There is No Need for Gun Safety Locks Essay

In 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School was victim of a terrible mass shooting that prompted several states and cities to pass strict gun control measures. This sparked a widely debated and controversial issue for “gun friendly” states in the South and West, who responded with bills that would strengthen Stand Your Ground laws and allow weapons in most public places. The nation continues to be divided on gun control policies, as it is very controversial and continues to be a very hot topic in society today. There has been a rise in gun violence throughout the years, and it has been widely been debated that guns are too easily accessible and there is a continued push for stricter gun laws that can reduce the risk of gun violence.

* Page, Clarence. “Children are at Risk From Handgun Violence.” Gun Control: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Tamara L. Roleff. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1997.

Many people in America are coming to the realization that gun violence is beginning to have a dramatic affect on teenagers. Christine Watkins, the author of, “Gun Crimes Cause Serious Harm to Children” Gives much evidence on why she believes more gun control, or even removing all firearms from homes will be the solution to this crisis. She tells readers that teenagers from urban areas have the greatest risk of being involved in some kind of gun crime. With her estimate of over 280 million gun in America, she believes firearms are too readily available and teenagers are accessing them with little to no trouble, legally, or illegally. Furthermore, she believes this is why teenagers suffer the most from firearm violence (Gun Crimes). Some

In the past six months, there have been a total of 19,635 gun incidents. Out of those 19,635 incidents, 107 were mass shootings, 829 were home invasions, and 604 were for defensive use, according to Gunviolencearchive.org. It is unbelievable to see the number of gun related incidents that have happened in just the past six months. What is even more unbelievable to imagine is that so many of those incidents could have been avoided if people were allowed to carry concealed guns in certain places. Concealed carry, or concealed weapons, is the practice of carrying weapons, such as a handgun, in public in a concealed manner. All fifty states in the United States allow concealed carry in public places to some degree. But, some places, for example, schools, restaurants, and stores, prohibit concealed weapons. The controversy about whether concealed weapons should be prohibited in certain locations has been debated for years, and more often in the past decade. On one side of the debate, supporters of the “gun-free zones” claim that prohibiting concealed weapons in certain locations will reduce crime and ensure that the location is free of gun violence, allowing concealed weapons can result to more guns landing in the hands of criminals, and some even insist that public safety should be left to professional, qualified police officers, not ignorant citizens with little to no expert training. However, it is absolutely necessary to know that prohibiting weapons in certain locations

It is very important to notice that the matter of regulation, first of all, refers to concealed guns. Lott (2013) states that the problem of allowing concealed handguns--but not openly carried handguns--is based on the argument that “when guns are concealed, criminals are unable to tell whether the victim is armed before striking, which raises the risk to criminals of committing many types of crimes.” The author also speculates that, on the other hand, when “open-carry” handgun laws are adopted, the defensive ability of a potential victim is immediately identified by the criminals, which makes it easier for them to choose the most vulnerable target (Lott, 2013, p. 6).

What cause crime? Is is an individual’s access to firearms or is it their willingness to act illegally given the opportunity? In this argumentative essay I will be discussing one of the most debated topics in the United States today, gun control. There are two extremely opposite views on this topic: the belief that guns enable crime, and the belief that guns deter crime. These polar opposites leave room for a very good discussion of what facts and truths may lie behind this topic. Throughout this essay I will be analyzing both sides of this issue.The significance of a topic such as gun control is very prevalent in today’s society. Some see it sad that we must argue over one of our supposedly deemed unalienable rights such as bearing a firearm.

As the population increases its stocks on firearms, a significant number of citizens are at risk of being harmed. According to statistics, “In 2000, almost 30,000 persons died from firearm injuries in the United States more than the number of deaths from, alcohol abuse, or drug abuse… [in spite of] almost 20,000 laws and regulations regulating gun usage to some degree” (Kwon and Baack). Though several individuals are in fear of losing guns as weapons for protection, a greater number of laws will continue to be useful in maintaining the security of citizens upon significant new laws addressing gun control. Although the existence of guns is necessary to protect bear arms, gun control laws help reduce violence, decrease the homicide rate, and help prevent accidents from around the globe. New gun control laws should be enforced to ensure the safety of the entire population, and most importantly to prevent any gun violence as necessary to help save the lives of the innocent.

Stricter laws against guns should definitely be initiated in the United States. It is too easy for just anyone to get their hands on guns, especially teenagers. The events that have happened in years past is proof that if gun laws get more lenient then more people will get killed in tragic situations such as the ones I’ll discuss in this essay. America should learn from its past, and not only think of new laws to prevent these types of events from happening, but should also begin to enforce the laws that are already in place.

