Preview

Pros And Cons Of Stricter Gun Control Laws

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
672 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Pros And Cons Of Stricter Gun Control Laws
Paper 5

Researchers believe that stricter gun control laws can help curb the increasing violence in the United States. They argue that tighter control on hand gun sales and the banning of assault rifle would be beneficial to our society. Can new gun laws put an end to gun violence in the U.S., or do they infringe upon constitutional rights provided by the Second Amendment, and serve no purpose other than to take away guns from law abiding citizens?

Pros
"The U.S. has the highest rate of gun ownership and of gun homicide in the developed world, per a 1999 Harvard School of Public Health study" (White 1). Many surveys have also concluded that people feel less safe when members of their own community start to carry guns.
Some people
…show more content…
"Deaths from firearms in the United States dropped sharply, from almost 40,000 in 1993 to 29,700 in 2002" (Adams).
Cons
Law abiding citizens who have the right to carry guns and do so, are less likely to be the victim of a crime, proving that defensive gun use is effective. Guns are used in self defense situations almost 2 million times a year. "Victims who use guns during crimes are less likely to be injured or lose property than those who use other resistance strategies or do not resist at all — and almost always without wounding or killing the criminal. Victim gun use does not provoke offenders into greater violence, nor does it result in offenders taking guns from victims and using them against the victims" (Kleck).

Gun control has done nothing to keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals, it only serves to make it more difficult for law abiding citizens to purchase guns. If a criminal wants a gun he will find a way to get one. The banning of guns for citizens only takes away their right to protect themselves and their
…show more content…
Bans on the sale of guns to people who are legally eligible to own one would be going against our own Constitution that are forefathers wrote.
I'm not totally against gun control, as I do believe there should be laws in place to restrict the sales of guns to criminals and those who have mental issues. Gun control statistics and perceptions though, are skewed by the media as they seldom report on anyone who successfully defends themselves with a gun. I do believe that the total banning of guns or restrictions put in place to keep those who are legally entitled to carry guns, are ridiculous. Every American should have the right to defend themselves if the need arise and by taking away their right to own guns you are leaving them

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    This is also supported by the U.S. Supreme Court which said, “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.” This quote shows how altering the laws would be the opposite of what the Second Amendment states. Also according to the Declaration of Independence, our unalienable rights are, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and, “that whenever any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it... it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.” This means that whenever we are in perilous situation we can defend ourselves to secure our right of life. Also, “banning guns will take away yet another piece of our liberty,” according to balancedpolitics.org. Eventually this will lead to having more of our rights taken away and result in tyranny. This is why we must not alter the gun laws we have…

    • 666 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When we look at gun-related events, such as a school shooting, or a massacre, our first knee-jerk reaction is to immediately blame guns for the crime. Stricter laws will surely stop those law-breaking criminals, right? As if the time of the writing of the article from procon.org, 49 out of the 62 mass shootings were done with legal guns. At least, that's one less crime committed, right? Would leaving ourselves defenseless while criminals acquire guns illegally instead be a better method protection? My partner and I believe that stricter gun control laws should not be passed, due to the fact that the Constitution protects the right to own guns, criminals who commit crimes with guns would likely not mind breaking another law to acquire said gun,…

    • 502 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    It is quite clear that by looking at criminals intentions and the overall protection of our country's people gun control should not be administered. Since the establishment of our great nation guns have played a central role and have been of great importance. Though some may think that guns are weapons of war, crime, and violence our Founding Fathers realized they were an essential right that needed to be preserved for the citizens. In the Bill of Rights the Second Amendment of the 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 control proponents have…

    • 422 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    (2) Federal law already prohibits certain people from owning firearms: those with certain kinds of criminal records or mental illness; drug addicts; immigrants without legal status; veterans who left the military with a dishonorable discharge; and anyone with a permanent restraining order keeping them from a partner or a partner’s children. So with this already in action, do we really need more gun control? Now we are discussing needing a background check on every person and taking away a big portion of guns, but clearly, we won’t be needing…

    • 519 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The role guns play in our society has long been a controversial topic for the past few years in the united states. There are those who believe that guns do not belong in the hands of citizens and there are those who believe that guns are the foundation that protects our rights and liberties stated in the Constitution. There are too many leading factors as to why there should not be any stricter gun control laws. Some of these factors are that they go against our fundamental rights of self defense, give too much power to the government, and could potentially increase crime rates in the united states.…

