A Short Summary: Gun Violence In America
Gun Violence in America
William Walker
Kaplan University
CM 220-04
Professor Bianco
April 1, 2013
With our country owning over 310 million guns, killing more than 31,000 people a year; the attitude of our culture and society that violence solves problems and the glorification of this attitude needs to change or gun deaths will only increase. Simply banning certain types of guns while seemingly prudent and justifiable is not enough or is it. How we think and act is more important in this issue than just taking guns away. If our attitudes do not change people will still find a way to commit …show more content…
In some areas where it is prevalent, even just the threat of gun violence can devalue the whole neighborhood. While you can’t realistically put a price on the total harm of gun violence, researchers have used a method called “contingent valuation”. This is where they asked many people how much they would pay to avoid gun violence. It has been estimated that the cost to American society is around $100 billion dollars (Stray, 2013). This coupled with the fact that there were 8,583 homicides involving firearms in 2011, which is more than two thirds of all homicides committed (12,664) means that gun violence in America has become endemic. The ownership of so many guns in this country makes it as simple as ready, aim, and fire. It has lowered society’s threshold between anger and killing and this proliferation in society leaves everyone vulnerable. Our communities have become unsafe, police on patrol now wear bulletproof vests for their protection. This was unheard of even 30 years ago, now it is standard practice. Gun violence now touches every aspect of our lives it’s on the streets, in homes, at work, and even in our schools like never before (Lendman, …show more content…
Take for instance Wayne LA Pierre, the head of Americas largest gun lobby the National Rifle Association (NRA) who testified before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on gun violence back in January. Mr. LaPierre suggested what is needed is the enforcement of the “thousands of gun laws that are currently in place” (Hawkins;Karimi, 2013) along with the prosecution of criminals who misuse guns. According to LaPierre federal prosecution for the use of guns in violent acts has dropped 35% in 2011. He also believes that the nations mental health issues need to be corrected so that mental health records can be included in National Instant Criminal Background Check System, used in the background checks of those who wish to purchase firearms (Hawkins;Karimi, 2013). His points are valid ones, what good is it to enact new laws if we are not using the ones already in place to their fullest. Also the thought that someone with a mental illness can purchase a gun just as easily as I can is a scary thought and an issue that must be addressed. There is also the fact many feel that gun control measures do not stop gun violence. In 2004 the National Academy of Sciences reviewed over 253 articles, along with 43 government publications and 99 books. They evaluated 80 gun control
William Walker
Kaplan University
CM 220-04
Professor Bianco
April 1, 2013
With our country owning over 310 million guns, killing more than 31,000 people a year; the attitude of our culture and society that violence solves problems and the glorification of this attitude needs to change or gun deaths will only increase. Simply banning certain types of guns while seemingly prudent and justifiable is not enough or is it. How we think and act is more important in this issue than just taking guns away. If our attitudes do not change people will still find a way to commit …show more content…
In some areas where it is prevalent, even just the threat of gun violence can devalue the whole neighborhood. While you can’t realistically put a price on the total harm of gun violence, researchers have used a method called “contingent valuation”. This is where they asked many people how much they would pay to avoid gun violence. It has been estimated that the cost to American society is around $100 billion dollars (Stray, 2013). This coupled with the fact that there were 8,583 homicides involving firearms in 2011, which is more than two thirds of all homicides committed (12,664) means that gun violence in America has become endemic. The ownership of so many guns in this country makes it as simple as ready, aim, and fire. It has lowered society’s threshold between anger and killing and this proliferation in society leaves everyone vulnerable. Our communities have become unsafe, police on patrol now wear bulletproof vests for their protection. This was unheard of even 30 years ago, now it is standard practice. Gun violence now touches every aspect of our lives it’s on the streets, in homes, at work, and even in our schools like never before (Lendman, …show more content…
Take for instance Wayne LA Pierre, the head of Americas largest gun lobby the National Rifle Association (NRA) who testified before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on gun violence back in January. Mr. LaPierre suggested what is needed is the enforcement of the “thousands of gun laws that are currently in place” (Hawkins;Karimi, 2013) along with the prosecution of criminals who misuse guns. According to LaPierre federal prosecution for the use of guns in violent acts has dropped 35% in 2011. He also believes that the nations mental health issues need to be corrected so that mental health records can be included in National Instant Criminal Background Check System, used in the background checks of those who wish to purchase firearms (Hawkins;Karimi, 2013). His points are valid ones, what good is it to enact new laws if we are not using the ones already in place to their fullest. Also the thought that someone with a mental illness can purchase a gun just as easily as I can is a scary thought and an issue that must be addressed. There is also the fact many feel that gun control measures do not stop gun violence. In 2004 the National Academy of Sciences reviewed over 253 articles, along with 43 government publications and 99 books. They evaluated 80 gun control