Gun Control, Out of Control; Final Draft

Katelyn Kressler

Engl 102-048

Causal argument essay

29 January 2013

Gun Control, Out of Control

            While flipping through the channels on television, it is hard not catch a story about some degree of gun violence. A recent story that really hits home for many American people of all communities is the Sandy Hook Tragedy in Newtown Connecticut. On December 14, 2012, twenty students and six staff members were shot and killed by a twenty year old man named Adam Lanza. Before arriving at the school, he shot and killed his own mother. The Sandy Hook Elementary students ranged from first grade to fourth grade. It is absolutely heartbreaking to picture these young innocent children being murdered for no reason or walking past the dead bodies of their best friends, classmates, principal, teachers, and school psychologist. Its heartbreaking to think about the parents and siblings of these children and the memories those who survived will have to carry with them for the rest of their lives. Sadly, gun violence and murders are not new problems for America. We have seen it in cases such as the Virginia Tech Massacre and the Arizona movie theater shooting. “Only with gun violence do we respond to repeated tragedies by saying that mourning is acceptable but discussing how to prevent more tragedies is not. “Too soon,” howl supporters of loose gun laws. But as others have observed, talking about how to stop mass shootings in the aftermath of a string of mass shootings isn’t “too soon.” It’s much too late.” ( “Twelve Facts about Guns and Mass Shootings in the United States” washingtonpost.com). With this said, laws on gun control should be stricter to ease people of the dangers of being around guns, to slow down the organizations of guns, and to decrease gun violence in general,
 

Fig. 1. A message from pro gun control  ("The Week in Polls: Americans Rally for Stronger Gun Laws." BET.com)

The right to bear arms has been a part of American society since the beginning. It is in fact the second amendment in the United States Constitution. From wars, to law enforcement, to the head of the house being ready to protect their family, guns are a part of the American culture and always will be.  Also seen all throughout American history are stories of school shootings. “The first reported school shooting happened on July 26, 1764... Only three students survived and of them one had already been partially scalped” ("The History of Nearly 250 Years of School Shootings in America."hubpages.com).  With the right to bear arms there obviously comes those who disagree with it and want to eliminate the right completely.  I personally believe that that the right should remain, however, revisions should be made to make sure weapons so not get in the wrong hands and to keep our people safe.

             Gun control laws should be stricter in order to make people less afraid of authority and the weapons authority carries.  As things are now, guns have a very negative connotation. They are seen as tools to murder, harm, and evoke fear in others. From a young age we are taught that we must stay away from guns and that they only do bad. However, this is not completely true.  Guns, when the correct people possess them, for the correct reasons can be extremely useful. One example would be military, or law enforcement in which serve to protect innocent people and keep them out of harms way. Another example, although not so common anymore, would be people hunting for food and other resources. Guns can be very helpful great tools for safety but only if they are used in a safe way. Having more restrictions with guns will help people become more comfortable with the idea of guns. If American people are assured that they are safe and no reason to worry about weapons getting into the wrong hands or that a random tragedy happening, they will feel more comfortable in the presence of authority that hold weapons to protect us.

            Another reason laws about gun control should be stricter is that it would help to decrease the organization of guns including the mob, and smaller gangs.  Especially in larger cities, when a child reaches a certain age they sometimes get in with the wrong crowd and are introduced to gang life. In my city, people I knew started getting involved around the age of thirteen. When I was in seventh grade, I heard about a boy, Marvin, only a year older than me getting killed due to gang and gun involvement. When one grows up around these kinds of things, it is easy to get sucked into a dangerous lifestyle that can ruin, if not end, their entire future.  Guns should not be in the hands of those who wish to cause harm never mind the hands of thirteen-year-olds who are not educated about the effects and circumstances of gun possession. I personally feel as though guns should not be in the average person’s home. My opinion is that guns should only be in the hands of law enforcement and military to make sure these deadly weapons never fall into the wrong hands.

