Gun Control vs Gun Rights: A Perpetual Debate In the light of the recent, tragic incidents of gun violence in the United States, such as those in San Bernardino and Las Vegas, the controversial issue of gun control has rekindled the grand debate of whether or not the government should enact stronger restrictions on guns to protect the public. This issue in recent years has become quite contentious as public opinion has balanced out to nearly 50/50. While restricting firearms may seem like a good idea at first, as it limits the availability of the irascible weapons, the proposals shouldn’t be made into law because they would infringe the Second Amendment right to “keep and bear arms” and result in an increasingly violent society, where one …show more content…
Congress enacted the first major federal gun control initiative in 1934 which regulated the sale of fully automatic firearms. A new federal law followed this new legislation in 1938 that required gun sellers to be licensed and prohibited persons convicted of violent felonies from purchasing guns. Congress didn't pass any more gun control legislation until 1968. The Gun Control Act of 1968 regulated imported guns, intensify gun-dealer licensing requirements, and expanded the list of persons not eligible to purchase guns to include persons convicted of any non-business related felony, minors, persons found to be mentally incompetent, and users of illegal drugs. In 1986, federal legislation established mandatory penalties for the use of a gun in the commission of a federal crime. Also prohibited were "cop killer" bullets capable of penetrating bulletproof clothing. In 1990, legislation was passed which banned the manufacturing and importation of semiautomatic assault weapons. In 1994, Congress ratified what has been regarded as the most comprehensive effort
The context of the Second Amendment has frequently been debated in American history. Namely, the constitutionality of issuing restrictive laws on gun control based on the Second Amendment has caused controversy. In the last fifty years the prevalence of this topic has grown dramatically. With the increase in recent tragic events, such as school shootings and homicides, guns laws have become a common topic. Gun control activists have often sought stricter restrictions and laws to prevent citizens from purchasing and possessing guns in general. While there are many interesting arguments on both sides of the issue, it poses an important question on our inherent rights, as guaranteed
Death, violence, individual rights, crime, and cost are many words that arise when researching the controversial topic of gun control. This issue revolves around the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution and 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.” Is there a black and white answer or is there a need to find a middle ground? The foundational right must be preserved for an individual to own a gun. However, basic safety measures need to be in place for added protection and security of all Americans. To explore why this balance is the best option, it is necessary to look further into the
Thomas Jefferson said, "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." Gun control laws are, still to this day, a huge issue in the United States. There is constant debate on how we solve this problem. With multiple arguments on solutions to this topic, many gray-zones follow. What makes this subject hard to tackle is that it “revolves around three major talking points: a sociological, an ethical, and a legal dimension,” (Stingl & Alexander). The sociological part is establishing if gun laws will help reduce violence rates. The ethical point goes against the citizens “right to bear arms against the protection of citizens and prevention or crime,” (Stingl & Alexander). In addition, the legal stance is determining the interpretation of the Second amendment in regards to “well-regulated militias”. With multiple areas to covers, the solution to this problem is more complex.
One of the most controversial issues in our society today is the power of gun rights versus gun control. For the last few decades, the hot topic as regards to the availability of assorted firearms within the United States of America has been characterized by concerns about a right to bear arms found in the Second Amendment to the U.S Constitution, and the responsibility of government to prevent crime and deaths. The biggest component of the Gun Control debate is whether existing gun laws are sufficient, or whether more gun laws are needed. Supporters of stricter gun control argue that broad gun rights inhibit the government from fulfilling that responsibility. Gun rights supporters promote firearms for self-defense, hunting, and sporting
For this week’s journal, I decided to write about gun control laws. It was estimated that there are 88 guns per 100 people in the United States, which is the highest total number in the world. America’s gun culture have been around from colonial history, revolutionary roots, frontier expansion and the Second Amendment, which states, “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security off a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” (procon, 1). While opponents state an individual has the right to own guns and is needed for self-defense, I believe that new gun restrictions should be implemented in order to reduce gun related crimes and protect individuals by reducing gun deaths.
Gun control and gun rights have been an issue that has been debated for decades. Whenever there has been a mass shooting of any magnitude, it seems that the debate heats up even more. Consideration must be given as to what the benefits are of these gun control laws. Gun control laws must also be written as to not violate the Second Amendment of the Constitution as well. There have been many studies accomplished to determine if gun control laws actually do reduce the amount of violent crimes. These studies have discovered that there is no link
There is a raging battle in the United States court rooms extending all the way to many communities throughout the US. That battle, or to be more exact, question is, “would stricter gun control laws be beneficial to the United States?” There are two perspectives on the ever-continuing question, one being that stricter gun control would be beneficial and cause less harm to citizens, and the contrasting view is that it is a right to be able to own guns, and that they are used for protection and recreational purposes.
