Weapons Effect

With the popular culture providing positive images of guns, the United States has a gun prevalence that is very rare in the modern world. While many people appreciate the “gun culture”, guns are heavily involved in violence in the United States. According to U.S. Department of Justice, since 1960, more than 750,000 Americans have died under firearms, including homicides, suicides, and unintentional injuries. The figure 1 provides a comprehensive survey of U.S. violent crimes for the period from 1993 to 2011.This figure illustrates that from 1993 to 2011, about 60% to 70% of homicides were associated with a firearm. Over the same period, between 6% and 9% of all nonfatal violence, with about 20% to 30% of robberies and 22% to 32% of aggravated assaults involving a firearm.

In response to these attacks, increasing numbers of Americans are feeling the need to arm themselves as a means of self defense. In response to the shooting in California, local gun shops are noticing roughly a 25% increase in business. Likewise, local Sheriff’s departments are experiencing a large increase in concealed carry permit requests. In Orange County, California, the Sheriff’s department received 130 permit requests in the week following the attack—up from their average of 30—while neighboring San Bernardino County screened seven times their weekly average (Mather). The increase in California gun sales shows that residents want the ability to defend themselves in the event of another shooting—an opportunity these residents would not have as a result of a ban on personal firearms.

Current Gun Control regulations do not deter violence and crime. It has been shown that places that have relaxed their gun control laws have a higher crime and death rate. Data proves that homicide rates “[...] among the metro areas whose principal city is in a state that requires some form of permit to purchase a gun, is 4.32 per 100,000 residents, compared with 5.74 among cities in no-permit states”(Bailey). This is evidence that there is a correlation between gun control and death rates. It is also proven with statistical evidence that places with the least amount of gun control have the most violence. Statistics show that “‘none of the states with the most gun violence require permits to purchase rifles, shotguns, or handguns. Gun owners are also not required to register

Gun control laws do not deter crime; gun ownership deters crime. A Nov. 26, 2013 study found that, between 1980 and 2009, "assault weapons bans did not significantly affect murder rates at the state level" and "states with restrictions on the carrying of concealed weapons had higher gun-related murders." While gun ownership doubled in the twentieth century, the murder rate decreased. John R. Lott, Jr., PhD, author of More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws, stated, "States with the largest increases in gun ownership also have the largest drops in violent crimes... The effect on 'shall-issue' [concealed gun] laws on these crimes [where two or more people were killed] has been dramatic. When states passed these laws, the number of multiple-victim shootings declined by 84 percent. Deaths from these shootings plummeted on average by 90 percent and injuries by 82 percent." A Dec. 10, 2014 Pew survey found that 57% of people believe that owning a gun protects

C. Thesis Statement (position on topic – preview main ideas – outline of speech); A Pew Foundation report found that 79% of male gun owners and 80% of female gun owners said owning a gun made them feel safer, and 64% of people living in a home in which someone else owns a gun felt safer.The Centers for Disease Control listed firearms as the #12 cause of all deaths between 1999 and 2013, representing 1.3% of total deaths. They were also the #1 method of death by homicide (66.6% of all homicides) and by suicide (52.2% of all suicides).

The most common reason why people argue that they need to have a gun is for safety, so they can protect themselves against burglars. If a burglar would come into your house, you would have a better chance defending yourself and your family with a gun, than if you did not have a gun. The number of concealed weapon owners is at an all time high. In comparison the number of homicides had drastically decreased alongside the growing rate of legal concealed weapons. This number had been nearly cut in half in the past 20 years(Goldberg).

The question of banning or permitting concealed guns evokes many more questions. According to Lott (2013), when the state legislative hearings were processed about concealed-handgun laws, the most usual concerns involved the problem of armed citizens who may possibly attack each other in the affected state that could follow car accidents, or even may accidentally shoot a dutiful police officer. However, the author argues, the evidence does not show the grounds for such fears: although 31 states have already had such concealed-handgun laws for many decades, there was only one case of a concealed handgun used in a shooting after a traffic accident. Moreover, that incident involved self-defense (Lott, 2013, p. 13).

