Pros And Cons Of Mass Shootings
Gun Control and Mass Shootings
Over the years, mass shootings have been occurring more and more frequently. About fifteen years ago, hearing about a mass shooting was very rare and uncommon, but years later mass shootings are happening every six months to a year. A mass shooting is an act of violence in which numerous people are targeted at one time. Newtown, Connecticut, Aurora, Colorado, and Blacksburg, Virginia are all places where a mass shooting has occurred. These shootings are occurring one after the other, but studies have narrowed down the reasons behind the murderous shootings. Gun control is a big factor that contributes to mass shootings, but there are other important factors, as well. These mass shootings are a serious issue in America and as a country we need to modify our current gun control laws, limit the amount of opioids sold, and create laws to restrict people with mental illnesses and psychiatric disorders from purchasing guns. If our country modifies the state of this situation, the United …show more content…
States will have taken a step into becoming a safer country.
Different factors all add up to drive these shooters to commit such a crime. As stated before, one of the leading causes is unsuccessful gun control laws. All of the factors that contribute to mass shootings all trace back to one thing, unsuccessful gun control laws. In the past, our country has tried to find funds to create more gun control laws, unfortunately they were unsuccessful. “The President also requested $10 million (which Congress denied) for broader CDC research into the relationship between violence and entertainment media” (“Gun Violence Research”). Without any enforcement or restrictions, people will continue to be victims of these murderous acts. Guns are not a toy, they are a weapon, and weapons can kill. No one should be able to go out and buy a weapon unless you are a figure of authority. Many guns are just sold because the customer has presented the right amount of money, but who is really buying that gun? This person could be plotting a mass shooting, and they could have just bought the final piece of the puzzle to make it happen. This why our country needs to enforce these restrictions when it comes to guns.
Of course, how gun control is related to mass shootings is such a talked about topic.
When discussing gun control, the amount of pros outnumber the amount of cons. This proves that having gun control laws will only benefit our country, and the people living in it. One pro of gun control is that deaths caused by guns can be reduced by having more gun control laws. Without the access to these guns, the potential shooters will not have any weapons to fight with. Another pro is that women are protected from stalkers and abusers by having gun control laws. Feminism and the harassment of females have become more of a current situation in today’s time. “Five women a day are killed by guns in America. A woman's risk of being murdered increases 500% if a gun is present during a domestic dispute” (“Should More Gun Control Laws Be Enacted?” 2015). With the help of gun control laws, we can reduce the amount of gun deaths in the U.S, and save many lives as a
result.
As a result of these unsuccessful gun control laws, one of the deadliest mass shootings occurred only three years ago. On December 14, 2012, Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut was attacked by Adam Lanza. Before committing suicide, Adam took the lives of twenty children and six adults, including his mother, Nancy Lanza. Adam Lanza was armed with a rifle and two handguns that morning, and these are only three of the multiple guns owned by Nancy Lanza. Why would Adam need to be armed with such dangerous weapons if he planned on shooting defenseless targets? If there had been gun control laws in the past, Nancy would not have owned nearly as many guns as she did when the shooting occurred, especially if they were illegal weapons. Hence, if gun control laws had been enacted sooner, they could have prevented this shooting and many others from taking place.
Moreover, another factor that contributes to these mass shootings is that the shooters are opioid abusers. “A national survey on drug use and health, conducted in 2013 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, found that an estimated 1.9 million people in the United States suffered from substance use disorders related to prescription pain medicines and 517,000 suffered from a heroin disorder” (“Gun Violence Research”). Many people have become addicted to different pain medications and drugs, and a certain percentage of these people have had a relationship with violence in some way. According to studies, “…the hearings explored evidence of a relationship between increased opioid analgesics and heroin abuse, as well as insecure borders as a gateway for drug traffickers” (“Gun Violence Research”). Since these drugs have impacted so many people, they can change someone’s life for the worst. These drugs and medications are weapons themselves and can easily drive someone to commit a crime, such as a shooting.
