Introduction:
Gun control is becoming an increasingly prevalent issue in today’s world. Multiple mass shootings occurring over the world have spurred a multitude of people and politicians to think and speak about this issue. For instance, the Las Vegas Shooting, which occurred on October 1, 2017, was the deadliest shooting in American history, killing 59 people and injuring more than 500. The Second Amendment states that people have the right to bear arms, but this phrase has been interpreted in different ways. Of course, not everyone has the same viewpoint on this pressing, yet complicated issue. Liberals, closely affiliated with the Democratic Party, believe that the Second Amendment does not grant people the right to bear arms. Instead, the states can have militias that can bear arms, and it is their job to protect the people. Due to this, they believe that there should be stricter gun control laws, and that people owning guns will cause more attacks involving guns. On the other hand, conservatives, associated with the Republican Party, interpret the Second Amendment in a way that people have the right to own guns. They believe that people are allowed to own guns and can protect themselves in times of despair. Conservatives strongly contradict the liberals when they say that owning guns will cause more gun violence; they believe the exact opposite. Recent events have once again brought this topic into the spotlight of news channels and the Internet.
Topic 1 - Gun Control:
I am Republican Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and I represent the 5th Congressional District of Washington in the United States House of Representatives. I strongly believe that the people of this nation should have the right to own guns. In fact, I earned an A grade from the National Rifle Association for being an advocate for accessible guns. In addition, I voted for an abundance of legislation that would allow citizens of the United States to freely own guns. Nevertheless, I was shaken in September 2017, in my own district, a teenager in possession of a handgun and a semiautomatic rifle caused four casualties in Spokane High School. This has prompted me to advocate and vote for legislation regarding mental health reform.
The debate over gun control has been raging through the American political systems for years. On one side, there is the National Rifle Association (NRA) and 2nd Amendment-citing citizens who use their firearms for hunting and self-defense. On the other, there is Handgun Control Inc. (HCI) and followers of the Brady Campaign who want to ban guns on the basis that they are dangerous. Both sides have strong arguments, anchored in historical precedent and statistical analysis. Anti-gun control lobbyists’ arguments include the guarantee of the 2nd Amendment, the definition of “militia” as any adult male, self-defense, the relative uselessness of permits and regulations, and court cases in favor of firearm possession. Pro-gun control activists
Recently, gun control policies focused on what the 2nd amendment allows hav been on the forefront of Capitol Hill, news, and social media. Polar opposite opinions are common and have caused heated debates as well as understandable viewpoints on both sides of the argument. Some of the stakeholders that are most affected by decisions made by politicians would include hunters, criminals, those with psychological conditions, the government, and gun owners or enthusiasts. Throughout the article, all sides’ opinions will be illustrated to create an unbiased article.
Every day in America an average of 93 are killed people due to gun violence. One of the biggest concerns today in American policy is gun control. This is a very controversial and complicated topic for both pro-gun and anti-gun supporters. American policy makers need to make it harder for the wrong people to obtain firearms and the fact that Second Amendment and gun control can co-exist. Mental illness constantly emerges in relation to mass shootings and shooters a like, as well as day to day homicides and suicides. America doesn’t necessarily have more crime then other developed countries the crime is just much more lethal. Right-wing Republicans constantly use the Second Amendment as shield to use firearms, the fact is the document is
The Second Amendment of the US Constitution protects individual gun ownership. The Second Amendment of the US Constitution reads, "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." 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. Justice Antonin Scalia, LLB, in the June 26, 2008 District of Columbia et al. v. Heller US Supreme Court majority opinion syllabus stated, "The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home." The McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010) ruling also stated that the Second Amendment is an individual right. Lawrence Hunter, Chairman of Revolution PAC, stated, "The Founders understood that the right to own and bear laws is as fundamental and as essential to maintaining liberty as are the rights of free speech, a free press, freedom of religion and the other protections against government encroachments on liberty delineated in the Bill of Rights."
