The Pros And Cons Of Gun Control

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.

The gun control issue has recently created a massive uproar throughout the U.S. due to some major horrific events such as the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, where 32 people were killed, the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012 where 27 people were killed, mostly children, and the Columbine shooting in 1999 where 13 people were killed, (CNN) as well as many others. To some, it is a crime issue, to others it’s a right’s issue. It is, obviously, a safety issue, an education issue, a racial issue, and a political issue, among others, and within each of these issues there are those who want more gun control, the Democrats, and those who

“Over the past decade in America, more than 100,000 people have been killed as a result of gun violence. Millions more have been the victim of assaults, robberies, and other crimes involving a gun” (“"FACT SHEET: New Executive Actions to Reduce Gun Violence and Make Our Communities Safer"”). Gun Control is one of the main political issues that has been debated for years now; Guns have led to the mass increase of fatalities and deaths in the U.S. today, being a controversial issue for the past decade. From assassinations, to mass shootings, and homicides, every time guns and violence interact with each other the issue reemerges. As of today, the nation stands separate from the issue, taking a firm position on both sides, debating on what

The second amendment states that “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.” taking away our second amendment takes away our protection that was given to the people in the original rights of the constitution. Gun control has been a topic of controversy since the New Deal in which the National Firearms Act of 1934 and the Federal Firearms Act of 1938 were enacted. Although some forms of gun control are useful such as background checks and the National Firearms act of 1938, people should not be limited by concealed carry permits or open carry laws. American citizens should not be restricted from the type of firearm they are allowed to buy, how they use them, or where they keep them unless it is unconstitutional.

The past few years in the U.S has seen a steady rise in gun violence. In 2014 according to gunviolencearchive.org there were 280 mass shootings and in 2015 alone, there were over 300 mass shooting events in the U.S (GVA 1). But still there has been little to no changes in gun control legislation or regulations. Many supporters of gun control now feel that any form of legislation will never be passed when, after the tragedy of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school 26 people-- 6 adults and 20 students—were killed, and yet no laws were passed at all to limit access to guns (New Scientist 1). How and why this has and is still happening is an on-going issue. For many opponents of gun control the lives lost simply do not out-weigh the dangers that gun control laws could produce in the future. And while many of these fears such as the endangerment of civil liberties, and loss of self-defense for some should be given proper thought and discussion; but, they simply do not diminish the fact that gun control laws have saved lives and reduced crime overseas, and would do the same in the U.S.

The argument of gun control has always been a focal point of many politicians and concerned citizens. The current argument is based on a foundation that is hundreds of years old, and is one that reflects on the contemporary values of our society to this day. During what is now referred to as the constitutional convention of 1787, the United States enacted a series of laws that protected the people of the United States of America. The protections that were granted to us, became known as the constitution. In 1789, Virginia Representative James Madison introduced a series of proposed amendments to the newly ratified U.S. Constitution in a document known as The Bill of Rights. The most controversial of these rights commonly referred to as the 2nd amendment, it 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” (billofrightsinstitute.org).This text has been the focus scrutiny by both state and federal government, as well as politicians that are looking to align their ideals with the views of the people. Many would argue that, with the evolution of firearms, the historic amendment to the constitution shall be considered null and void; or, that this amendment was referring to long guns such as rifles or muskets, and that with the development of high capacity magazines and fully automatic rifles, criminals will take to the streets to wreak havoc on anyone in sight. However, the argument that needs to be considered, is whether or not the current legislation that is being proposed by Democratic party is actually going to prevent crime, or allow it the opportunity to flourish.

“I have a very strict gun control policy: if there is a gun around, I want to be in control of it” (Clint Eastwood). Every year according to ATF statistics, over six million guns are sold on average in the United States alone. As of 2015, gunviolencearchive.org reported 46,350 incidents related to firearms. Out of those incidents 11,664 deaths were attributed by a firearm. “Staggering numbers on both fronts with no resolution in site. The second amendment 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” many have challenged this right, and it has become one of the most controversially debated subjects to date.

