Gun Violence In America
Gun Violence in America Since the inception of firearms, people have been wielding all types of arms and ammunitions against each other in order to injure or kill their opponent. In the modern world, this violence is unwarranted and goes against everything society stands for. Nowhere else is gun violence most prevalent than in the United States of America. Because of the Constitution, Americans have had the right to bear arms since 1776. When the Constitution was drafted, the term “arms” meant nothing more than a musket or perhaps small one-shot pistol. However, as arms and ammunition have evolved much like any other technology, their capacity to accurately kill humans has increased. So much so that one firearm can be used to kill many people
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in a very short window of time. With this in mind, it is necessary to take a different perspective on personal firearms, as it is becoming all too common for these weapons to be used to maim and slaughter innocent (and sometimes not so innocent) Americans. The American government needs to understand the dynamics and causal factors of gun violence given the fact that, when compared to other developed nations, gun-related deaths per capita are much greater in America. Additionally, the government should take initiatives to help solve the problem by passing more gun control legislation as well as performing stricter background checks on prospective gun buyers. Before looking at the current situation, it is necessary to take a look back at gun violence throughout American history in order to contextualize how and why it got so out of hand. One of America’s unique properties, and one that sets it apart from nearly every nation in the world, is the right to bear arms. Known as the Second Amendment, the right to bear arms gives every American, regardless if they are a civilian, soldier, or police officer, the right to own, carry, and operate firearms on their own accord. This amendment was made for several reasons, but the main reason was to allow American citizens the right to revolt with force if necessary. Although gun ownership is a proud American tradition, so is gun legislation. According to Robin L. Kelly, “In 1792, the first U.S. Congress enacted the Uniform Militia Act, which required all able-bodied white male citizens under 45 to possess a musket… Fast forward to the frontier towns of America’s Wild West in the mid-to-late 1800s, and gun regulations were stricter than the laws on the books today” (VIII). As can be observed, gun legislation often changes with the time period, becoming stricter when necessary, and softer when permitted. During America’s infancy, when nobody was sure whether or not the country would survive, guns were nearly pushed upon people. However, in the Wild West, where people were murdered in the streets on a daily basis, gun control became stricter. Looking at the current state of American gun violence, it would appear that stricter gun legislation is necessary. But how necessary is it? The next section of this paper will detail the causes and effects of gun violence in order to get a better sense of why stricter gun legislation is needed in the United States of America. Before the devastating effects of gun violence are discussed, it is necessary to understand exactly why gun violence happens, and why it is so prevalent within the borders of America.
Gun violence can occur at any time and be committed by anyone, which makes it a very random, albeit common, occurrence. While gun violence can target single persons, mass shootings have become a recent phenomenon and one that strikes fear in to the hearts of millions. According to James Alan Fox and Monica J. DeLateur, there are five main causes of gun violence, and specifically mass shootings, including: revenge, power, loyalty, terror, and profit (127). Typically, it is a combination of two or more of the above reasons that lead to gun violence. However, according to Fox and DeLateur, “Among these types, revenge motivation is, by far, the most commonplace. Mass murderers often see themselves as victims – victims of injustice. They seek payback for what they perceive to be unfair treatment by targeting those they hold responsible for their misfortunes. Most often, the ones to be punished are family members or coworkers” (127). This adds a lot of context to why gun violence is so commonplace in America. Revenge is a feeling felt by many people at one point or another, but in America, taking those feelings of revenge to the extreme is possible due to the availability of guns and ammunition. Now, instead of just one or two people being murdered by the hands of a firearm, Americans are dying in record numbers due to mass shootings. Part of this is due to the above five reasons for gun violence, but part of it is also due in part to the availability of firearms that are seemingly made for more than just personal defense. Semi-automatic assault rifles are stocked on shelves nationwide in a number of stores. The right to bear arms is quickly turning in to an opportunity to kill based on raw emotion and it has become a major problem for America. Now that some of the causes of gun violence
have been unearthed, the consequences and effects of gun violence can be discussed. Gun violence kills millions around the world, but America is the absolute worst perpetrator of gun violence, by far. According to Sherry Towers et al., Studies have shown that the firearm homicide and suicide rates in the US are several times higher than that of any other industrialized country, and the patterns appear to be due to higher rates of firearm ownership in the US compared with other industrialized countries. Overall, the pediatric firearm mortality rate is five times higher in the United States compared with any other industrialized country, and 87% of all children age 0 to 14 worldwide killed by firearms are children living in the US, despite the fact that less than 5% of the world’s children live in the US. (2)
