Premium Essay

Gun Control Issue

Submitted By
Words 1227
Pages 5
Gun control is not one issue, but many. Some people see gun control as a crime issue, rights issue, a safety issue, an educational issue, and a political issue among others. Within each of these issues there are those who want more gun control legislation and those who want less. On both sides of this issue opinions range from moderate to extreme. The issue of gun control has come up recently as an important decision opportunity for our country. Many people are asking whether guns really are the helpful tool that many of us have been saying they are, or if they are the killing machines they have recently been publicized as.
The first reason gun control should be in existence is because without law saying otherwise, a gun can be in anyone’s …show more content…
Once it is legal for anyone to have a gun, nothing can be done about it. Another reason gun control should be enforced is because if not, a mentally unstable person could get a hold of one and do some serious damage. By allowing someone unstable to have a gun, people are just setting themselves up for a catastrophic outcome. Dr. Alan Heister states, “Adam Lanza's actions are explained solely as a manifestation of mental illness” (Huffington Post). If guns were not easy to get, then Sandy Hook Elementary would be normal and all those parents would not be childless. By allowing this problem to occur a first time is unforgivable; doing nothing to stop it from happening a second time is unscrupulous. Keeping the current laws as they are makes it seem as if there is no sympathy for what happened and now nothing will change. The final reason that being pro-gun control is effective is the simple fact of safety. Not only is it unsafe for just anyone to have a gun, it is also unsafe for everyone (trained or not) to walk around, armed, always. There have been serious incidents where guns were unintentionally fired, but still caused a big problem when they did. In a recent study, they have found that, “rather than being used for self-defense, …show more content…
The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution 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.” The Founding Fathers included this in our Bill of Rights because they feared the Federal Government might oppress the population if the people did not have the means to defend themselves as a nation and as individuals (Halbrook 65-84). Gun ownership is an American tradition older than the country itself and is protected by the Second Amendment; more gun control laws would infringe upon the right to bear arms. Throughout history violence has always been an issue with humans. Since ancient times the strong have preyed on the weak and the meek. We have passed laws to protect society, but the violence continues. Laws attempt to change human behavior, but laws are not able to change human nature. Laws are not enough to protect people from aggression. We must allow people the right to protect themselves. Protection is a major reason that about half of all Americans own a firearm. A second reason as to why gun control won’t fix the issue is simply that Gun control laws do not deter crime: gun ownership deters crime. Studies have shown that assault weapons bans did not significantly affect murder rates at the state level and states with restrictions on the carrying of concealed weapons had

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Issues About America Gun Control

...Issues about America gun control Gun issue if one of the most serious issue in the nowaday society. As we all know, there are some difficulties that the government is facing on the process of gun control. So what are they? Why is the new gun control law never comes out? We will talk about these one by one below. There are 16 fatal mass shooting taken place since January 1. The tragedies took place at perfectly random places--at churches, movie theatres, soccer tournaments, and even an elementary school. President Barack Obama wipes his eye as he talks President Barack Obama wipes his eye as he talks about the Connecticut elementary school shooting, Friday, December 14, 2012, in the White House briefing room in Washington. At the very start of their lives, the schoolchildren are remembered for their love of horses, or for the games they couldn't get enough of, or for always saying grace at dinner. The adult victims found their life's work in sheltering little ones, teaching them, caring for them, treating them as their own. The gunfire at Sandy Hook Elementary School left a toll both unbearable and incalculable: 20 students and six adults at the school, the gunman's mother at home, and the gunman himself. As all of us can see, the overflow of guns in the US have led to a serious consequence, so why is the new, more strict gun control law never comes out? Why is President Obama hesitating? Let the author introduce you National Rifle Association. The National Rifle Association...

Words: 451 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

President Obama And Gun Control Issues

..."Obama & Gun Control Issues" President Obama has been president of our country for seven years. Obama has been creating conflict over gun control laws. Obama says his plan to protect the "Right To Bear Arms" in the Second Amendment of the U.S Constitution is to change the definition of gun sellers. Obama also says he wants all people who sell guns to do background checks on buyers. The way of changing the Second Amendment will take time and money, also congress approval to make a law to do background checks on weapon buyers. Obama mentions the shootings that happened three years ago at Sandy Hook Elementary School and says that he is taking steps to reduce gun violence in the U.S by administration approval....

Words: 369 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Gun Control: Ongoing Issue In The United States

...Gun control has been an ongoing issue in the United States for the past few years due to the increase of gun related deaths such as school and mass shootings. There have been debates on whether to eradicate firearms from Americans. These ideas were addressed by the United States government and gun control advocates who are for stricter gun control. On the other hand, people who oppose the policy feel that their 2nd amendment rights will be violated just because they are reoccurring school and mass shooting that are being committed by what are perceived as mentally unstable individuals. This essay will examine the perspectives of both sides son gun control and the mental state of the suspects of the attacks. First the perspective of gun control...

