Argumentative Essay: The Science Of Gun Control

The Second Amendment of the Constitution was created to protect the right of individuals and militia to keep and bear arms. In 2015 a survey of American fears was conducted by Chapman University which reported that 36.5% of Americans said they were “afraid” or “very afraid” of gun control (Ledbetter). Gun control has become a hot button issue within the scope of politics. This brings to the surface questions of why Americans are so afraid of gun control. An increased push in the desire for gun control legislation causes fear in Americans because of the perceived loss of control with personal protection. Along with this lack of control comes increased feelings of vulnerability, self-preservation, and a lack of empowerment.
Before understanding
However, when innocent people are being robbed, assaulted, and even murdered, this can cause one to feel even more vulnerable. The desire for guns then arises from the vulnerability posed with these criminal activities and the fear of other people (Hargrove and Perdue 225). When bad things are happening to innocent people, the danger of something bad happening becomes more real. Daniel Gardner, author of The Science of Fear, explains that some cases push our risk-perception buttons; specifically in this case the issue of gun control legislation causes a sense of personal risk to arise
In the mid-2000s crime rates began declining fast. Despite this trend, 70% of Americans still wrongly believed that crime rates are on the rise (Frum). The criminal world will always be something for citizens to worry about. According to William Vizzard, evidence supports the conclusion that criminals prohibited from guns acquire them most often from acquaintances or through illegal markets (Vizzard 894). When crime looks like it is at an all-time high, it will seem that law enforcement is slowly becoming more ineffective. With the thought of police protection spread thin, Americans will worry that police will begin showing up at the crime scene, too late to be of any help. This is what will cause citizens to take matters into their own hands and why they feel safer with guns readily available to them for their own defense. Fear of gun control brings to light many reasons as to why personal protection is so important to Americans. The avoidance of feelings like vulnerability, the need for self-preservation, and a lack of empowerment all contribute to the perceived inability of self-protection. Concluding these feelings is the reason that 36.5% of Americans fear the loss of their right to bear