Gun Control
Bang! Death can happen just like that. As deadly as they can be, almost every household owns some type of firearm. Whether guns are used for hunting, competitions, self-defense, or collecting, guns can cause fatalities when they get into the wrong hands.
Gun Law
The Second Amendment to the Constitution, part of the Bill of Rights, allows every American citizen the right to bear arms. The Constitution does not guarantee gun ownership for just any reason or give anyone the right to shoot another human being. Within the wording of the Second Amendment to the Constitution, it is made perfectly clear that it only a regulated Militia is in the needs of arms. Pro-gun control supporters interpret it that in order to enable citizens they must protect themselves from the troublesome government. Guns can be harmless if handled properly and with the appropriate training. However, with these weapons so readily accessible, they are able to be purchased by anyone on the streets with little or no effort. Due to this fact, the control of gun sales and general gun distribution has become a hot political issue.
Gun Sale Restrictions
In the United States, improper gun use is one of the leading causes of violence in today’s society, yet the country remains one of the easiest countries in which to buy a firearm. Firearms are being sold in a retail store or outlet to any person who is 18 or older, and who does not have a felony record. There is also a waiting period, of three to five days, which is another restriction that insures that law enforcement records are checked appropriately. After the waiting period, the gun can be purchased. However, background checks for gun buyers were only implemented a year and a half ago; since then, more than 4,600 people who were supposed to be prevented from buying guns bought them anyway because their background checks were not completed in a timely manner.
With so few restrictions, gun sales continue to spiral upward. It is estimated that in the United States there are approximately 200 million privately owned guns, which averages out to be a gun per person or a gun per home. Although the United States government does, in fact, attempt to enforce the few laws that are in place, which does deter some sales to criminals, street sales are next to impossible difficult to monitor or control.
It is interesting to note that there are fewer gun-related deaths in other countries such as Sweden, Great Britain, and Japan than in the United States. However, these countries have strict gun control laws and also require that gun purchasers register to take a bare arm safety course. From country to country each year, there are a number of deaths that are due to the direct relationship that these laws have on the number of guns.
Gun Safety
In the United States alone thousands of people die each year from firearm related incidents. Many of these events are accidents which could easily have been avoided. Part of the responsibility for gun control lies with the gun owner, parents and safety precautions that are practiced in the home.
Children, who are allowed to play with toy guns, too often get their little hands on loaded weapons. Not understanding the dire consequences, they aim and pull the trigger, changing lives and bringing on psychological problems in the future. Locking gun cabinets are a must if children reside in the home; as well, any weapon should never be left loaded with ammunition.
Enough cannot be said about the need for professional gun training. Classes are available in every city and many retail stores who specialize in the sale of weapons sponsor training classes taught by professional instructors. With the number of citizens now purchasing weapons for home protection, proper preparation, education, and practice is a must.
Self-defense is one of the main reasons why many people buy a gun. By keeping a firearm in a home for personal protection, the stress and worry of break-ins and robberies can be somewhat elevated. Guns have been proven to guard against these intrusions, but for each individual who is rewarded from the company of a firearm, many more people are injured or die. Since an abundance of weapons that are used in violent crimes are usually stolen or transferred between individuals, self-defense weapons must be securely kept whether at home or in a vehicle.
Guns and Crime
Guns can, in certain instances, encourage a criminal to perform a violent crime he or she wouldn't have committed otherwise. When using a gun for self-defense, the easiest way is to make the other person defenseless is by showing them your gun does not always prove effective. It is also possible that keeping a weapon in the home could have the totally opposite result and increase the risk of violent crime in the home. If the homeowner has not been properly trained in gun use, and does not really intend to use the gun except for a fear tactic, the intruder may take the gun away from the person. The homeowner has now armed an otherwise robber. A gun should never be shown to an intruder unless there is an absolute intention to use it. When it comes down to some people, especially women, the poor, or the elderly, guns can be very important to use as self-defense tactics. Self-defense imposes the right to keep and bear arms. It also implies the right to protect life. With the right to life, people have the right to live their own life necessarily suitable.
Do gun control laws lower crime? Yes or no, there are valid arguments to both. Guns can become fatal when in the hands of a criminal, someone who is not stable and sane, children, or even someone who has no or very little experience shooting or handling guns. If guns can be controlled there would certainly be less death because of gun misuse. The schools, streets, and the whole United States of America would become safer for all her citizens. If nothing is done to control the use of firearms, things will stay the way they are and most likely be worse than what it already is. With some hard work, dedication, and time, the chance of going out with a bang can be reduced greatly. Not only are guns dangerous to children, but the ammunition as well. Simple things can seriously hurt a child by setting off an exploding bullet caused by hitting a rock, a nail, or thrown into the fireplace.
Gangs are growing in large numbers across the country and the age of the average gang member is getting younger and younger. With these children stealing guns from their home or neighbors homes, drive-by shootings and street violence is escalating. Too often innocent victims are caught in the crossfire.
Pro-gun and Anti-Gun Positions
Citizens, who practice proper gun safety, training and storage, find it difficult to accept stricter laws concerning gun sales and gun ownership. They quote the old cliché, "guns don't kill people; people kill people". That is true; however, guns in the wrong hands do kill people, and since so many gun owners do not practice proper gun ownership, tougher restrictions should be welcomed. Citizens who are not, and do not, intend to break the law should not mind if laws are passed to set higher standards for gun purchase, lengthen the waiting period, and make professional training mandatory. Statistics are hard to disprove; even though the following chart is not current, the number of crimes for a country proud of their rule of law is staggering. Gun control will continue to be debated in the years to come. School shootings, random highway killings, drive-by gang shootings, and domestic violence cases should all prove the need for stricter gun sales regulations and more severe punishment invoked when laws are broken.
Graph
This graph shows the number of victims of a firearm crime.
Figure 1.
Crimes Committed with Firearms.
U. S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Statistics
References
Agresti, J. D. (2008) Gun Control Facts. Just Facts. Retrieved January 13, 2009, from the Just Facts web site:
http://justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp
Bradley, K. & McHugh, B. (2005) Pro Gun Right. Gun Control – Pros and Cons. Retrieved January 13, 2009, from: http://astro.temple.edu/~tua32670/con1.html
Contreras, A. (2007) In Defense of Self-Defense. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 14, 2009, from Gale. Apollo Library
Krouse, W. (2002) Gun Control. Congressional Research. Retrieved January 13, 2009, from the Policy Almanac web site:
http://www.policyalmanac.org/archives/crs_gun_control.shtml
U. S. Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Retrieved from the U. S. Department of Justice web site:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/guns.htm
White, D. (2008) Pros and Cons of Gun Ownership & the Laws. U. S Liberal Politics. Retrieved January 14, 2009, from the About web site:
http://usliberals.about.com/b/2008/05/09/pros-cons-of-gun-ownership-use-laws.htm