Is Gun Ownership Cause Of Violence Essay
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
1
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
Courtney Dyer
Carter High School
Author Note
This paper was prepared for English 1010HC1 taught by Professor Parsons
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
2
Is gun ownership a cause of violence? Gun control is an extremely controversial topic, and has a wide range of opinions which is why it is a pressing topic facing America today. Are guns the reason people cause harm to other humans, or is it the weapon of choice due to the easy accessibility to them? There are two types of extremist. One side is progun and the other is antigun. The antigun believers feel guns should not be sold to the public. These people typically feel …show more content…
the second amendment is meant to apply strictly to militia forces. On the other end of the spectrum, the progun believers feel they have the right to own any gun manufactured and guns are not a cause of violence; humans are the reason.
The artillery market is massive. Guns are sold legally, and guns are sold on the black market (an illegal selling or trading of goods). Due to the black market, it would be impossible to know a precise count of weapons in the United States. The United States is the best armed civilian population in the world. It is estimated there are 270 million total guns in the US. That rounds to approximately eightynine guns for every one hundred residents (Madeleine
Morgenstern, 2013). Most citizens of the US do not know the second amendment. The second amendment says, “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” (Legal Information Institute, 1992). This was written in the constitution and has been interpreted countless ways throughout history. Does this apply to malicia or citizens who live in this dangerous world everyday?
The requirements to legally own a gun have changed countless times. The requirements vary by state, but Tennessee has reasonable requirements most people do not realize exist such as: Applicants are required to be a resident of Tennessee, Be at least twentyone (21) years of
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
3
age, and Applicants shall submit proof of the successful completion of a department approved
Handgun Safety Course within the past six (6) months (Department of Safety & Homeland
Security, 2005). There are an abundance of requirements along with the two previously stated in place to provide the upmost safety for gun use.
The varying opinions of gun violence and control can be summed up into a general consensus by responding to the following questions:
● What are your thoughts on gun ownership?
● Do you know the second amendment?
● What do you think gun ownership requirements should be?
Understanding the complexity of gun ownership can help the reader better understand gun control and formulate their own opinion. The interviewees (1Nathaniel, 2Karen,
3Frank) were chosen because the three are not extremist. Their opinions differ slightly and their insight will provide various opinions on a real world perspective rather than that of an extremist perspective.
What are your thoughts on gun ownership?
Gun ownership is a controversial topic and consists of a wide range of opinions.
Everyone who lives in the United States has the right to feel however they please about gun ownership.
Interviewee 1, Karen:
Courtney Dyer: What are your thoughts on gun ownership?
Karen Dyer: I feel guns should be able to be owned by anyone who can pass the tests. There are certain guns such as assault rifles that should only be used by the army.
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
4
Gun ownership should be a semiopen process and does not need strict rules by the government and needs to be focused on a small scale. I think guns can be used for protection along with fun.
Interviewee 2, Nathaniel:
Courtney Dyer: What are your thoughts on gun ownership?
Nathaniel Leadbetter: I think guns should be used for personal use along with safety. Gun ownership for a citizen can benefit them in many ways. Not only can people use guns for safety and fun, people can use guns as a source of getting food, such as deer meat. There should be limits for certain people under certain circumstances but for the average person who can pass the tests, there should be no restriction.
Interviewee 3, Frank:
Courtney Dyer: What are your thoughts on gun ownership?
Frank Canon: Gun ownership is a right and a freedom a citizen has. We should be allowed to own guns as long as the competent applicant can pass all tests given prior. We, as a citizen in a free democratic society, should be able to exercise our right to bear arms as we please. We should be allowed to use guns for safety and fun like target shooting.
Gun ownership is not a cause of violence. The violence is done by the person who chooses to pull the trigger at a another person. We should not have gun limitations due to the stupidity of incompetent individuals who cannot use guns as a means of protection or fun which they are intended for.
Interviewees one through three came to a similar consensus on that gun ownership is a right given to the people of the United States and should be used for whatever is
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
5
desired and legal by the owner. Like stated before, there are extremist which vary on two ends of the spectrum. Who is right? There is a median between the two extremes. Guns are not always used for harm. They can be used for recreational activities such as target shooting. Guns do cause violence, but how would the people who use them for protection be safe if the criminals, who would continue to purchase guns under strict or relaxed laws, continue to use them for harm? The competent human should be allowed to use guns to protect themselves from the unwanted violence that criminals could bring on them and their family.