The gun control controversy initiated in the 2010's after the amount of mass shootings in the United States began to rise exponentially. The shocking amount of gun related incident sparked a desire for more control. Two arguments are based on what restrictions should be active when buying a gun. These restrictions are formally known as gun control. According to New York Times, gun control is defined as: "a broad term that covers any sort of restriction on what kinds of firearms can be sold and bought, who can possess or sell them, where and how they can be stored or carried, what duties a seller has to vet a buyer, and what obligations both the buyer and the seller have to report transactions to the government." Recently, the debate has no clear winner, with both sides having loads of facts and statistics to support their claim. Throughout this expository, you will discover the advantages and disadvantages of higher gun control, and the effect that guns have on crime rates.

The handgun control debate demonstrates, a division into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs. In parts, of the country, shooting and hunting are a way of life for others they have no use in everyday life. Many people believe the gun violence problem could be fixed by passing stricter gun laws. This sparked a national conversation on gun control because mass shootings are becoming common in today's society. Many businesses are introducing universal background checks, and barring gun sales to people convicted of violent offenses. Gun control solutions are deeply divided along political lines. Gun control ownership vs protecting gun rights is the main deliberation. I believe in a society with hundreds of cultures, differences and arguments can arise out easily. It's best to control gun ownership rather than protecting the right of Americans to own guns. Guns give people power, with power inevitably becomes abuse. When President Obama called for new gun restrictions, the majority of gun owners feared that the federal government wanted to take away their right to own firearms; that increased

Gun control, it’s a common topic that gets thrown around debates very often, whether the second amendment should remain legal or it should be banned in the United States. I, among many law abiding citizens, prefer to keep the second amendment within our government just like it has been since our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence. However, with this law still in place, it also means anybody over a certain age, depending where they live in the United States, can buy a gun. This puts me on edge because not everybody in our nation is a very self-controlling person, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, religion, and so on. This brings back those tragic moments in our generation such as the Newtown School Shooting, where a man walked into an elementary and shot little boys and girls, and also teachers. Or that time when the man shot many innocent bystanders inside the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando with a rifle and handgun. That is why there should be strict background checks for anyone who is going to buy a firearm, because it’s important to know just who exactly is going to buy a gun.

A story the world has been talking about is the shooting in Virginia that killed two people and injured another. People with a mental illness should not be allowed to have guns. If people can be tested by their doctor to see if they possibly have some type of mental related issue and they come back positive then they should be prohibited from having guns period. According to the passage Guns and Mental Health “…an individual is prohibited from buying or possessing firearms for life if he/she has been ‘adjudicated as a mental defective’ or ‘committed to a mental institution’” (4). As a nation, we should have learned our lesson by now, and we should be doing something to prevent this from reoccurring again.

Almost daily, there is a story on the news about gun violence and the discussion comes up about gun control. What is gun control? As defined by Marriam-Webster, gun control is the “regulation of the selling, owning, and use of guns,” (Marriam, 2017). When is there too much control? How does it affect the law-abiding citizen? These are questions that need to be taken into consideration while taking a position, as gun control effects everyone in the United States of America. Gun control needs to cease due to the fact that it takes away from the rights and protection of the American people whilst increasing government control.

Today it is believed that gun control is essential. But, is it truly? It is believed that society needs this control this in order to feel safe and secure. Gun control was developed with the founding fathers, and has since been modified with new laws and regulations due to a various events in today's society. And while there are many pros and cons to regulating firearms, there will always be those that oppose it.

Automatic weapons are supposed to be used for things like self defense and hunting, but some people prefer to use them differently. A special type of gun called the AR-15 is exceptionally dangerous because of the type of bullet it uses. According to (Green tip)“ a special bullet called the M855 is used in the AR-15”. The reason this is a problem is because the M855 is a special bullet that can pierce through armour. This is especially dangerous to police officers because their bullet proof vests do not stop this bullet. Automatic weapons and guns must not be legal because they are used in shootings and crimes and the automatic weapons stimulate violence.

For many years, people have been pushing the American government to implement new laws that deal with gun control. Supporters of the argument claim that increased gun control will drastically reduce the crime rate in America. Nevertheless, a majority of gun control arguments are formed from strict control of data and emotional appeal. The mainstream media picks up these stories and broadcasts them to viewers without providing any context to them. While gun control activists assert that gun control is necessary, the American government should not ban guns because of the following reasons: potential vulnerability of innocent people being shot at by criminals and the inability for people to defend themselves against their own government.