Words: 1096 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Restricting Gun Control in the United States

...Restricting Gun Control in the United States For many decades gun control and ownership has been a major issue in the United States. Gun control and ownership needs to be restricted in order to maintain order and save lives throughout the world, but especially in the United States. Restricting firearms, especially for civilians minimizes gun trafficking and enforces gun safety. The restriction of guns needs to be federally regulated, not state regulated in order to be effective. There have been several laws set in place to assist with regulating firearms. The two most prominent federal laws are the National Firearms Act of 1934 and the Gun Control Act of 1968. The National Firearms Act put in place a registration system for firearms which included identifying the firearm, date of registration, and the address and identification of the person entitled to possess the firearm. The Gun Control Act “prohibits mail-order sales and the interstate sales of firearms, prohibits transfers to minors, limits access to new assault weapons, and sets forth penalties and licensing requirements for manufacturers, importers, and dealers. This act was inspired by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy because he was killed by a mail order gun. Despite these regulations there is still a widespread need to increase gun regulations. There are numerous groups and lobbyists that would like to see a slack in firearm regulations. However, the most prevalent group is the National...

Words: 1837 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Gun Control

...Michelle Evans History of Gun Control July 9, 2011 Chapter IV History of Gun Control In the 1960s after the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, gun control became a major subject of public passion and controversy. To some people gun control is a crime issue, to others it is a rights issue. Gun control is a safety issue, an education issue, a racial issue, and a political issue, among others. Within each of these issues there are those who want more gun control legislation and those who want less. On both sides of this issue opinions range from moderate to extreme. Guns are not for everyone. Certain individuals cannot handle a firearm safely, and some individuals choose to use firearms inappropriately. Our society has passed laws regulating the ownership and use of firearms, and more legislation is being considered. Most of this legislation restricts, to some degree, the rights of individuals to possess or use firearms. Some restrictions may be necessary, but some recent legislation has gone too far. Society benefits from firearms in the hands of responsible citizens. Attempts to keep firearms away from these citizens do more harm than good. The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution 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.” The Founding Fathers included this in our bill of Rights because...

Words: 2226 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Firearm Restrictions

...Are there any legitimate restrictions on gun ownership? Informal Logic / PHI103 The sometimes-explosive topic of an individual’s right to bear arms is a long-standing debate both nationally and internationally. Center fire of such debates is the interpretation, definition, and intention of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, the right to bear arms. Scholars, policy makers, and everyday citizens are faced with answering the question, are there any legitimate restrictions on firearm ownership? The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution 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.” (NARA, n.d) This statement, set forth by society’s Founding Fathers, has created a multitude of debates, beliefs, and restrictions. Congress passed the National Firearms Act In 1934, then later the President of the United States signed a law requiring gun dealers be licensed while recording the purchasers names and addresses. The 1968 Federal Gun Control Act, was enacted by Congress making it law following a turbulent time in history which was marred with the assassinations of several prominent public officials. The deaths, all due to firearms, included President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. This law categorizes people prohibited from owning guns including, those convicted of a felony, a fugitive, those who...

Words: 2471 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Modern Society Argue

...that gun related violence is not a problem that requires attention. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, firearm homicides account for roughly 11,000 of the 16,000 homicides that occur the United States annually (2013). The subject of gun control has been a topic that has generated an enormous amount of controversy and attention. When one hears the term “gun violence”, vile acts against humanity, such as the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary and Columbine High School, come to mind. More recently, the rise in extremist acts of terror has heightened the public’s concern over gun control. In the aftermath of multiple occasions, President Obama has publically called for stronger gun control laws, specifically calling for stricter background checks among other provisions. In response to the public’s concern for safety, the president used executive action which increased the number of businesses which require federal licenses to sell guns, thus increasing the number of dealers requiring background checks when selling firearms (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2016). This is, of course, not a one-sided argument. The subject creates strong feelings across the political spectrum. Gun rights groups, such as the NRA, suggest that gun control laws are not only unconstitutional, but actually leave citizens in more danger by preventing them from using their best form of protection (National Rifle Association, 2015). In 1994 Congress enacted the Brady Gun Control...