    • 556 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    However, in order to really solve the violence problem United States is facing, there needs to be realistic solutions, and banning the possession of guns is not a realistic solution. Legislations who ban types of guns are ineffective in the long term. For example, the Violent Crime Control Act and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 which banned assault weapons, did not seem to have any effect on crime at all. Between the years 1994-2004, gun violence using the banned assault weapons did not change dramatically, however, gun crimes using non-banned semi-automatic weapons were rising between the years 1994-2004. The bill was finally expired on September 13, 2004 when it was ruled unconstitutional.…

    • 973 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    First of all more gun control laws would reduce gun deaths.Gun control laws don't deter crimes, gun ownership deters crime. In the twentieth-century weapon, ownership had doubled but the murder rate has decreased. Anyone can go buy a gun but that doesn't mean they're going to use…

    • 234 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    I. Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora, Newtown are just a few places where mass shootings have happened that have left people forever scarred and unable to forget. Because of these and other incidents, the gun control topic has been in the spotlight. There is no question that guns are a contributor to crimes and murders. However, does restricting and putting limitations on them really help control crime and murders or will this be taking legitimate…

    • 1423 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The limitation of gun usage would restrict Americans of their second amendment rights. Firearms are known for being widespread and favored throughout the southern portion of America, if certain laws were put into place, southern states would rebel. Havoc and chaos would break free throughout the United States, possibly costing America more in the end. If restrictions were assembled, Americans would be forced to carry or smuggle weapons illegally, causing more unlawful activity. Historically, America’s founding fathers felt it was necessary to have the right to bear arms, if the government…

    • 494 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Some gun advocates claim that they carry guns as a form of self-protection. However, this has been scientifically proven to be untrue. A study done by the University of Pennsylvania on the 677 shootings over the span of two and a half years indicate that people who carry guns are 4.5 times more likely to be shot than an unarmed person, and 4.2 times more likely to be killed by a gun (Callaway). The author claims that the reason for these statistics is that guns give people false senses of empowerment that make them overreact in volatile situations (Callaway). Carrying a gun not concealed is like painting a bull’s-eye(s) on oneself rather than self-defense, especially when it might foster delusions of empowerment. Even statics discourage gun possession; through legislating stricter gun laws, this can ensure public…

    • 1011 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Gun Control Pros And Cons

    • 1709 Words
    • 7 Pages

    In the wake of multiple shootings such as the theatre shooting in Aurora, Colorado, should U.S. gun control laws be reformed, or would that result in the violation of constitutional rights? From the day the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was adopted on December 15, 1791, giving U.S. citizens the right to carry firearms, the issue of gun control has been the subject of many debates. And the effects of more strictly regulated Gun control would be detrimental to our society. Gun control is unreasonable for the following reasons: 1) the right to own and carry weapons is granted by the Constitution and upheld by the Supreme Court, 2) the majority of U.S. gun owners…

    • 1709 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gun control in the United States has become a highly controversial topic over the years. There have been plenty of debates on the gun control laws and people have taken to being either pro gun control laws or anti gun control laws. One thing we can’t deny would be that gun control laws would keep us all safer and even save lives. Statistic show that more guns equals to more homicide cases. If more citizens have easy access to guns, they’re more likely to kill than if they didn’t have easy access to the guns. Public places like schools, restaurants, and churches are not acceptable places for people to be carrying guns; it puts the public in danger. It should be illegal.…

    • 782 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The debate over the restrictions of gun control is centered on the Second Amendment to the Constitution, which gives people the right to bear arms. Gun control supporters believe that this explicit right does not extend to ownership of military-style firearms. For example, groups like the National Rifle Association argue that gun control infringes on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. Gun control is an on-going debate because each year more people are killed by the use of guns. However, guns are not the result in the number of homicides each year, the problems rests with the irresponsible gun users. Gun Control would do nothing but harm America because guns offer protection and security…

    • 1203 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    I believe gun control laws do not stop gun violence because of the killing population. If the gun control laws stop the violence the death crime wouldn’t be so high. Criminals don't seem to care about the laws. Criminals continue to carry guns looking for trouble.…

    • 290 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Every day in America, 309 people are shot. Of those shot, 93 die. Of those killed, 32 are murdered (Brady Campaign). When facts such as these are ignored, it’s hard to remember that these numbers aren’t considered normal everywhere else. When compared to 22 other high-income nations, such as Germany, Australia, and Canada, researchers with The American Journal of Medicine found that the gun deaths on US soil account for 82% of all the gun deaths in these countries combined. In other words, 82 out of 100 deaths caused by gun violence in 23 of the wealthiest, most developed nations in the world occur in the United States (Preidt). Whether you label this a public health problem or a mental health problem, a legal problem or a public safety problem,…

    • 1426 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays