Argumentative Essay On Gun Control

The rights of man— as written by the founding fathers— consisted of five major freedoms granted in America. These were regarded as the bill of rights, and in modern America are under constant magnification. This magnification brings along with it a question regarding the relationship between freedom and safety, and whether Americans should give away their freedom to protect the lives of others. Across the globe citizens are forced to make a decision regarding the balance between safety and freedom, and in America, many are undecided or strongly in defense of either side. A conclusion can be made that many people are extremely conflicted on the issue. Some want to be safe and are willing to give away freedoms, while others hold strong to their
All around the world countries are continuing to enact gun control, Britain being a major progressive on the issue. The safety of others seems to be the end goal of limiting citizen access to weapons, in Europe these include knives and guns. In America this issue is harder to decipher, most likely due to the second amendment guaranteeing the right to bear arms, a regulation not available in other countries. A common issue in people giving freedoms up for the sake of safety and security is the implementations for those opposing these ideals. In the gun reform debate, those fighting against control are the estimated 14 million NRA members. This large number of NRA members, along with numerous other gun owners, form a strong resistance against reform. The large number of pro-freedom citizens disproves or limits Mencken’s claim, and provides a counter argument regarding the extent to which people will give their rights away for safety's
One example of a war for freedom is the Revolutionary War; colonists did not care if they survived, but rather if those after them would be free from the tyranny of England. This same drive can be seen in the Civil War, those who fought for the Union were fighting for the freedom of African American slaves in the South. A valiant cause that disregarded bodily harm in the hopes that those enslaved could one day be free. Benjamin Franklin once wrote: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." This quote was regarding many things, and during a time of liberty and freedom, Franklin believed that freedom was far more important compared to safety. This belief has been a motivator for many other countries besides from America, and countries fighting against communists during the Cold War definitely valued freedom from communism over their own safety. These examples are all from the past, and a question arises. Do these beliefs still apply in contemporary society; and if so, to what extent? Well, in modern society the values of freedom and safety are at a stalemate, with some Americans valuing safety over liberties and freedoms, while others have opposing viewpoints. At this time, neither side seems to be incorrect or correct; but instead, they battle to find