Gun Control

Since becoming a staple of American society, guns have been instrumental in altering contemporary warfare. The dangers of these weapons are not a secret; it is simply their mere nature. Some argue that guns were created to protect, while others suggest that they were built to destroy and cause the death of one’s intended target. Frank Zimring, a University of Chicago Law scholar, stated in his piece The University of Chicago Law Review, “The rate of knife deaths per 100 reported knife attacks was less than 1/5 the rate of gun deaths per 100 reported gun attacks” (Zimring 722). This statistic expresses the sincere lethality of guns compared to other forms of weaponry. One of the main reasons for this data stems from the misuse of guns, which unlike other weapons, can cause death to the user and those around him or her even on accident. If this unfortunate probability can be decreased, how can we stand around as the leader of the free world and let nothing be done?

In the American political system, gun control has been a debate for many years; however, recent shootings have forced it into a large spotlight. The problem that splits gun control proponents from their opposition is the language of the second amendment of the constitution. The founding fathers of this nation believed that, “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” (U.S. Constitution). This multifaceted sentence from the Bill of Rights brings many quarrels to life with its simple diction. It is very open to interpretation, which is what causes both sides of the debate to have “legal stances” on the matter. The National Rifle Association (NRA), which is the nation’s largest gun advocacy organization, is led by the philosophy that it, “[hosts] a wide range of firearms-related public interest activities of the National Rifle Association of America and other organizations that defend and foster the Second