The lasting fear resulting from the considerable number of armed conflicts involving the United States explains the citizens’ urge to protect the Second Amendment of the Constitution. The Second Amendment 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”. This amendment is also the basis of a current political debate over guns consisting of two polarized sides, the advocates of gun control and the advocates of gun rights. Gun control advocates tend to believe that the Founding Fathers intended the Second Amendment for militias and increasing gun restrictions reduces gun violence. Conversely, gun rights advocates tend to believe that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to own guns, an individual needs guns for self-defense from threats, and gun ownership deters crime rather than causes more crime. American citizens frequently discuss the regulation of guns today due to the relation guns have to terrorism and mass shootings. Leah Libresco, a statistician, writes in her Washington Post article “I Used to Think Gun Control Was the Answer. My Research Told Me Otherwise” that gun control policies in their current state will make no apparent difference in the gun death rates. In opposition
Some have said, “Gun control is good, others have said it isn’t.” “Gun Control is a governmental regulation of the sale and ownership of firearm”(gun control). I believe that if we have a semi-stricter law on Gun Control, the crime rate would lessen.
The issue of gun control as a political and social matter represents one of the most contentious divisions in the country today. Recent highly publicized shootings have brought the debate to the forefront of the public conscience. With over 300 million privately owned guns and 30,000 deaths involving firearms reported per year, both sides of the debate are firmly invested in upholding their cause (Rogers, 2012). The emotional nature of the issue is a lightning rod in political campaigns and the complexities of the issue have confounded law enforcement. Both gun rights and gun control lobbies have struggled to find any compromise that balances the rights of citizens with the need to end violence. The existing and proposed gun control in
Coming from a family that owns guns, the topic of gun ownership has become more pertinent than ever. From a young age, my grandfather instructed me on the proper care and usage of firearms. However, due to a death within the family years ago due to gun violence, the repercussions of the Second Amendment have become more palpable. Approximately 73% of the 16,459 homicides could have been avoided in 2016 solely if guns didn't exist, and 11,961 lives potentially saved according to data calculated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation dataset. Whether or not the people of the United States agree with more gun control, the choice of allowing guns to the public puts everyone at a potential risk of encountering a firearm related crime. The glaring need for improved gun control within the U.S. became apparent in the recent
As I reflect on this past year’s top news stories and headlines, one of the main legal issues that continues to arise and cause terror in our own country is gun control. This is a controversial issue that has been debated for years, especially as more and more shootings occur. We’ve seen deadly mass shootings in our schools, churches, malls, nightclubs, concert venues, and most recently in Las Vegas, which is now classified as the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, leaving 58 people dead and 546 injured. All of these mass shootings are senseless actions caused by a small few but have a nationwide effect on countless families and loved ones. People are afraid for their safety with a fear of not knowing when and where the next shooting will take place. This is why there are so many proponents of stricter gun regulations. As I was doing my research on gun control, I found that in America, there is an average of 88 guns per 100 people (about 270 million guns), which is the highest total and per capita number in the entire world, according to the 2011 Small Arms Survey. Additionally, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence estimates that around 114,994 people are shot each year in the US, including murders, assaults, accidents, police intervention, suicide attempts, and suicides. There are also people who fear that stricter gun regulations will make them have a loss of security, arguing that restricting their right to bear arms would leave citizens unable to protect themselves in times of self-defense from local criminals or foreign invaders, or if in a rare case the government were to turn against the people someday. Many gun owners believe it is their birthright to have a gun in their possession as it is part of America’s great heritage, with the country’s colonial history and revolutionary roots. People are divided in their view of what gun control should and shouldn’t be. America has around 35-50 percent of the world’s civilian-owned guns, according to a 2007 report by the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey. That being said, the United States also has the highest homicide by firearm rate among the world’s most developed nations. Over the years these statistics have gone up and down but one thing that
Gun control has been a major issue in American politics for decades, despite the fact that the founding fathers made their views on the subject quite clear. George Washington once remarked that, “Firearms stand next in importance to the constitution itself.” The second amendment goes further, stating that every American has the legal right to own and bear arms. However, despite these clear statements, calls for gun control are ubiquitous and are now coming from politicians, businesses and even celebrities. Activists for gun control claim that stricter regulation and legislation to prevent law-abiding Americans from possessing firearms would reduce crime and result in a safer society. The realities are far different. Calls for gun control are resulting in economic loss, promoting a society that would cater to criminals, and contradict the legal framework of the United States of America.
Gun ownership is a general topic that has remained the greatest challenge to the US security agencies. This is because the American Bill of Rights gives all citizens enough rights of owning guns individually (Baldrige 112). In the American tradition, this right has a long history. It dates back to the time when colonists settled in North America. Since then, each person in the US was allowed to own a private gun for self defense (Bellesiles 67). This is because the freedom of the US was won from the English rule by armed citizen-soldiers. The right is unique to the US across the globe. Some individuals believe that the guns can help them protect their loved ones. Consequently, they think that the right to gun ownership equals the right of self-protection. The right to individual gun ownership is, however, wrong because, in the recent years, many crimes have been committed by the use of private guns implying that the weapons that were meant to make the citizens feel safe are getting them into great danger.
In the debate on whether the right to bear arms remains significant in today’s society, the pro side presented the definition of the Second Amendment as “protecting our right to bear arms short of those that are fully-automatic” in other words excluding weaponry not yet conceived in the minds of the founding fathers who “held the view that citizens reserve the right to bear arms for protection against government, foreign enemies, and criminals alike”.