Words: 9972 - Pages: 40

Premium Essay

Defender of the State

...Wesson’s firearms are standard issue to armed and police forces in the United States and Worldwide. The firearms manufacturer has been glamorized in movies such As Dirty Harry and their products have subsequently been utilized by sport shooters. As well as creating some of the most iconic names in firearms they are also responsible for developing many ammunition cartridges, many cartridges bear the company's name. Traded under SWHC on the NASDAQ, Smith and Wesson gained most of its notoriety and sales success with the invention of the .38 special, at one time used by most of the United Stats police forces (citation).   Continuing into the 20th century, Smith and Wesson obtained success with the invention of the .357 magnum and the highly popular .44 magnum.  In fact, Smith and Wesson’s accomplishments are so numerous that it would be difficult to study the history of the firearm without first studying the history of Smith and Wesson.              With the inauguration of Democratic President Barack Obama and a current Democratic majority in the US Congress, Smith and Wesson is concerned over the inception of new laws and regulations governing their civilian consumer purchases.  According to CBS news article “Gun Sales: Will The "Loophole" Close?” the author writes,  “In the national debate over the right to bear arms, the election of Barack Obama was seen as a victory for those who want stricter gun controls.”  This victory in the eyes of anti-gun activists has currently...

Words: 3152 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

Public Health: Firearms & Children

...Public health is an expansive discipline encompassing a vast array of issues and policies. Yet it carries within it a distinctly noble mission. The Future of Public Health defines it as “Organized community efforts to ensure conditions in which people can be healthy. Activities that society undertakes to prevent, identify, and counter threats to the health of the public. “ Therefore in fewer words, its mission is simply to protect its namesake, the public’s health. Many noble individuals have contributed to this pool of knowledge leaving legacies that have saved millions of lives and continue to save lives today. Included in the many facets of public health are injuries, both accidental and intentional. An article entitled “Firearm related injuries amongst children: Estimates from the nationwide emergency department sample” reports that close to 50,000 injuries result from violent acts within the US each year. A significant amount of those injuries involve the use of a firearm. Furthermore, in 2008 the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) reported that firearm injuries accounted for 14,831 ER visits by children alone. Although firearm injuries are unfortunate and dangerous in any situation, those involving children and adolescents are extremely despairing. The effects of a firearm injury in the early stages of life can not only have lasting physical effects, but can also result in psychological issues. Of the 14,831 ER visits mentioned, 494 died in the ER and 392 died...

Words: 1264 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Legitement Gun Restrictions

...Legitimate Gun Restrictions Christopher Glover PHI103 Karen Kart February 25, 2013 Legitimate Gun Restrictions A continuous argument between gun owners and concerned citizens is over gun restrictions. Many gun owners support the second amendment of the constitution and believe that any restriction on guns is an infringement on this amendment and there for there right. Concerned citizens of the United States believe that guns are to readily available and believe restrictions should be put in place to prevent these guns from falling into the wrong hands. In this essay I will discuss this argument and reveal the reasons that there are legitimate restrictions on gun ownership. I will start with how background checks keep guns out of the hands of people with a felony on their record. The gun control act of 1968 following the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, Congress passed this law prohibiting convicted felons from possessing firearms. It also required licenses to trade in guns and created procedures to track serial numbers and control imports (www.keyt.com). Many will say that this helped reduce gun valance in America because after the gun control act of 1968 handgun violence dropped by 37% the next year (http://www.saf.org/LawReviews). The real reason behind the drop was the fact that during that year handgun production dropped, resulting in the drop in violence not the new law. Therefore the...

Words: 696 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Gun Control

...a problem with guns. Like every other good old boy, I am concerned about being the victim of a random shooting, but at the same time, I want to be able to take down a nice10-point buck during hunting season. Guns effect every one of us every day. They fill us with fear or they make us feel protected. My point is this: guns are a problem, but using gun control to abolish them isn't necessarily the best solution. In gun control I mean laws that keep firearms off the street by preventing their purchase. I agree that some form of gun control is needed, but what we really need to concentrate on is gun licensing and more gun safety. I believe in my constitutional right to keep and bear arms, and I don't feel that legislators should be allowed to take away that right. Gun control can be a good thing, but if it leads to gun prohibition I will fight it until the day I die.   Our country was founded on the basis of guns. The wars were won with guns and the people were protected by guns. Guns were so important that they were placed in the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution:   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. Amendment II   From this amendment it is apparent that the founders of our country knew in 1791 that guns did and would continue to play a role in the lives of Americans. Things haven't really changed that much.   Gun control was brought into...

