With the increase in technology today, violence has been able to manifest itself in every part of the country worldwide. Today, every country, society, and town is faced with some form of violence. In my entire life, I have to admit that there have been numerous injuries as well as death caused by gun violence. Today, the most controversial issue in America is gun control. This issue concerning gun control has been debated by politicians and lawmakers for quite a long time, most probably ever since the use of guns was invented in America.
The gun is a small thing, yet a hazardous factor that destroys our lives. Studies conducted on the use of guns by Americans have shown that more than 30,000 individuals in America have died because of firearms (Barry et al, 2018). The increase in the number of people dying from the use of firearms, it has led to division in our country. Some people hold to the belief that people should continue to possess guns while other people are strongly against the use of people owning guns since it affects the peacefulness of the country.
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With the increase in the number of the United States population, the number in which citizens own guns increases as well. Research conducted on the numbers of individuals possessing guns in the United States has indicated that the country has about one hundred and twenty guns per one hundred individuals (Barry et al, 2018). Out of this population of individuals owning guns, thirty-five percent of them include men while women sum up to twelve percent (Barry et al, 2018). In my opinion, I do believe that it is the pervasive gun culture of our country that comes from our colonial history that has prompted people to own one or more guns.
Remarkably, guns were common in the American colonial period. The guns were mainly used for hunting as well as offer protection (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). In other words, guns were used to offer self-protection to individuals and their family members. The guns were later used as weapons by the military in the American Revolutionary War (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). During these colonial periods, both men and women were allowed to own or possess their own guns. Similarly, the second amendment, which was ratified in the year 1791 on the fifth December, emphasized the importance of people possessing guns (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). Therefore, I do believe that the colonies owning their own guns during the colonial period and the formation of the second amendment, it has greatly fueled the continuous debate we have today about gun rights.
Today, the National Rifle Association in the United States has proved to be the strongest opponent in Washington that advocates for people to own guns. In other words, the National Rifle Association tends to have a powerful voice for gun owners' rights across the entire country (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). They ensure that they battle all attempts to pass gun control legislation at all levels of the country (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). Aside from the National Rifle Association, other groups that support the legislation of gun control include the National Shooting Sports Foundation as well as the National Association for Gun Rights (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). All these groups have today played a significant role in fighting for the rights of American citizens to own guns. They mostly base their arguments on the second amendment constitution found in the American bill of rights.
The debate regarding gun control has been mainly controlled by the Republicans. Their main agenda was to favor the use of guns by individuals with regard to the use of money. In the year 2016, all towns in the country spent about one million dollars in lobbying for guns control (Brody, 2018). The National Rifle Association spent more as compared to other groups to encourage their member participation in owning guns. In the year 2017, the government spent about 11.4 million dollars to restrict people’s ability to purchase as well as use firearms (Brody, 2018). During the reign of President Obama, two pro-gun legislation were signed and implemented into the law. People were allowed to carry guns in national parks (Brody, 2018). Additionally, the second piece of the pro-gun legislation signed by President Obama, allowed passengers to carry arms in tartan baggage. In other words, the second piece of pro-gun legislation was invalidating a legislation ban passed after September eleventh (Brody, 2018). In the year 2017, President Donald Trump signed legislation to avert the Social Security Administration from giving out information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (Brody, 2018). With his administration to power, it has chipped away firearm regulations. It has also made it easier for a few individuals to buy firearms if they tend to have an exceptional warrant arrest
It is evidently clear that with the tremendous increase in technology in America, there is an increase in the number of individuals possessing firearms. Most citizens in America do agree with the second amendment that people should have their own guns for their protection. However, with the increase in the number of death and injuries caused to people due to the use of firearms, people have begun to debate whether it's beneficial for individuals to pose guns. Based on research conducted on the United States population, it was indicated that more than thirty-eight thousand individuals die due to gunshots wounds in the year 2016 (Barry et al, 2018). In addition to that, one of the most horrific tragedies that caught the attention of most people in America is the killing of twenty elementary school children by Adam Lanza in the year 2012 (Barry et al, 2018). In the year 2017, fifty-eight individuals were killed in Las Vegas (Barry et al, 2018). Therefore, with the increase in the number of individuals dying due to the use of firearms, it is clear that gun violence is undeniable and the best solution to curb these incidences is by mainly controlling the use of guns.
