The National Rifle Association: Keep Guns Out Of Your Hands

The debate over gun control has been raging through the American political systems for years. On one side, there is the National Rifle Association (NRA) and 2nd Amendment-citing citizens who use their firearms for hunting and self-defense. On the other, there is Handgun Control Inc. (HCI) and followers of the Brady Campaign who want to ban guns on the basis that they are dangerous. Both sides have strong arguments, anchored in historical precedent and statistical analysis. Anti-gun control lobbyists’ arguments include the guarantee of the 2nd Amendment, the definition of “militia” as any adult male, self-defense, the relative uselessness of permits and regulations, and court cases in favor of firearm possession. Pro-gun control activists

In her essay, “Get a Knife, Get a Dog, but Get Rid of Guns”, Molly Ivins discusses the highly debated topic of gun control. She argues that guns are an unnecessary evil to all of humanity and that permitting them to inexperienced and unregulated citizens only spoils the national security of the United States of America. Ivins quotes the Second Amendment as saying that guns were primarily intended to be used by a “well-regulated militia”. Thus, she believes that anyone who wants to own a gun should be subject to extensive training: “That is the least, the very least, that should be required of those who are permitted to have a gun” (385). Ivins goes on to say that guns are extremely dangerous and they should be banned, or at the very least strictly regulated (384-386). While Ivins reasonably discusses the issue of gun control in her op-ed, she does not adequately support her claims with substantial evidence or research about the negative impacts that guns have had on our society. She also seems unwilling to be open-minded about the opinions of the opposing side, calling them “gun-nuts” with a power hang-up (386). In conclusion, Ivins’ essay is not effective in urging readers who are pro-gun to change their views and she does not help reinforce the beliefs of people who oppose firearms.

There is a difference between a good guy with a gun and a bad guy with a gun. Wayne LaPierre once stated, the only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun (Cohen). Which is anything but true. Almost three years ago, this argument was put to test. According to Michael Cohen two “bad guys” shot and killed two police officers, but in the eyes of the NRA, they were once “good guys” until they used their guns to do “bad things”. Although they did not stop there , they headed to the local Walmart to finish what they had started with the police. On the inside there was a good guy whose name is not to be mentioned. He had a concealed carry permit and a gun on his side. He chose to approach one of the armed bad

Imagine, it is August of 1789 when and James Madison has just finished and sent to the 12 states for quick approval. Our 10 amendments were born, in particular, the second one, the right to bear arms. It's now 2017 and we are trying to take away that amendment, and it’s wrong. As Americans it is our right to have guns, it's in our culture, and to take it away is to take a cave from a bear. This is because restrictions on gun ownership should be kept to a minimum because guns protect us, we need guns for self-defense and home security, give us a source of food like hunting, and it is our right as an American to own them

The dramatic shootings that make the news remind us that guns are not noble instruments of freedom; they are highly dangerous

The Atlantic asked its readers about their first memories with guns, and one reader responded with "We lived in southwestern Colorado my first six years of life (1949-1955). My father had a double-barrel shotgun, and a single-barrel one, a .22 rifle, and a “deer rifle.” We ate more venison than beef and almost as much pheasant as chicken.... I never knew where he kept those guns; I never touched one that he didn’t offer. We only saw them when he cleaned them or packed them to go hunting. He let my older sister and me shoot one of them to feel the kick and power and hear the loudness.... When he passed away in 1981, a year after my mother had passed away, we took inventory of their estate, but we never found those guns. Perhaps he sold them or gave them away or simply kept them hidden somewhere so that no one would be able to find them and shoot someone accidentally" (Green). The issue of gun control has been an increasing cynosure in society, growing in its controversy. The polar opposite sides seem to grow further different from one another, with one side supporting and the other opposing gun control laws/actions. Those who support it tend to believe there should either be no place for the firearms in society at all or that there should be very strict restrictions on who may obtain a given firearm. Those who oppose the laws believe there should either be little to no change in current restrictions or, as the National Rifle Association (NRA) advocates, there ought to be

Only this month, 59 were killed and over 500 people were injured during a country music concert in Vegas in what is now known as the deadliest mass shooting in American history. Last year, 49 were killed and 58 were injured in a gay nightclub in Florida. In 2012, a mass shooting in Sandy Hook Elementary School took 27 lives, 20 of them being first graders. The list of these unthinkable and stomach-churning acts is quickly turning endless, forcing us to rethink why we truly have the right to bear arms. Many defend the second amendment by claiming we need this right for self defense, which is the most wretched part.When we look at what we have lost compared to what we have earned in this fight to keep the right to bear arms, this privilege does not seem worth the sacrifice of so many lives. In today’s world, we do not defense through guns but from them. Our policymakers keep trying to reach a compromise by putting in place certain regulations. “Some states require would-be gun owners to fulfill a firearms safety course in order to obtain their license.” “Such training courses, however, even when not required, are very advisable for the would-be gun owner, as they ensure that he or she has all the necessary information on liability issues, on safety, and even on care and maintenance of the gun” ( How to Get a Gun License 1). This lack of attention illustrates that despite the multiple tragedies that have taken place in our nation, some states do not even require a simple safety course that ensures the safety of our people. Furthermore, it is required that one must pass a background check. The questions asked on the test are the following:

Because of many incidents involving handguns, and any other type of gun, the government has been trying to push a gun ban law. As a result of this rumor and possible law, there have been numerous outbursts of support and resistance. Some people believe that banning firearms would be a benefit to our nation’s safety and its population’s safety, while others oppose this proposal and say that guns are not the ones that need to be controlled, people should be the ones that are controlled. During this decision, people from different organizations have expressed their own views and thoughts. Gun control has both positive and negative effects on U.S. citizens.