Words: 1497 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

A Rebuttal of "Disarming Law-Abiding Citizens Doesn't Make Them Any Safer"

...“Disarming Law-abiding Citizens Doesn't Make Them Any Safer" In the article, “Disarming law-abiding citizens doesn’t make them any safer”, (Spartanburg Harold-Journal, 2012) the Spartanburg Harold talks about the ban on guns will leave law-abiding citizens vulnerable to criminals, terrorists and homicidal lunatics. In this paper I will discuss some of the laws that will refute this claim. In the quote “The media is largely made up of people who don’t understand guns.” (Spartanburg Harold-Journal, 2012) the Harold makes a fallacious statement due to the fact that the media uses several different sources which includes gun manufacturers, experts on guns and law enforcement agencies. The Harold also makes the statement that the gun control lobbyists are too quick to assume that the problem is the weapons that are used. Instead they know it is not the guns. They are just trying to make it harder for that type of person or persons from getting the guns or that type of gun. Let us look at the Brady Handgun Control Act of 1993. (Library of Congress, 1993) It does not take away handguns. Instead it just adds a five day waiting period for a background check to be performed. This way those with criminal backgrounds will not be getting their hands on handguns or any gun. It also made it where state and local police were notified when multiple firearms was purchased. The Harold makes reference to the National Firearms Act of 1934. (ATF, 1934) Stating the average American cannot obtain...

Words: 737 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Gun Control

...Jonathan Schwartz Prof: F, Gomez Eng 1A 11-15-13 The Power of the Media to Shape Our Perceptions and Understanding of Reality on Gun Control Introduction The wake of gun violence in the United States has seen various proposals on how to handle the gun issue. Occasionally, people have woken up to shocking incidences of gun violence on various quarters. Perhaps the most outrageous incidents are the ones that involved shooting of school going children by a fellow student, seemingly unstable, or at least for that moment. It is important to note that in these incidences, the media coverage of the live happenings have always been extensive, giving the perpetrator of such violence a lot of fame. Various segments of the society have reacted to such incidences with diverging and converging opinions on what should be the best way forward. While the Obama administration has been on the forefront proposing stringent measures for the purposes of reducing or eliminating repeat occurrence, Republicans have a different view on how to address the whole matter. Religious groups and civil society have not spoken in one voice although one may deduce that everyone desires some changes in regards to how the whole issue should be addressed. Some of the emerging schools of thought that have come out have to do with logic behind issuance of guns, the ethical and practical implications of the solutions proposed for adoption as policy. Probably the big challenge is that the incidences...

Words: 3957 - Pages: 16

Premium Essay

Crime and Guns

...Crime and guns. The two seem to go hand in hand with one another. But are the two really associated? Do guns necessarily lead to crime? And if so do laws placing restrictions on firearm ownership and use stop the crime or protect the citizens? These are the questions many citizens and lawmakers are asking themselves when setting about to create gun control laws. The debate over gun control, however, is nothing new. In 1924, Presidential Candidate, Robert La Follete said, “our choice is not merely to support or oppose gun control but to decide who can own which guns under what conditions.” Clearly this debate still goes on today and is the very reason for the formation of gun control laws.  Guns are extremely powerful weapons. They can cause destruction, harm or even death. They can be used to defend and protect or to threaten and kill. Any way you look at it, guns are powerful tools, not only physically but socially. As college students it is important to stay abreast of the current events and issues circulating our country today, one of which is the controversial issue of gun control. It is extremely important to pay attention to where gun control laws are headed. The directions they take not only affect our nation and society but our future as well as we all move to communities and begin to raise families.  So why is gun control such a hot debate? Perhaps to answer this question it would be important to look at some key statistics concerning handguns in our society. In...

Words: 2118 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Kairotic Moment of Gun Control

...Kairotic Moment of Gun Control On July 20, 2012, The Dark Knight Rises was formally released in the U.S. It could have been a grand festival for Batman fans, unfortunately, the tragedy happened. In the cinema of Aurora, Colorado, a man named James Holmes, who wore a gas mask and dressed up as the super villain in the movie, threw tear gas into the theater and shot at people during the showing of the film. Twelve people were killed and fifty-eight people were injured in the incident. As one of the most serious shooting cases in the U.S., the issue of gun control has once again attracted public attention, rushing people into pro and con camps. The controversy around the issue is whether it is better to strengthen the laws for gun control or not. Major media around the world have made extensive covers and reports of the Denver shooting case; they also joined the discussion of gun control because it has significant effects for people’s lives and safety. There are three articles from different media responses to the hot topic. The article titled “Gun-control, gun-rights groups’ ready for renewed debate after Colorado shooting” by Michael Martinez was published on CNN.COM. CNN is one of the most influential global media and authoritative news sites, which can be seen or read by over 100 million U.S households and viewers in over 212 countries. This article notes that both sides were engaged in a renewed debate about the issue of gun control in the aftermath of the shooting tragedy...

Words: 987 - Pages: 4