These numbers are astronomical and rather speak for themselves. Gun violence is a significant and substantial issue in America, and while every demographic suffers from this issue, the children are at an extremely elevated risk of being injured or killed in gun violence. Remembering back to earlier segments of this paper, the right to bear arms was intended to give American citizens power against their government. Two and a half centuries later, and the children are paying the price with their lives for the extended liberties granted towards Americans. In addition to this eye-opening information, Towers et al. also conclude that, “the incidence of mass shooting incidents has been growing over the past 14 years” (2). It is quite plain to see that the current state of gun legislation is hurting more than helping Americans, and because guns are so readily available and in many civilians hands, the end result children dying and more mass shootings. Gun violence is a very real issue, and on paper the answer seems obvious, but why is there not more being done to stop it? The next section will take a look at the ongoing gun control debate and what both sides are saying. The gun control debate is an incredibly lively one, with both sides having equally compelling arguments, making the decision of whether or not to pass certain legislative acts all the more difficult. On one side, gun control advocates focus on the rise in mass shootings, the per capita gun violence deaths compared to other countries, and the fact that when the second amendment was created, muskets were the most dangerous firearms. Opponents of gun control cite the second amendment and the meaning behind it, the argument that guns do not kill people, people kill people, and the government having too much power on who owns what. In fact, despite all of these valid points, there is a bevy of other debates cropping up all around gun control. According to Fran H. Norris, there are many gun control debates, including “national debates on mental illness and dangerousness, violence prevention and response, and the role of the media. Questions…about what the psychological impacts of the shootings would be on survivors, witnesses, their families, [and] first responders…”(1). As can be observed, the national debate on gun control is just a broad term for a great number of debates, all stemming from the ownership of guns. Furthermore, pushing strict legislation through Congress is difficult due to the immense amount of money that is in the firearms industry, as well as special interest groups such as the National Rifle Association. With so many outside sources clamoring for attention, it comes as no surprise that the country is split down the middle of what should or should not be done about gun violence. Although the gun control debate does not appear to be settled any time soon, there are ways for the government to prevent gun violence without intruding on the fundamental liberties of the American citizen. Preventing gun violence should be a top priority for the American government. All statistics point to their being an issue with gun violence, and since American citizens look towards their government for help and support, the government needs to step in to action to remedy the current situation. There are numerous measures that the government could take in order to curb gun violence, one being to pass more gun control legislation. However, because of the aforementioned gun control debate, legislation is often hard to pass. So, the government must turn to alternative ways to curb gun violence. One such way is to pass legislation for gun violence prevention in schools, which are, as of recently, a popular target for mass shootings. According to J. Don Chaney, Barry P. Hunt, and Jeffrey W. Schulz, “Some policies that are commonly found in schools are the following: require visitors to sign in, maintain a controlled access to school grounds, maintain a controlled access to the school building, require students to pass through metal detectors when entering the school” (203). It is important to note that while many schools use these policies, very few of these policies are actually legally mandatory. In order to curb gun violence, especially against children, the government should step in and make these policies legally mandated. This would be a great start for gun control advocates, as it could build momentum for future nationwide policies. Enacting these policies would also be relatively easy as it protects America’s children, who are the most vulnerable of American civilians. Another way in which the government can prevent gun violence is by administering and performing stricter background checks on potential gun buyers. As it stands now, background checks are federally mandated for all potential gun buyers. Yet, the system is not full proof and, as witnessed by countless mass shootings, firearms consistently end up in the hands of those they should not be in. According to Robin L. Kelly, “The background checks required under the Brady Act only apply to gun sales by those ‘in the business’ of selling firearms. Private arms dealers are not required to conduct background checks. This gap in the legislation, originally known as the ‘gun show loophole,’ has been exacerbated by the rise of Internet gun sales” (VIII).
