Hist 102 individual essay 1
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Gun Control
Abstract
The issue of gun control laws has raised debates on whether gun control is good or bad. To answer this question, it is important to look at evidence supporting a certain stand. This manuscript seeks to investigate the issue of gun control. Specifically, the article endeavors to present pro-gun control arguments as well as the opposing views.
In Support of Gun Control
According to polls conducted soon after the shooting in Newtown, the support for gun control rose steadily. The same trend was evidenced after the shooting in Navy Yard in Washington according to a survey. Both of these studies reveal that support for stricter laws has risen since these shootings. Gun control should be supported since it has potential benefits in the society. In a recent YouGiv poll, 48% of the participants said that they would like gun laws to be made stricter, 16% stated that these laws should be made less strict while 29% asserted that no change should be made to the laws (Swanson 1). Proponents of the utilitarianism theory stipulate that whatever the majority supports should be considered right. Arguing from this point of view, the laws should be made stricter since the 48% of the participants represent a large section of the American population who support gun control policies and the need to make stricter rules. Some opponents of this argue that the fact that the statistics showing that the U.S. has 88.9 guns for every 100 people shows that owning guns is a good thing. The small army survey revealed that this ratio is more than that of Mexico, Pakistan and Gaza, yet the United States is much safer. On the other hand, a lot of research reveals that stricter gun control laws would keep the nation safer as well as people’s lives (Gottlieb 32-33).
More guns equal more homicides. When the levels of gun ownership and homicide rates are compared, the trend is obvious. According to the Harvard University report, guns and
Tutor:
Course:
Date:
Gun Control
Abstract
The issue of gun control laws has raised debates on whether gun control is good or bad. To answer this question, it is important to look at evidence supporting a certain stand. This manuscript seeks to investigate the issue of gun control. Specifically, the article endeavors to present pro-gun control arguments as well as the opposing views.
In Support of Gun Control
According to polls conducted soon after the shooting in Newtown, the support for gun control rose steadily. The same trend was evidenced after the shooting in Navy Yard in Washington according to a survey. Both of these studies reveal that support for stricter laws has risen since these shootings. Gun control should be supported since it has potential benefits in the society. In a recent YouGiv poll, 48% of the participants said that they would like gun laws to be made stricter, 16% stated that these laws should be made less strict while 29% asserted that no change should be made to the laws (Swanson 1). Proponents of the utilitarianism theory stipulate that whatever the majority supports should be considered right. Arguing from this point of view, the laws should be made stricter since the 48% of the participants represent a large section of the American population who support gun control policies and the need to make stricter rules. Some opponents of this argue that the fact that the statistics showing that the U.S. has 88.9 guns for every 100 people shows that owning guns is a good thing. The small army survey revealed that this ratio is more than that of Mexico, Pakistan and Gaza, yet the United States is much safer. On the other hand, a lot of research reveals that stricter gun control laws would keep the nation safer as well as people’s lives (Gottlieb 32-33).
More guns equal more homicides. When the levels of gun ownership and homicide rates are compared, the trend is obvious. According to the Harvard University report, guns and
Cited: Gottlieb, Allan. The Rights to Gun Control. New York: Green Hill, 2010. Lott, John. More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime Control Laws. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2008. Swanson, Emily. Gun Control Polls Find Support Sliding for Harsher Laws. The Huffington Post. September 21st, 2013.