With the increase of people owning guns in America and the increase in gun violence, I do believe that there must be a restriction on people’s gun usage as well as posses, so as to prevent or avoid further tragedies. In other words, gun control helps to provide self-defense among people (Barry et al, 2018). The government has to ensure that it limits the people's possession of firearms. They should implement laws that will restrict more people from purchasing firearms. A person in possession of a gun should be of sound mind. Studies from America's defense force has indicated that over seventy-five percent of the mass shooting killing that happened in the past thirty years were as a result of legally authorized guns (Barry et al, 2018). By the government taking control of people possessing dangerous weapons, they will be in a position to offer safety to all individuals in the country.
Another reason for restricting or banning the possession of guns by individuals is that it helps to decrease suicide rates. Studies done on ways of improving and maintaining the safety of people in a country have shown that in 90% of the countries where the use of guns has been restricted, there is a decrease in criminal cases such as suicide and massive killing (Brody, 2018). This is because, most individuals in countries where guns have been banned, lack the means of destructive behavior by using guns, which proves to be the most effective way of committing suicide. The government of the United States of America has, therefore, proved to be effective in protecting their citizens’ rights to live to ban the possession of guns to mentally disturbed people. In my opinion, I do believe that the country has significantly reduced suicide rates, which posed to be a threat in the previous year (Brody, 2018). People tend to use other means such as poison to kill themselves but they are not as effective as using a gun.
Moreover, gun control helps to reduce accidents that are mainly caused by guns. Gun control has proved to be effective in reducing some accidents that are brought about by improper handling of guns by people. People with gun possession, basically feel that they are in control. According to Haines (2018), gun possession normally comes with power. This makes people feel that what they say and what they believe is true. Gun control laws are basically required so as to protect women from some domestic violence from their abusive husbands. Every day in the United States, women are killed by their husbands by using guns (Brody, 2018). If a gun is presented every time a domestic disagreement then women's risks of being murdered will increase by 90% (Brody, 2018). The government should, therefore, ensure they control the use of guns of individuals.
I do believe that with the increase in population growth and more individuals being educated, more crime rates have increased in the United States. As a result of this, it becomes difficult for policemen to provide or offer protection to everyone in the country. Hence, people with licensed guns can use weapons to protect themselves from any form of violence from intruders. With regard to the NRA, guns are utilized every year by more than two million people in self-defense (Brody, 2018). This is because; the police force cannot at all times protect people from burglaries. At the same instance including the time they might arrive at a crime scene, sometimes a bit too late and result in further injuries and possibly even tragic incidents.
Likewise, gun control implementations are not necessarily needed to prevent gun deaths. In my opinion, I do believe that education on guns is the best method to prevent accidental death caused by guns. Studies on America’s population have indicated that ninety-five percent of individuals with guns do believe that all children should be educated on gun safety (Brody, 2018). It is evidently true that guns do not murder individuals but people kill individuals. Therefore, more individuals tend to need more mental screening as well as education to help prevent mass murder (Brody, 2018). The government should strive to ensure that all people are educated about the usage of guns. Furthermore, stern gun control by the government can make individuals be more dependent on the government states, hence making them become helpless. In other words, they become unable to take care of themselves.
Today, the use of guns has resulted in gun violence, which is a complex problem. Gun violence needs some based-equipped solutions to solve the problem. Based on my observations from politics today, it is evidently clear that the increased massive shooting rate has impelled the most powerful debate regarding gun laws (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). Similarly, the killing of the twenty children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in the year 2012 by Adam Lanza has tremendously increased the debate concerning gun laws (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). Politicians in Washington are discussing the new legislation as well as the actions against the killing of seventeen individuals at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). President Donald Trump and also lawmakers have come with policies regarding the utilization of guns by individuals in the country.
The government has therefore increased the age in order to purchase a gun. President Donald Trump has called for raising the age of buying guns by individuals (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). According to President Trump, the minimum age for one to purchase a gun or be in a position of handling a gun is by the age of twenty-one (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). In my opinion, I strongly agree with the president’s claim. This is because, by the age of twenty-one, one is in a position to be responsible for their actions and they are proven to be of sound mind. The president goes further to claim that teachers should be encouraged with some proper training to carry a gun. I do believe that with the teachers being in a position to use guns properly, they will be in a position to prevent some massive massacres that happen in school settings.
In recent years, gun control has become one of the hottest topics in our politics today. To some individuals, there seems to be no need for more gun control. On the other hand, others still believe that the government should improve and continue implementing more laws with regard to the utilization of guns by people. Despite many people believing that gun control will limit as well as violate their human rights on owning guns, I strongly believe that the government implemented policies on gun control can help many societies. Gun control will help people to live harmoniously with other people, hence making them feel safe.
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