            Lastly, gun control laws should be stricter to end gun violence in general.  As of now, the United States has gun violence records that would put the government to shame. For example, “Since 1982, there have been at least 61 mass murders carried out with firearms across the country, with the killings unfolding in 30 states from Massachusetts to Hawaii, they found. And in most cases, the killers had obtained their weapons legally” ("Twelve Facts about Guns and Mass Shootings in the United States." Washingtonpost.com). The fact that in most cases, the guns used to brutally mass murder innocent people were obtained legally is just proof that the gun control laws are flawed. When these numbers are compared to England’s homicide rates, it is shown that England has one of the lowest homicide rates in the world. I don’t think that it is just a coincidence that owning a gun at all in England is against the law.  In order to obtain a weapon in the United Kingdom, one must go through a very long and complicated process.  The individual must show good reason for wanting a gun in their application. “Independent referees provide confidential character statements in which they are expected to answer in detail about the applicant's mental state, home life and attitude towards guns. Officers check the Police National Computer for a criminal record and they speak to the applicant's GP for evidence of alcoholism, drug abuse or signs of personality disorder. Social services can also be asked for reasons to turn down an applicant.”( "10 Reasons Stricter Gun Regulation Will Be Difficult to Achieve in America." Thehuffingtonpos.com). The officers then need to see that the individual has a safe and secure place to keep the gun. Although this is a long and involved process to accessing a gun, I think it is very necessary. It helps to make sure the weapons do not under any circumstance fall into the wrong hands and are never used for bad. Of course no plan is completely fool proof, but I do think that England is a step in front of the United States when it comes to gun control laws. If we had stricter laws involving gun control, I do believe that gun violence would be decreased significantly.

Fig. 2. A comic making fun of America’s gun control or lack there of. ("Shoot First, Ask Questions Later." Banalleakage.com)

One of the strongest counter arguments of making gun control laws stricter would be that ordinary people need guns to protect their homes from danger and it is the Constitutional right of that person to do so. 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” ("Bill of Rights Transcript Text." archives.gov). Many American citizens choose to own a gun strictly because the constitution states that it is their right and they feel the need to exercise all of their rights.The NRA works hard to garuntee American’s of their rights, along with alliances such as the NRA Civil Rights Fund. These organizations see stricter gun control laws as more of a threat to their constitutional rights rather than a means of protection. (“Civil Rights Legal Defense Fund - Message from the Chairman." Nradefensefund.org). I would argue that stricter laws would not be there to take away their right but to make sure no one abuses the right. If the person wishing to bear arms is psychologically and physically fit to own a gun, the altered laws would not be a problem. They would simply be there to make sure every person with a gun has the absolute best intensions. As far as people being concerned about being able to protect themselves with their guns, I would have to argue that there is really no need for the guns. If the laws are stricter there would be less gun violence meaning less reason to protect a family with a gun. If there ever was a real threat in a house, the police could be notified because it would be legal for them to carry guns.

Fig. 3. A message about the desire to own a gun. (“It Don't Make Sense: 2nd Amendment For Me, But Not For Thee." itdontmakesense.blogspot.com)

        Fig .4. Comparing gun control laws to dictatorship. ("Political MoJo." Motherjones.com)

           In conclusion I do believe that gun control laws in the United States should be stricter in order to ease people of their fear of weapons and authority, to lessen gun organizations, and lastly to decrease gun violence as a whole. I recognize that The United States would be an extremely difficult country to deny access of guns completely. The country is way too divided for this to work at this time. However, there is no harm in attempting to revise the laws to make the streets and communities we live in a little safer. In my making these laws stricter would increase our safety a very satisfying amount.

Works Cited

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Casciani, Dominic. "Gun Control and Ownership Laws in the UK." BBC News. BBC, 11

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            Web. 01 Feb. 2013

"_It Don't Make Sense_: 2nd Amendment For Me, But Not For Thee." _It Don't Make

            Sense_: 2nd Amendment For Me, But Not For Thee. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2013.

Klein, Ezra. "Twelve Facts about Guns and Mass Shootings in the United States."

            Washingtonpost.com. N.p., 14 Dec. 2012. Web. 1 Feb. 2013

"Political MoJo." Mother Jones. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2013.

"Shoot First, Ask Questions Later." Banal Leakage. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2013.

Strauss, Steven. "10 Reasons Stricter Gun Regulation Will Be Difficult to Achieve in

America." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 01 Jan. 2013. Web. 04            

Feb. 2013.

"The Week in Polls: Americans Rally for Stronger Gun Laws."

            BET.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2013.