...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...
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...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...
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...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 set off a “feeding frenzy” of gun purchases nationwide. Guns stores are logging back orders for Assault style weapons and...
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...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...
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...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...
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...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...
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...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...
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...“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...
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...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...
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...Reflection Joe Nocera argues in his New York Times op-ed column “Guns and Mental Illness” that it should be more difficult for people, rather than the mentally-ill, to attain a firearm due to a recent mass shooting in California. Last month, 22-year-old Elliot Rodger went on a shooting spree in Isla Vista, California after emailing a 140-page manifesto to his parents. Nocera recapitulates the terrifying tale of two parents racing to California only to have their worst fears confirmed: Elliot had killed six people before committing suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Elliot had a long history with depression and had never been admitted to a psychiatric facility. It is unclear whether Elliot should have been admitted to a psychiatric clinic. In particular, Elliot did not have a criminal history. He was simply a sequestered adolescent with poor social skills. In other words, Elliot had a right to purchase a gun. Mass shooters tend to meet the profile of socially awkward males. Statistically, however, very few socially awkward males actually commit mass shootings. It would be unlawful to deny males who meet this profile access to a firearm. Indeed, Nocera notes that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1975 that mentally-ill people who are neither violent nor dangerous cannot be forced into an institution. Therefore, Nocera concludes that we should make it more difficult for everyone to attain a gun. The author has a clear liberal bias. The column...
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...people believes in gun control into questioning. Sandy Hook Massacre that took place in 2012, was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Adam Lanza decided to not only kill his own mother but drive to an elementary school and kill 20 kids and 6 adults. Even to this day, people are still wondering what the motives behind his vicious attacks were. The Aurora shooting that took place in 2012 as well, shifted the debate over gun control. This time it was over the ease of getting guns. I have not paid attention too much to the shootings because of my age or a lack of knowledge towards the shooting. Now that I am old enough to understand the world, I am starting to see how the current gun control laws are of need of revamping or complete removal. It’s sad to see the lives lost because of how easy it is to get guns, the pain and suffering that families have to go through because of gun violence. Most people are affected by it indirectly or directly. On the flip side, however, we as a society needs guns. I believe guns are helpful if use correctly. I understand people like to hunt, I also understand how important hunting is to people and I wouldn’t want them to lose out because a few bad people are misusing guns. The inadequacy of USA gun...
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...Crime Trends Crime trends have changed drastically throughout the years. Criminal activity has always been a challenging task to evaluate and monitor. What is a crime trend? A crime trend is defined as a significant change in the nature of selected crime types within a defined geographical area and time period (U.S. Legal, 2001). Crime trends tend to increase and decrease for different reason throughout the years. The essay will discuss the crime trend in America and the reason for a decline in 1999. In 1999 there were several reasons that could be the cause for a decrease in crime trends. Unemployment rates were low in 1999, in fact at the time rates had not been seen as low since 1969. There was also an increase in new jobs; under President Clinton administration the economy added 245,000 jobs per month. When President Clinton took office in 1992 the unemployment rate was at 7.5%, by 1999 the rate had dropped to 4.0%. Employment showed a promising reason for a decrease in crime (The Clinton-Gore Economic Record, 2000). Throughout the years researchers have been noticing when the economy is good it seem to reduce the amount of crime that happens. In the article Crime and Unemployment, the author refers to a study conducted in the United States that showed unemployment as a reason behind higher homicide rates and suicides; the study was conducted from 1940-1984. The study included five socio economic variables unemployment rates, gross national product...
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...Gun violence is not a new issue, nor is gun control a new argument. The “war on guns” dates all the way back to the infancy of the United States of America; the right to bear arms was guaranteed in the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, and has been seen, in the more than two centuries since, as a cornerstone of American liberty. However, in the last few years, repeated mass killings have placed the gun control debate at the eye of the American political storm. In an effort to balance beliefs from both ends of the political spectrum - that gun ownership needs to be protected, while restricted enough to keep guns out of the hands of those who may do deadly harm with them - has come a lack of serious, effective legislation on the matter. The Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act - seen at its enactment as a milestone in the gun control movement - has proven itself ineffective at preventing the type of mass shooting that is, unfortunately, all too common today. These killings, and the high rates of gun violence overall, challenge the core values of social work practice, and the short- and long-term economic impact of this violence is, at best, counter-productive. Based on the research outlined in this document, it is necessary as social workers to create a culture of safety, and as a country to enact sensible gun...
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...Gun Control Laws and Law Enforcement Gun Control Laws and Law Enforcement When a large structure such as the Washington monument is created, the nation remember the names of the people who constructed it. However, people do not remember the hammers that carved the stone. In today’s society when an active shooting takes place the tool is always blamed and receives most of the blame instead of the shooter. Politicians then look for ways to put laws into place to attack the issue. The gun laws being put in place effect a law enforcement officers' job in many ways. Laws get created in states requiring law enforcement to enforce, what I consider to be an unconstitutional attack on the second amendment. The debate on gun control has been going on for years, and it has become more of an issue within the past couple of months. Due to the recent active shootings President Obama has stated that there needs to be stricter gun laws to help lower the gun-crime rates in the United States. Citizens have owned guns for centuries and taking away their rights now because of people committing killing rampages would be unconstitutional. The crime rates are where they are today because of the choices people are making with a gun, and are not caused because someone simply owns a gun. The reaction is legislature that forces police officers to reestablish what the meaning of the second amendment means. Examples are laws that require officers to confiscate guns because a persons weapon...
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...Kinder egg rests in the hands of one child, while the other child cradles an assault rifle in her arms in the first add; and in the second one, a young girl holds Little Red Riding Hood while the other one carries the same assault rifle. The advertisement asks the reader “which object is prohibited”, but it beckons the audience to consider the question “which object should be prohibited?” Gun control has become a hot topic here in America. People are questioning what is...
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