Taking into account of the recent shooting sprees, the gun control debate has started again. However, people have contemplated: “Why does America need gun laws” and “Why are so many states disagreeing about the restrictions that need to be put in place for civilians looking to purchase firearms.” The reasoning for such contemplation is that the fluxuating strictness of gun laws have led to several incidences within states that have strict gun laws due to the fact that the perpetrators of these incidences have purchased their firearms either from black markets, or states where the severity of gun control is at minimal levels.

For this reason, it is incredibly hard for the country to agree or disagree on controversial topics such as gun control. Gun control laws and restrictions are methods in reducing the accessibility of firearms to the ordinary citizen. The belief is that with less dangerous firearms in the streets, the less crime there will be. Numerous studies and evidence show that a reduction of gun ownership can ironically increase the crime rate. This trend might seem counter intuitive but when seen at a different perspective, it becomes logical. When law abiding citizens are not able to purchase a weapon but a criminal is through illegal means such as the black market, it leaves people helpless against the gunman. Many advocates for gun control seem to ignore the facts and trends that show that gun ownership and crime rate does not have any correlation. Instead, these advocates seem to rely on the emotional appeal of people, exploiting the tragedies that are caused by shootings, wars, and criminal activities. The purpose of this essay is to educate people on the negative side effects of gun control and on how guns can actually decrease

Gun control has become an increasingly controversial topic in the nation due to the continuous debates relating to gun control and whether or not laws should be passed to make it harder for guns to be obtained. Guns serve for a variety of purposes that range from good to bad. Guns are not for everyone. Some individuals cannot handle guns properly, and some choose to use guns inappropriately. Lately, guns have become more of a problem in our society. There has been an increasing amount of shootings that have taken many lives and have wounded people emotionally, not just physically. Although guns are used for protection, firearms are reportedly used more in crimes. More and more shootings are breaking out across the nation. As a result, the

***For added protection, there are different types of storage and/or locks for guns also. The first is a lockbox. It is a small metal case that is used for handguns. An advantage of this case is that there is quick access if the lock is pushbutton. A disadvantage is that it costs more than a trigger or cable lock. The average price is anywhere from $40 to $200+. Second, a gun vault or safe comes in a variety of sizes to fit all types of guns. Some advantages are that it is difficult to steal, allows for numerous guns of different sizes, there is storage for other items and valuables, and they are usually fire safe. Some disadvantages are that it costs more than cable locks or lock boxes and they are also heavy and difficult to move. The price range is anywhere from $100 to $2000. The cable lock is a cable that is inserted into the chamber and locked (like a bike lock) to prevent a shell from being fired. Advantages are that the long cables are able to thread through several guns and they are inexpensive. Disadvantages are that the cable is thin and can be easily cut. Price ranges from free to $20+. Next the trigger lock is a two piece rigid cylinder that fits behind the trigger so it cannot move. A combination opens this lock. Advantages are that it is inexpensive, they are widely available, and there is quick access to the gun. Some disadvantages are that they may break easily and may not prevent theft because the locks can be removed later. Some models can be

Gun control is severely weakened by the few loopholes that exist in the system. These loopholes make it possible for minors and felons to obtain outlawed and high-powered weapons. They also serve to weaken the strength of the Brady- Bill and Gun registration. Adults are prohibited from transferring firearms to juveniles, but are not required to store guns in securely locked cabinets. This allows kids to get access to them. This Child Access Prevention (CAP) proposal would require parents to keep loaded firearms out of the reach of children and would hold gun owners criminally responsible if a child gains access to an unsecured firearm and uses it to injure himself or

Former Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer once said "Yes, people pull the trigger - but guns are the instrument of death. Gun control is necessary, and delay means more death and horror". Spitzer’s words makes one think: should we fear the person behind the gun or the gun itself? The majority of violent crimes that happen in America are not only caused by a criminal, but also the weapon in which the criminal is holding. America’s gun violence problem stems from the increasing accessibility of firearms. Many of the mass shootings in America could have been prevented if access to semi-automatic and automatic weapons were completely banned. Gun violence is an arising issue, and a change needs to be made concerning the gun laws in the U.S. Stricter gun control laws is necessary to prevent high accessibility to firearms and mass shootings, also research shows that Australia’s strict gun control laws are proven to be more efficient in preventing gun violence.

In a 225-page study by the National Rifle Association, the idea of having armed guards in schools is argued that it could possibly lower the rate of tragic shootings. In this study, led by Asa Hutchinson, he points out an incident where a high school principal retrieved his .45 caliber from his vehicle and stop a student who was trying to flee from the school after he had shot two and wounded 7 other students (Finn paragraph 6). This school shooting is one example of many that have happened throughout history where armed personnel was present and helpful in the detainment of the shooter.