Do you know the second amendment?
The Founding Fathers granted the free people and militia the right to own weapons as a mean of protection and recreation. The second amendment is often interpreted to apply to only the armed forces;however, the second amendment says, “..the right of the people to keep and bear arms..” (Legal Information Institute, 1992). This phrase taken from amendment two can clearly be interpreted as it is the right of the free people of a democratic society to exercise their right given by the founding fathers to keep and bear arms. Often individuals who are uneducated in the gun ownership war do not know what the second amendment says; therefore, do not believe guns are for the free people. However, some circumstances seem to prove that false. Does knowing or not knowing Amendment Two influence the beliefs of American citizens?
Interviewee 1, Karen:
Courtney Dyer: Do you know the second amendment?
Karen Dyer: Hmm.. No I do not know the second amendment.
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
6
Interviewee 2, Nathaniel:
Courtney Dyer: Do you know the second amendment?
Nathaniel Leadbetter: Yes. The amendment that gives us the right to bear arms.
Interviewee 3, Frank:
Courtney Dyer: Do you know the second amendment?
Frank Canon: Yes. The right to bear arms.
Is there a link between knowing the amendment and gun ownership beliefs?
Probably not. If the individual knows amendment two, they can decide how to interpret it based on their beliefs. If the individual does not know the second amendment exactly, they can still determine whether they are pro or anti gun. It is based on the individual 's interpretation and beliefs of whether they feel guns cause violence.
What do you think gun ownership requirements should be?
Gun ownership requirements are put in place to prevent incompetent individuals from purchasing a gun that could cause harm to others. There are countless requirements in Tennessee in place to provide the safety for gun use. Should there be stricter laws in place to eliminate gun violence?
Interviewee 1, Karen:
Courtney Dyer: What do you think gun ownership requirements should be?
Karen Dyer: I think there should always be a background check to make sure the applicant has no criminal history with violence. There should a gun safety course required before you can own a gun. No one with a mental illness should be allowed to purchase a
gun.
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
7
Interviewee 2, Nathaniel:
Courtney Dyer: What do you think gun ownership requirements should be?
Nathaniel Leadbetter: I think there should be a background check for each applicant to make sure there are no past crimes that involve a gun. Anyone who shows any signs of mental illness should never be allowed to purchase a gun. There should be a required gun safety course to give the applicant training in the handling of a gun to prevent any future gun accidents.
Interviewee 3, Frank:
Courtney Dyer: What do you think gun ownership requirements should be?
Frank Canon: I think Tennessee has reasonable requirements in place. I think we should keep all requirements as they are, just be more strict with some. For instance, the safety course could be more in depth and should have to be renewed every five years.
Interviewees one through three came to a similar consensus in that the requirements for gun ownership should be as it stands added with a firmer stance. There was a pattern with the interviewees that there is not a link between gun ownership and violence. As long as there are limitations on gun use, they are not a direct cause of violence.
Gun ownership is not a cause of violence. Do guns kill and hurt people? Yes. However, the person pulling the trigger is guilty, not the gun. Though overlooked, a butter knife in a kitchen could be used to kill someone. It is the interpretation and desire of the criminal. Are butter knives being banned due the possible danger? The interviewees and research varied slightly. For example interviewee two (Karen) did not know the second amendment; however, interviewees one and three knew the amendment impeccably. The three interviewees seem to
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
8
have agreed with the requirements Tennessee has in place; The rules could be firmer. Although the varying opinions, all agreed on roughly the same conclusion with thoughts on gun use in general. They agree on that guns are not a direct link to violence and if used properly, can be beneficial to and American society.
References
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
9
Cornell University Law School: Legal Information Institute. (1992)
Second Amendment.
Retrieved
from http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/second_amendment
Department of Safety & Homeland Security. (2005)
Handgun Carry Permit Qualifications and
Requirements Qualifications.