To suggest guns as a means of self-defense is sometimes criticized as playing unfairly on emotions, and indeed for many there may never come a time that they would imagine using one. But then, it is largely because of

I have chosen to discuss the culture of violence in America and how it relates to gun control. It seems we cannot turn on the television, computer or smart phone without reading about gun violence throughout the country. I believe America’s love affair with violence has contributed to an increase in violent crimes. Having said that, there are several incidences in the news where possessing a gun has proven to be helpful in keeping homeowners safe and alive. In one case, a son was at home during a home invasion and used his gun to prevent the attack. This incident happened in Wagoner County, Oklahoma. Three teens dressed in black, wearing masks and gloves, broke into a residence. Authorities arrived to find two of the intruders shot to death in the home, one suspect was found dead in the driveway, and later an additional accomplice turned herself in to the authorities (Wire). Also, there is the case in which a 73-year-old man stopped a home robbery because he had a gun and shot the intruder. The elderly man reported being robbed several times that year, likely contributing to his perceived need to arm himself.

Recently, the topic of gun control has been at the top of everybody’s list in regard to what this country needs to focus on. With the recent tragedies in Las Vegas and Orlando, some may claim that giving more people the ability to carry a concealed weapon would deter some criminals from committing crimes due to fear of failure. This theory was discussed and tested in an article by David Fortunato entitled, “Can Easing Concealed Carry Deter Crime?” This article shows results of many surveys and case studies completed within the US regarding topics like types of permits, ease of issuance, and the perceived number or carriers per state. It then goes on to break down this data, and draws a conclusion from it that may surprise some.

With the increase in concealed carry permits, there has also been a large increase in firearm sales. From 2008 to 2011, there were about 14 million firearms sold in the United States, “while over 20 million were sold between 2012 and 2013, and about a quarter were sold to first-time buyers”(Howell). With the number of first time buyers on the rise it shows that the United States is leaning towards a more right look at firearms. “A 2000 Gallup Poll found that 35 percent of Americans thought that owning a gun made their home safer. By 2014 that number soared to 63 percent”(Howell). This goes hand and hand with the increase of firearm sales and concealed carry permits. The change when a person starts carrying a gun is they, “No longer are they a protectee. They’re suddenly and substantially less dependent”(French) and start to lean towards the protector role. The rise in

Gun violence has become a major factor in crimes in the United States and causes a high number of injuries, many of which end in fatalities. The cause of this type of violence often varies, but what stands out is that people with aggressive behaviors are more prone to commit violence with guns. According to the Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal Vol 24, "the proliferation of guns in television, movies, video games, and on our nation’s streets indoctrinate children and adolescents into a culture of firearm acceptability" (Rennison, 2001). The importance when discussing guns in regards to violence is that the probability of death is increased. The effects of gun violence are many and far-reaching, and include economic costs, psychological tolls, and of course physical injury and death.

Since Germans do not harbor a fear of their fellow citizens, a variety of variables ranging from crime to unemployment has influenced the sale of firearms to remain steady. This is not the case in the United States. With American people advertently or inadvertently choosing to live in fear. A survey conducted by numbeo.com from July, 2011 to February 2014 surveyed both Germans and Americans and asked respondents, “How safe do you feel walking home at night?”. Results revealed that Germans felt 80% safer walking home at night than Americans did. (nationmaster.com, 2017). With this attitude, the United States carries more social, economic, and mental doubt; leading individuals to purchase firearms as a means of creating a buffer between

Researchers found that 40% of citizens own or live in a home with guns, while 48% of children grow up knowing they are in arm’s reach of a weapon (Fox). This can be especially dangerous if the child lives in an abusive household or experiences mental instability because the risk of a violence outbreak is higher. Not only has America grown up with guns, but 66% of gun owners own multiple firearms and ¾ “couldn’t imagine not owning one” (Lopez). The dependence on firearms throughout America creates an obsession/attachment to the weapon, that with unfortunate mental imbalance can create a violent response to certain “trigger” situations. A restraint on the amount of guns each homeowner possesses can overall lower the possibility of a firearm in the hands of an individual who could do harm.

In a national survey conducted by the National Comorbidity Survey Replication they found that a large number of individuals in the United States have a combination of impulsive angry behavior and access to firearms. The study also found a significant three-way association among owning multiple guns, carrying a gun, and having impulsive angry behavior. People owning six or more guns were about four times more likely to be in the high-risk anger/carry group than those owning only one gun. Persons with impulsive angry behavior who had access to guns at home were more likely to be male, younger, married, and to live in outlying areas around metropolitan centers rather than in central