Gun regulation has been a controversial topic since they were first established as a weapon. People for and against gun regulation provide strong arguments for their side. Gun regulation has fluctuated over time due to changes in office. Being a democracy prevents us from having consistency. As a nation we continue to change regulations on guns because of the different views our democracy allows us to have. The main aspects pose the most problems in gun control are violence, illegal sale of guns, and mental health checks.
Gun control should be implied more than it is now. More gun laws should be created in order to tame society. Americans own over 300 million guns. According to (Everitt,Ladd) the author of the article “Does the U.S. Need Tougher Gun-Control Laws?” There are 99 gun deaths a day and some who committed the crime were not eligible to obtain or carry a weapon. More teens are being killed with guns than any other crime. Teens are not eligible to obtain guns due to the age requirement that is 21 years of age with a background check. There are gun show loopholes were 18 year olds can go and buy a gun without a license and background check. “The major cities chiefs association endorses closing the gun show loophole” according to Richard Perez-Pena the
Many would agree that there is a distressing amount of violence in America. Violence takes place in many forms, in different severities, and in many places. In an effort to continually make our society more civilized, ways to stop these violent acts from occurring are always being contemplated. There are many ways to approach the epidemic in America, but one that has increasing popularity is applying more strict gun control laws. Strict gun laws are viewed by many to be a step in the right direction, but they are actually a potential danger to the citizens of the United States.
Coming from a family that owns guns, the topic of gun ownership has become more pertinent than ever. From a young age, my grandfather instructed me on the proper care and usage of firearms. However, due to a death within the family years ago due to gun violence, the repercussions of the Second Amendment have become more palpable. Approximately 73% of the 16,459 homicides could have been avoided in 2016 solely if guns didn't exist, and 11,961 lives potentially saved according to data calculated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation dataset. Whether or not the people of the United States agree with more gun control, the choice of allowing guns to the public puts everyone at a potential risk of encountering a firearm related crime. The glaring need for improved gun control within the U.S. became apparent in the recent
Today in the United States, one of the most hotly-debated political issues is gun control. On one side of the debate lies those who staunchly support the United States Constitution’s Second Amendment and fewer laws surrounding gun control. The other side bears those who support more restrictions in an effort to reduce gun violence even with the Second Amendment in place. Tragedies are committed in the United States with guns everyday. In 2014, nearly seventy percent of the 14,249 murders were committed with some sort of firearm (Criminal Justice Information Services Division). If more restrictions were implemented on firearms, the number of deaths could be lowered easily. More restrictions should be put on guns, including implementing universal
As I reflect on this past year’s top news stories and headlines, one of the main legal issues that continues to arise and cause terror in our own country is gun control. This is a controversial issue that has been debated for years, especially as more and more shootings occur. We’ve seen deadly mass shootings in our schools, churches, malls, nightclubs, concert venues, and most recently in Las Vegas, which is now classified as the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, leaving 58 people dead and 546 injured. All of these mass shootings are senseless actions caused by a small few but have a nationwide effect on countless families and loved ones. People are afraid for their safety with a fear of not knowing when and where the next shooting will take place. This is why there are so many proponents of stricter gun regulations. As I was doing my research on gun control, I found that in America, there is an average of 88 guns per 100 people (about 270 million guns), which is the highest total and per capita number in the entire world, according to the 2011 Small Arms Survey. Additionally, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence estimates that around 114,994 people are shot each year in the US, including murders, assaults, accidents, police intervention, suicide attempts, and suicides. There are also people who fear that stricter gun regulations will make them have a loss of security, arguing that restricting their right to bear arms would leave citizens unable to protect themselves in times of self-defense from local criminals or foreign invaders, or if in a rare case the government were to turn against the people someday. Many gun owners believe it is their birthright to have a gun in their possession as it is part of America’s great heritage, with the country’s colonial history and revolutionary roots. People are divided in their view of what gun control should and shouldn’t be. America has around 35-50 percent of the world’s civilian-owned guns, according to a 2007 report by the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey. That being said, the United States also has the highest homicide by firearm rate among the world’s most developed nations. Over the years these statistics have gone up and down but one thing that
Next, enforcing more gun control laws would significantly reduce firearm deaths. There were 464,033 total gun deaths between 1999 and 2013: 270,237 suicides (58.2% of total deaths); 174,773 homicides (37.7%); and 9,983 unintentional deaths (2.2%) (gun-control.procon.org). A recent study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that "legal purchase of a handgun appears to be associated with a long-lasting increased risk of violent death" (gun-control.procon.org). Therefore, implementing more gun laws and regulations for obtaining guns should be put in place to eliminate these risks. For example, the United States could implement federal universal background checks, as well as background checks for ammunition purchases. According to the 2016 Lancet study, this could reduce deaths by a projected 80.7% (gun-control.procon.org). In addition, gun identification requirements could reduce the amount of deaths by 82.5%
While the Second Amendment can help determine the prevalence of guns in our society, the actual results of the United State’s lack in regulation can be seen in all corners of our country. From horrifying mass shootings to suicide, guns only encourage homicidal behavior and violence. Therefore, we must now explore the arguments centered around gun
Gun violence is the common issue in the United States that is kept growing. As an American people have right to own a gun for safety and protection reason but many people take advantage of it. The right to own the gun allows many dangerous people to harm other peoples through the deadly weapon. The rate of shooting death is rapidly increasing in past few decades. The legislative branch needs to adopt stronger gun laws to reduce shooting deaths without the violation of the Constitution.
“If it's lawful to have a rifle club to kill pheasants, it should be just as lawful to have one to kill wolves or dogs that are being sicked on little black babies. In fact, it's unconstitutional. Article Number Two of the constitution guarantees the right of every citizen to own a rifle or a shotgun.” said Malcolm X. Guns control should be more strict around the world. Many criminals get their hands on guns and you know what will happen if they got there hands on these dangerous weapons. There needs to be more control over guns or our earth will have so many deaths that is unimaginable. Even though the constitution protects the rights to bear arms they should be more strict on who can get a gun. Anyone can get a gun but there has been more deaths,massacres,deaths of animals, and the pollution on the earth than ever.