So, while background checks are effective at legal gun businesses, there are still many ways to obtain a gun if one has a history not worthy of a passing background check. It is easily manipulated loopholes such as this one that allow gun violence to continue to rise in America. If background checks are necessary for the sale of a firearm in a business, they should be necessary for the sale of a firearm outside of a business. The same exact transaction is taking place, except one requires a background check and the other does not. One argument against tighter background checks is that the lack of a criminal record does not always correlate with someone who should not own a gun. Because of this, psychological profiles should also be a part of the background check procedure. Psychological profiles may give more information about those seeking the purchase of a weapon and if they have any intent to use it irresponsibly. With so many mass shootings being blamed on mental illness, this procedure has the opportunity to save the lives of people who would otherwise become the victims of an unhinged gun owner. So, an opportune start to curbing gun violence would be to implement background checks during private arms sales while also making background checks for official businesses more comprehensive and stricter. Gun violence in America is large and looming issue within the borders of America. It is more prevalent in America than in any other country on Earth, and it is up to the people as well as the government to step up and help solve the problem. Personal ownership of firearms has been a mainstay since the birth of America, and it continues to be so today. However, throughout American history, gun laws have tightened and loosened to cope with the time period. Right now, America is experiencing a time period when gun control should be at an all-time high, or at the very least, stricter than it currently is. Gun violence can be caused by a great deal of reasons, however, revenge is the most cited reason for it to occur. Because of gun violence, a child in America is five times more likely to be shot and killed than a child in any other developed nation. This is a significant tragedy, yet, because of the never-ending gun control debate, a solution to this problem seems to be very far away. However, the government can help prevent gun violence by passing tighter gun control legislation, specifically in schools, where mass shootings are occurring on a more frequent basis. Additionally, the government can close substantial loopholes within its background check system to ensure that people who should not own a gun cannot get their hands on a gun. While these steps are minor, they are the first of many that will help ensure a reduction in gun violence in America. But until greater steps are taken, gun violence will always be an issue that American citizens must learn to live with.
in a very short window of time. With this in mind, it is necessary to take a different perspective on personal firearms, as it is becoming all too common for these weapons to be used to maim and slaughter innocent (and sometimes not so innocent) Americans. The American government needs to understand the dynamics and causal factors of gun violence given the fact that, when compared to other developed nations, gun-related deaths per capita are much greater in America. Additionally, the government should take initiatives to help solve the problem by passing more gun control legislation as well as performing stricter background checks on prospective gun buyers. Before looking at the current situation, it is necessary to take a look back at gun violence throughout American history in order to contextualize how and why it got so out of hand. One of America’s unique properties, and one that sets it apart from nearly every nation in the world, is the right to bear arms. Known as the Second Amendment, the right to bear arms gives every American, regardless if they are a civilian, soldier, or police officer, the right to own, carry, and operate firearms on their own accord. This amendment was made for several reasons, but the main reason was to allow American citizens the right to revolt with force if necessary. Although gun ownership is a proud American tradition, so is gun legislation. According to Robin L. Kelly, “In 1792, the first U.S. Congress enacted the Uniform Militia Act, which required all able-bodied white male citizens under 45 to possess a musket… Fast forward to the frontier towns of America’s Wild West in the mid-to-late 1800s, and gun regulations were stricter than the laws on the books today” (VIII). As can be observed, gun legislation often changes with the time period, becoming stricter when necessary, and softer when permitted. During America’s infancy, when nobody was sure whether or not the country would survive, guns were nearly pushed upon people. However, in the Wild West, where people were murdered in the streets on a daily basis, gun control became stricter. Looking at the current state of American gun violence, it would appear that stricter gun legislation is necessary. But how necessary is it? The next section of this paper will detail the causes and effects of gun violence in order to get a better sense of why stricter gun legislation is needed in the United States of America. Before the devastating effects of gun violence are discussed, it is necessary to understand exactly why gun violence happens, and why it is so prevalent within the borders of America.
