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Gun-Control: Balancing U.S. Individual Rights & Public Safety
U.S. Gun Debate Intensifies
What can people do about guns? ‘The debate over U.S. gun laws has raged for decades, often reigniting after high-profile mass shootings’ (Masters). People in favor of gun control believe that guns should be banned as they cause mass killings and other firearm-related deaths. They believe that gun control would stop those kinds of events. Anti-gun control people believe that the second amendment gives people the right to firearms. They say that it allows them to have any weapon used for defense. As the years have come and gone, gun violence has become more and more of a problem. According to the Council of Foreign Relations, ‘Gun violence has surged amid the COVID-19 pandemic.’ This issue needs to be solved quickly, but what should people do?
Pro-Gun Control Insights
People who consider themselves pro-gun control want to stop public killings or limit the number of them. Gun control helps keep guns out of the wrong hands and gives people who should not have them less opportunity to shoot innocent people. ‘In 2012, gun control laws blocked over 192,000 prohibited individuals from gaining access to a firearm in the United States, including 82,000 Felons’ (Regoli). By implementing gun control, the number of firearms-related deaths would decrease. Only 14% of people who own a handgun have the proper training to use it, meaning that guns can cause more damage when untrained people try to use the gun to defend themselves. Gun control would stop people from using guns when they are untrained.
Defending Gun Ownership
Anti-gun control people say owning a gun or firearm is people’s right. It makes them feel safe to have a way to defend themselves. When appropriately trained, guns are not dangerous. They are safe and are used to protect people. ‘The United States has less than 5% of the world’s population, but it controls up to 50% of the world’s civilian-owned guns’ (Masters). This statement shows that most people in the United States own a gun. The gun laws in the United States are not weak; they are good laws. Gun laws are only ineffective due to how the government enforces them.
Seeking Common Ground
Pro-gun control and Anti-gun control both have much common ground. Both sides are in argument in the interest of the public. The only difference is their view on how to keep the public safe. They both want to make sure people feel safe. ‘In 2000, 67% of people on a gun control survey stated they support some form of gun control. In 2016, that figure dropped to 46%’ (PEW). Both sides agree that gun laws should be in place and properly enforced to keep people safe. Both sides also want violence caused by firearms to decrease. What can we do to compromise so everyone feels safe?
Compromise & Vigilance
One way to compromise is to keep current laws on handguns, shotguns, and rifles the same. Then to increase the control of assault weapons, making it harder for people to get them as they are the most dangerous. In order to do this, background checks need to be mandatory when buying any gun, and they need to do mental assessments on people trying to buy them. All guns should also be registered and reregistered every few years as ‘the vast majority of states do not register guns. There are over 400 million guns in the United States. Over 300 million guns in the United States are not registered. Most were never required to be registered’ (Weingarten). The government must vigorously enforce gun laws and more steps taken to ensure that guns cannot go into areas where they do not belong.
References:
- Masters, J. Title of the Article/Book. Publisher or Journal Name.
- Council of Foreign Relations. Gun violence in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Regoli, R. Title of the Article/Book. Publisher or Journal Name.
- PEW Research Center. Public Views About Guns.
- Weingarten, D. Title of the Article/Book. Publisher or Journal Name.
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