Retrieved from http://www.tn.gov/safety/handgun/qualifications.shtml Morganstern, M. (2013) How Many People Own Guns in America? And is Gun Ownership
Actually Declining? http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/03/19/howmanypeopleowngunsinamericaand isgunownershipactuallydeclining/
1
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
Courtney Dyer
Carter High School
Author Note
This paper was prepared for English 1010HC1 taught by Professor Parsons
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
2
Is gun ownership a cause of violence? Gun control is an extremely controversial topic, and has a wide range of opinions which is why it is a pressing topic facing America today. Are guns the reason people cause harm to other humans, or is it the weapon of choice due to the easy accessibility to them? There are two types of extremist. One side is progun and the other is antigun. The antigun believers feel guns should not be sold to the public. These people typically feel …show more content…
the second amendment is meant to apply strictly to militia forces. On the other end of the spectrum, the progun believers feel they have the right to own any gun manufactured and guns are not a cause of violence; humans are the reason.
The artillery market is massive. Guns are sold legally, and guns are sold on the black market (an illegal selling or trading of goods). Due to the black market, it would be impossible to know a precise count of weapons in the United States. The United States is the best armed civilian population in the world. It is estimated there are 270 million total guns in the US. That rounds to approximately eightynine guns for every one hundred residents (Madeleine
Morgenstern, 2013). Most citizens of the US do not know the second amendment. The second amendment says, “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” (Legal Information Institute, 1992). This was written in the constitution and has been interpreted countless ways throughout history. Does this apply to malicia or citizens who live in this dangerous world everyday?
The requirements to legally own a gun have changed countless times. The requirements vary by state, but Tennessee has reasonable requirements most people do not realize exist such as: Applicants are required to be a resident of Tennessee, Be at least twentyone (21) years of
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
3
age, and Applicants shall submit proof of the successful completion of a department approved
Handgun Safety Course within the past six (6) months (Department of Safety & Homeland
Security, 2005). There are an abundance of requirements along with the two previously stated in place to provide the upmost safety for gun use.
The varying opinions of gun violence and control can be summed up into a general consensus by responding to the following questions:
● What are your thoughts on gun ownership?
● Do you know the second amendment?
● What do you think gun ownership requirements should be?
Understanding the complexity of gun ownership can help the reader better understand gun control and formulate their own opinion. The interviewees (1Nathaniel, 2Karen,
3Frank) were chosen because the three are not extremist. Their opinions differ slightly and their insight will provide various opinions on a real world perspective rather than that of an extremist perspective.
What are your thoughts on gun ownership?
Gun ownership is a controversial topic and consists of a wide range of opinions.
Everyone who lives in the United States has the right to feel however they please about gun ownership.
Interviewee 1, Karen:
Courtney Dyer: What are your thoughts on gun ownership?
Karen Dyer: I feel guns should be able to be owned by anyone who can pass the tests. There are certain guns such as assault rifles that should only be used by the army.
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
4
Gun ownership should be a semiopen process and does not need strict rules by the government and needs to be focused on a small scale. I think guns can be used for protection along with fun.
Interviewee 2, Nathaniel:
Courtney Dyer: What are your thoughts on gun ownership?
Nathaniel Leadbetter: I think guns should be used for personal use along with safety. Gun ownership for a citizen can benefit them in many ways. Not only can people use guns for safety and fun, people can use guns as a source of getting food, such as deer meat. There should be limits for certain people under certain circumstances but for the average person who can pass the tests, there should be no restriction.
Interviewee 3, Frank:
Courtney Dyer: What are your thoughts on gun ownership?
Frank Canon: Gun ownership is a right and a freedom a citizen has. We should be allowed to own guns as long as the competent applicant can pass all tests given prior. We, as a citizen in a free democratic society, should be able to exercise our right to bear arms as we please. We should be allowed to use guns for safety and fun like target shooting.
Gun ownership is not a cause of violence. The violence is done by the person who chooses to pull the trigger at a another person. We should not have gun limitations due to the stupidity of incompetent individuals who cannot use guns as a means of protection or fun which they are intended for.
Interviewees one through three came to a similar consensus on that gun ownership is a right given to the people of the United States and should be used for whatever is
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
5
desired and legal by the owner. Like stated before, there are extremist which vary on two ends of the spectrum. Who is right? There is a median between the two extremes. Guns are not always used for harm. They can be used for recreational activities such as target shooting. Guns do cause violence, but how would the people who use them for protection be safe if the criminals, who would continue to purchase guns under strict or relaxed laws, continue to use them for harm? The competent human should be allowed to use guns to protect themselves from the unwanted violence that criminals could bring on them and their family.