Gun violence can occur at any time and be committed by anyone, which makes it a very random, albeit common, occurrence. While gun violence can target single persons, mass shootings have become a recent phenomenon and one that strikes fear in to the hearts of millions. According to James Alan Fox and Monica J. DeLateur, there are five main causes of gun violence, and specifically mass shootings, including: revenge, power, loyalty, terror, and profit (127). Typically, it is a combination of two or more of the above reasons that lead to gun violence. However, according to Fox and DeLateur, “Among these types, revenge motivation is, by far, the most commonplace. Mass murderers often see themselves as victims – victims of injustice. They seek payback for what they perceive to be unfair treatment by targeting those they hold responsible for their misfortunes. Most often, the ones to be punished are family members or coworkers” (127). This adds a lot of context to why gun violence is so commonplace in America. Revenge is a feeling felt by many people at one point or another, but in America, taking those feelings of revenge to the extreme is possible due to the availability of guns and ammunition. Now, instead of just one or two people being murdered by the hands of a firearm, Americans are dying in record numbers due to mass shootings. Part of this is due to the above five reasons for gun violence, but part of it is also due in part to the availability of firearms that are seemingly made for more than just personal defense. Semi-automatic assault rifles are stocked on shelves nationwide in a number of stores. The right to bear arms is quickly turning in to an opportunity to kill based on raw emotion and it has become a major problem for America. Now that some of the causes of gun violence
have been unearthed, the consequences and effects of gun violence can be discussed. Gun violence kills millions around the world, but America is the absolute worst perpetrator of gun violence, by far. According to Sherry Towers et al., Studies have shown that the firearm homicide and suicide rates in the US are several times higher than that of any other industrialized country, and the patterns appear to be due to higher rates of firearm ownership in the US compared with other industrialized countries. Overall, the pediatric firearm mortality rate is five times higher in the United States compared with any other industrialized country, and 87% of all children age 0 to 14 worldwide killed by firearms are children living in the US, despite the fact that less than 5% of the world’s children live in the US. (2)
These numbers are astronomical and rather speak for themselves. Gun violence is a significant and substantial issue in America, and while every demographic suffers from this issue, the children are at an extremely elevated risk of being injured or killed in gun violence. Remembering back to earlier segments of this paper, the right to bear arms was intended to give American citizens power against their government. Two and a half centuries later, and the children are paying the price with their lives for the extended liberties granted towards Americans. In addition to this eye-opening information, Towers et al. also conclude that, “the incidence of mass shooting incidents has been growing over the past 14 years” (2). It is quite plain to see that the current state of gun legislation is hurting more than helping Americans, and because guns are so readily available and in many civilians hands, the end result children dying and more mass shootings. Gun violence is a very real issue, and on paper the answer seems obvious, but why is there not more being done to stop it? The next section will take a look at the ongoing gun control debate and what both sides are saying. The gun control debate is an incredibly lively one, with both sides having equally compelling arguments, making the decision of whether or not to pass certain legislative acts all the more difficult. On one side, gun control advocates focus on the rise in mass shootings, the per capita gun violence deaths compared to other countries, and the fact that when the second amendment was created, muskets were the most dangerous firearms. Opponents of gun control cite the second amendment and the meaning behind it, the argument that guns do not kill people, people kill people, and the government having too much power on who owns what. In fact, despite all of these valid points, there is a bevy of other debates cropping up all around gun control. According to Fran H. Norris, there are many gun control debates, including “national debates on mental illness and dangerousness, violence prevention and response, and the role of the media. Questions…about what the psychological impacts of the shootings would be on survivors, witnesses, their families, [and] first responders…”(1). As can be observed, the national debate on gun control is just a broad term for a great number of debates, all stemming from the ownership of guns. Furthermore, pushing strict legislation through Congress is difficult due to the immense amount of money that is in the firearms industry, as well as special interest groups such as the National Rifle Association. With so many outside sources clamoring for attention, it comes as no surprise that the country is split down the middle of what should or should not be done about gun violence. Although the gun