Gun control and gun rights are crucial topics that have been debated for years. Some people believe that civilians should not have the right to own a gun while others believe it is our god given right to bear arms. The second amendment of the Bill of Rights 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.”(Shermer). This is a right that society has had for years and is one of the main reasons why no solution has been reached yet. There are two main sides to this debate, Gun control advocates focus on the serious negative effects of gun availability on health and safety, while gun-ownership advocates emphasize the lawful use of guns and

December 4, 2015, in San Bernardino, CA, fourteen residents at the Inland Regional Center lost their lives due to Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik shooting many residents. Attending a holiday party at the center for thousands of residents with disabilities, Mr. Farook left the center “angry” over a dispute and came back with Ms. Malik. Armed with .223- caliber assault rifles and semiautomatic handguns, they killed 14 residents and wounded at least 17. Shootings seem to be becoming more habitual, therefore, people fear guns and want to enact gun control laws. Recent attacks from terrorist groups spark the question of who should have the right to own guns. Controversies over interpreting the Second Amendment date back to the turn of the twentieth century because so many viewpoints and regulations have accumulated; it is all in the manner of which interpretation citizens subscribe to- loose verses strict interpretation. Due to the controversies, certain gun regulations have been enacted and fears have risen because of this.

Malcolm X once said, “Sometimes you have to pick the gun up to put the gun down” (Malcolm X: "The Ballot). However, the news rarely accounts for when a gun has saved someone from potential danger. Every day, gun murders are broadcasted and dramatized on the news. Reports put emphasis on the guns, effectively making firearms look accountable for these evil acts. Indeed, devastation and destruction are what catch the public’s attention and get news channels high ratings. These broadcasts consequently convince the general population that controlling and even banning guns is going to stop the existence of violence. The United States does have the highest gun ownership rate in the world by a significant amount. On the contrary, the United States

To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment. Would you capture it or just let it slip?” (Eminem). So this is a good quote most gun violence or bad behavior is because the kid has grown up without his dad or in my case my mom. But don’t let living with a single parent get you into trouble use it as motivation to stop that cycle. Do what you have your mind set on and do not let people lead you stray. So, if your parents have been convicted of murder do not be like them you are the difference. Guns aren’t everything they are a want not a need. You can live without them. The plan in your mind is your keys to success do not go out and let your friend dictate your life. If your friend told you that murder is right would you listen to him? My dad told me to be a leader not a follower. You have one life to live, live it to the fullest. You need to be leader use your voice to stand up for yourself. Say not to gun violence. Do not get caught up in gun violence and think before you pull the trigger. Think of the consequences they are not worth a whole life of pain in prison. Do not be part of the statistic of people that know someone that was killed by guns. Guns are stupid they lead to crime. Just look back at the riot in Ferguson. Caused by a gun. Leave them alone unless you have to use them. I know that these country boys think they are cool with one in there truck but me I think it is stupid. You should live life

In the use, purchase, and selling of guns, there are consequences for the actions of those who bypass the law. One major issue is in the contrast of people’s state of mind. For example, in the article about the two school shootings, the author includes the following statement from a child: “‘Just because I have access to a gun, that doesn't mean I'm going to go out and kill somebody,’ said Cummings, who took a safety course before receiving a state hunting license. ‘Anyone who does that, they've got to be messed up in the head.’” (Kids). The people, children or adults, who come to have access to a gun and do not use it solely for self-defense or the sport of hunting, will use it for violence and have the reputation for not being in the right

I hear people who are always talking about wanting to be free, and feel safe in their homes, and community, but yet the people saying this, also say that they are anti-gun control. If you are anti-gun control, you may think, or say to others, “that is what a gun should be used for. It’s used for my protection.” But is it really? You might seem safe with a gun on your hip, or beside your bed, but are you really? When someone comes into your house, ready to shoot, and kill whoever moves an inch, you will probably be trembling with fear. When you aren’t actually in the act of being robbed by a criminal, you might think your first instinction, would be to grab the gun and shoot them first, but would you really? Once you pull the trigger, you won’t ever be able to take it back. Multiple thoughts will be rushing through your brain. What if you don’t get to the gun fast enough? Or what if you don’t even know that they are in your house? You never know who is going to break into your house, neither do you know when. You also might not even be brave enough to even run to your bedside, and grab the gun.

The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads, "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." The right to bear arms is not just a right given to American citizens by our forefathers, it is a God given right. In response to recent mass murders involving firearms, gun control advocates have heightened the urgency to increase gun control laws. Ever since Eve took a bite of the forbidden apple, evil has existed in the world, however it is of paramount importance to realize who the real culprits of these evils are; guns are not to blame. Just as spoons do not make people fat and pencils do not do math problems wrong, guns do not kill people. People kill people. According to Steve Nolan, Co-Founder of SurvivalWeek.com and publisher of The Beacon, American gun owners use their guns almost 2.5 million times per year to ward off criminal attacks. Often times, a gun does not even have to be fired to scare away an attacker. In the event of a robbery, most criminals will flee simply at the threat of being shot. We continually hear about the evil that guns cause and the detriment to society that gun owners are, however, the media fails to mention the tremendous amount of lives saved by guns being used defensively. When 2.5 million lives are saved annually as opposed to the 11,000 lost annually due to gun related homicides, it is clear that