Do you know the second amendment?
The Founding Fathers granted the free people and militia the right to own weapons as a mean of protection and recreation. The second amendment is often interpreted to apply to only the armed forces;however, the second amendment says, “..the right of the people to keep and bear arms..” (Legal Information Institute, 1992). This phrase taken from amendment two can clearly be interpreted as it is the right of the free people of a democratic society to exercise their right given by the founding fathers to keep and bear arms. Often individuals who are uneducated in the gun ownership war do not know what the second amendment says; therefore, do not believe guns are for the free people. However, some circumstances seem to prove that false. Does knowing or not knowing Amendment Two influence the beliefs of American citizens?
Interviewee 1, Karen:
Courtney Dyer: Do you know the second amendment?
Karen Dyer: Hmm.. No I do not know the second amendment.
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
6
Interviewee 2, Nathaniel:
Courtney Dyer: Do you know the second amendment?
Nathaniel Leadbetter: Yes. The amendment that gives us the right to bear arms.
Interviewee 3, Frank:
Courtney Dyer: Do you know the second amendment?
Frank Canon: Yes. The right to bear arms.
Is there a link between knowing the amendment and gun ownership beliefs?
Probably not. If the individual knows amendment two, they can decide how to interpret it based on their beliefs. If the individual does not know the second amendment exactly, they can still determine whether they are pro or anti gun. It is based on the individual 's interpretation and beliefs of whether they feel guns cause violence.
What do you think gun ownership requirements should be?
Gun ownership requirements are put in place to prevent incompetent individuals from purchasing a gun that could cause harm to others. There are countless requirements in Tennessee in place to provide the safety for gun use. Should there be stricter laws in place to eliminate gun violence?
Interviewee 1, Karen:
Courtney Dyer: What do you think gun ownership requirements should be?
Karen Dyer: I think there should always be a background check to make sure the applicant has no criminal history with violence. There should a gun safety course required before you can own a gun. No one with a mental illness should be allowed to purchase a
gun.
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
7
Interviewee 2, Nathaniel:
Courtney Dyer: What do you think gun ownership requirements should be?
Nathaniel Leadbetter: I think there should be a background check for each applicant to make sure there are no past crimes that involve a gun. Anyone who shows any signs of mental illness should never be allowed to purchase a gun. There should be a required gun safety course to give the applicant training in the handling of a gun to prevent any future gun accidents.
Interviewee 3, Frank:
Courtney Dyer: What do you think gun ownership requirements should be?
Frank Canon: I think Tennessee has reasonable requirements in place. I think we should keep all requirements as they are, just be more strict with some. For instance, the safety course could be more in depth and should have to be renewed every five years.
Interviewees one through three came to a similar consensus in that the requirements for gun ownership should be as it stands added with a firmer stance. There was a pattern with the interviewees that there is not a link between gun ownership and violence. As long as there are limitations on gun use, they are not a direct cause of violence.
Gun ownership is not a cause of violence. Do guns kill and hurt people? Yes. However, the person pulling the trigger is guilty, not the gun. Though overlooked, a butter knife in a kitchen could be used to kill someone. It is the interpretation and desire of the criminal. Are butter knives being banned due the possible danger? The interviewees and research varied slightly. For example interviewee two (Karen) did not know the second amendment; however, interviewees one and three knew the amendment impeccably. The three interviewees seem to
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
8
have agreed with the requirements Tennessee has in place; The rules could be firmer. Although the varying opinions, all agreed on roughly the same conclusion with thoughts on gun use in general. They agree on that guns are not a direct link to violence and if used properly, can be beneficial to and American society.
References
Is gun ownership a cause of violence?
9
Cornell University Law School: Legal Information Institute. (1992)
Second Amendment.
Retrieved
from http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/second_amendment
Department of Safety & Homeland Security. (2005)
Handgun Carry Permit Qualifications and
Requirements Qualifications.
Retrieved from http://www.tn.gov/safety/handgun/qualifications.shtml Morganstern, M. (2013) How Many People Own Guns in America? And is Gun Ownership
Actually Declining? http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/03/19/howmanypeopleowngunsinamericaand isgunownershipactuallydeclining/