control debate does not appear to be settled any time soon, there are ways for the government to prevent gun violence without intruding on the fundamental liberties of the American citizen. Preventing gun violence should be a top priority for the American government. All statistics point to their being an issue with gun violence, and since American citizens look towards their government for help and support, the government needs to step in to action to remedy the current situation. There are numerous measures that the government could take in order to curb gun violence, one being to pass more gun control legislation. However, because of the aforementioned gun control debate, legislation is often hard to pass. So, the government must turn to alternative ways to curb gun violence. One such way is to pass legislation for gun violence prevention in schools, which are, as of recently, a popular target for mass shootings. According to J. Don Chaney, Barry P. Hunt, and Jeffrey W. Schulz, “Some policies that are commonly found in schools are the following: require visitors to sign in, maintain a controlled access to school grounds, maintain a controlled access to the school building, require students to pass through metal detectors when entering the school” (203). It is important to note that while many schools use these policies, very few of these policies are actually legally mandatory. In order to curb gun violence, especially against children, the government should step in and make these policies legally mandated. This would be a great start for gun control advocates, as it could build momentum for future nationwide policies. Enacting these policies would also be relatively easy as it protects America’s children, who are the most vulnerable of American civilians. Another way in which the government can prevent gun violence is by administering and performing stricter background checks on potential gun buyers. As it stands now, background checks are federally mandated for all potential gun buyers. Yet, the system is not full proof and, as witnessed by countless mass shootings, firearms consistently end up in the hands of those they should not be in. According to Robin L. Kelly, “The background checks required under the Brady Act only apply to gun sales by those ‘in the business’ of selling firearms. Private arms dealers are not required to conduct background checks. This gap in the legislation, originally known as the ‘gun show loophole,’ has been exacerbated by the rise of Internet gun sales” (VIII).
So, while background checks are effective at legal gun businesses, there are still many ways to obtain a gun if one has a history not worthy of a passing background check. It is easily manipulated loopholes such as this one that allow gun violence to continue to rise in America. If background checks are necessary for the sale of a firearm in a business, they should be necessary for the sale of a firearm outside of a business. The same exact transaction is taking place, except one requires a background check and the other does not. One argument against tighter background checks is that the lack of a criminal record does not always correlate with someone who should not own a gun. Because of this, psychological profiles should also be a part of the background check procedure. Psychological profiles may give more information about those seeking the purchase of a weapon and if they have any intent to use it irresponsibly. With so many mass shootings being blamed on mental illness, this procedure has the opportunity to save the lives of people who would otherwise become the victims of an unhinged gun owner. So, an opportune start to curbing gun violence would be to implement background checks during private arms sales while also making background checks for official businesses more comprehensive and stricter. Gun violence in America is large and looming issue within the borders of America. It is more prevalent in America than in any other country on Earth, and it is up to the people as well as the government to step up and help solve the problem. Personal ownership of firearms has been a mainstay since the birth of America, and it continues to be so today. However, throughout American history, gun laws have tightened and loosened to cope with the time period. Right now, America is experiencing a time period when gun control should be at an all-time high, or at the very least, stricter than it currently is. Gun violence can be caused by a great deal of reasons, however, revenge is the most cited reason for it to occur. Because of gun violence, a child in America is five times more likely to be shot and killed than a child in any other developed nation. This is a significant tragedy, yet, because of the never-ending gun control debate, a solution to this problem seems to be very far away. However, the government can help prevent gun violence by passing tighter gun control legislation, specifically in schools, where mass shootings are occurring on a more frequent basis. Additionally, the government can close substantial loopholes within its background check system to ensure that people who should not own a gun cannot get their hands on a gun. While these steps are minor, they are the first of many that will help ensure a reduction in gun violence in America. But until greater steps are taken, gun violence will always be an issue that American citizens must learn to live with.