Gun control and gun rights are crucial topics that have been debated for years. Some people believe that civilians should not have the right to own a gun while others believe it is our god given right to bear arms. The second amendment of the Bill of Rights 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.”(Shermer). This is a right that society has had for years and is one of the main reasons why no solution has been reached yet. There are two main sides to this debate, Gun control advocates focus on the serious negative effects of gun availability on health and safety, while gun-ownership advocates emphasize the lawful use of guns and
Mass shootings are increasing in the United States, and gun control advocates are seizing the opportunity to push anti-gun legislation to deter gun violence in America. Guns and the Second Amendment have come to the forefront of political rhetoric, leading to conflicting views between lawmakers on the future of gun legislation. Republican lawmakers are encouraging law abiding citizens to acquire firearms and to defend themselves against acts of violence by criminals. On the contrary, Democratic lawmakers believe the only way to slow gun violence in the United States is to remove guns from society. While certain politicians believe strict gun laws would protect the American people, the proposed policies would make our nation more vulnerable
In America guns have been a part of the country’s society since it’s birth. Throughout history the citizens of the US have used firearms to protect the nation, protect their families, hunt for food and engage in sporting activities. The issue of Guns and gun control is complex. Weighing the rights and liberties of the individual against the welfare and safety of the public has always been a precarious balancing act. In the United States, gun control is one of these tumultuous issues that has both sides firmly entrenched in their positions. Those parties in favor of gun ownership and the freedom to use and keep arms, rely on the fact that the provision for such rights is enshrined in their constitution. In this climate of
The gun control issue has recently created a massive uproar throughout the U.S. due to some major horrific events such as the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, where 32 people were killed, the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012 where 27 people were killed, mostly children, and the Columbine shooting in 1999 where 13 people were killed, (CNN) as well as many others. To some, it is a crime issue, to others it’s a right’s issue. It is, obviously, a safety issue, an education issue, a racial issue, and a political issue, among others, and within each of these issues there are those who want more gun control, the Democrats, and those who
Another article looks at the Tucson shooting where six individuals were killed as an example (Kaveny, 2016). While the author agrees that the constitution protects the rights of gun owners, she makes the argument that semiautomatic weapons were not what the founding fathers had in mind though and that these type of weapons should not be allowed to be owned by the public (Kaveny, 2016). The author also believes that it would be beneficial to have to obtain a license to own firearms and to purchase insurance for possible damages along with further funding for mental health patients to help keep these mass shootings from happening again (Kaveny, 2016).
The Government’s hotly debated views on gun violence in the United States. There is the division within our top braches of the Government. We have the Executive branch headed by our Democratic President Barack Obama. President’s gun control policy is calling for more controls such as mental health screenings and a ban on certain types of weapons. The Republican lead Legislation branch thinks it is paramount that individuals should be able to protect themselves and their families. The Republicans think that we should have fewer gun control regulations and that it should be up to each State to create legislation. Some feel interest groups like the National Rifle Association (NRA) have too much power and believe that whatever changes will be more than what the Government tries to convince us what they appear. Both Political parties agree that something must be done in order to stop the gun violence is at an all-time high in the United States. Since January, there have been at least 354 mass shootings cases in about 220 cities in 47 states, this involves shootings that leave four or more dead or wounded (LaFraniere, 2015). While the mass shootings that we hear about are horrendous, our Government is responsibility to protect us without completely fringing on our rights because the second amendment gives us the right to bear arms and to protect ourselves and those that we love.
Sandy Hook Elementary. Aurora, Colorado. San Bernardino, California. Las Vegas, Nevada. Orlando, Florida. (Words with Negative Connotation) These are just some of the biggest mass shootings that have swept America in the past few years. Hundreds of lives are lost each year to gun related violence in the United States alone. Gun control has been a topic in our country since our founding fathers adopted the second amendment to the US constitution. Although recently controversy has sparked to an all-new extent in America due to the recent spike in mass shootings and gun related homicides. So many families and loves ones are affected each year in the United States because of gun related violence and other mass killing events, because of these events gun control laws need to be revamped and strengthened in American in order to protect the citizens.
In recent years, political discourse about gun control and the Second Amendment has become increasingly volatile. Gun lobbies such as the National Rifle Association are more organized and aggressive and their issue agenda has evolved as new and more powerful weapons and militia appear. On the other side of the debate, the critical wounding of James Brady gave gun control advocates a visible martyr with strong ties to Republican conservatives. In sum, gun control and the right to bear arms have become hotly disputed issues where political alignments are constantly shifting.
Gun control in the United States is a very controversial topic in today’s political society, leaving the nation divided into two sides with two strongly opinionated beliefs. This all started with the increase in the amount of mass shootings and an overall increase in gun violence. The two sides consist of the liberal point of view and the conservative point of view. The liberals believe that the availability of firearms to the people in the country is a major issue, and that the U.S. government is at fault for the mass shootings due to the lenient regulations on guns. In retaliation, the conservatives argue that having a gun is a God given right, that the Second Amendment of The Constitution. Although the availability of guns is seen to be
"The long, difficult history of gun control." Washington Post. 23 Dec. 2012: A8. eLibrary. Web.
The issue of gun control has created a lot of controversy in America today and for many years. Those who support gun control feel that guns are the reason for the uprising crime rate in our country. I disagree with the supporters of gun control. I feel that because of the black market, violent criminals being released from prison early, and personal safety, stricter gun control will have very little impact on violent crime in America. I believe that gun control works in theory, but not in real life. Sure, there are many violent crimes where guns are used, but most of these guns are obtained illegally, because the gun control laws enforced are not enough.