To end the issue of opioid abuse, our country needs to limit the amount of opioids sold. The only way these shooters have access to these drugs is because they can be found in local stores. Since mass shootings and opioid abuse go hand in hand, by solving the issue of opioid abuse, we can prevent certain mass shootings from happening immediately.
The factor that many people believe is the true reason behind mass shootings is the shooter’s poor mental health. In previous mass shootings, the suspect has been said to have a type of mental illness causing them to commit such acts of violence. Around 2012, it became certain that gun policies were based on the fact that mental illness is the leading cause of most mass shootings. In order to eliminate mental illnesses as a cause of mass shootings, laws need to be created to restrict an individual with poor mental health from purchasing guns. Our country’s mental health policies that allow these people to purchase guns are also lacking. If the United State’s health and gun policies were up to par years ago, mass shootings would not be as much of an issue as they are today.
About eight years ago, the deadliest mass shooting on record occurred because of lacking mental health policies. On April 16, 2007, Seuing-Hui Cho attacked Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Seuing killed thirty-three people while wounding seventeen others on campus. The police found the victims all around the area as well as Seuing-Hui who took his life. This tragic event caught the attention of all around the country. “A report commissioned after the shooting reveals that Cho had a mental health record dating back to middle school. In college, he presented as threatening and isolative, both in class and socially” (“Mass Shootings and Mental Health Policy”). Why should a person with poor mental health be allowed to own a weapon? This is the reason why our country needs more gun control laws and stricter mental illness policies. However, almost three years later, we have found that opioid abuse, unsuccessful gun control, and mental illnesses are the top reasons behind these mass shootings, psychiatric disorders seems to be the leading cause. “Although researchers conclude that mental illness does not lead to violence, a large body of studies found that co-occurring psychiatric disorders and substance abuse are associated with violence (Fazel & Grann, 2006; Swanson et al., 1997; Volavka & Swanson, 2010)” (McGinty, “Using Research Evidence to Reframe the Policy Debate Around Mental Illness and Guns: Process and Recommendations”). The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence has concluded that those who suffer from mental illnesses are not as likely to commit acts of violence as those who suffer from psychiatric disorders are. As a result of the conclusions, those who suffer from a psychiatric disorder should not be allowed to purchase guns. If a person is not physically healthy, they should not possess an item that could potentially threaten the lives of other people. All of these factors lead back to gun control because that is the base of the issue. Each factor causes a chain because they all are related, and they all can cause mass shootings.
Just before the Sandy Hook Shooting, a mass shooting occurred because the shooter’s psychiatric disorder came into play. On July 20, 2012, James Holmes attacked the Century 16 Cinemas in Aurora, Colorado during the midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises. James took the lives of twelve people and he wounded seventy others. He was also fully armed with an AR-15 rifle and two handguns. However, unlike the other mass shootings, Holmes surrendered to the police and was sentenced to life in prison. It was later revealed that Holmes is dealing with his own psychiatric disorder that led him to commit such a crime. Why should someone with such a dangerous mental illness have access to such deadly weapons? After this shooting occurred, it became clear that the mental health policies were not strict enough because a patient with a psychiatric disorder had access to multiple guns. With stricter mental health and gun policies, our country will immediately become a safer place.
All in all, these tragic and horrific mass shootings have impacted everyone’s lives over the years. Studies have shown that lacking gun control laws, opioid abuse, mental illnesses, and psychiatric disorders are the reasons why these shooters committed such a crime. Each of these causes have contributed to the major mass shootings that have occurred in the last decade. Even though these mass shootings are still occurring, research has been conducted to find out how to end the violence once and for all. In conclusion, we have learned the causes of mass shootings and in a few years, these outbreaks will become a thing of the past.
Over the years, mass shootings have been occurring more and more frequently. About fifteen years ago, hearing about a mass shooting was very rare and uncommon, but years later mass shootings are happening every six months to a year. A mass shooting is an act of violence in which numerous people are targeted at one time. Newtown, Connecticut, Aurora, Colorado, and Blacksburg, Virginia are all places where a mass shooting has occurred. These shootings are occurring one after the other, but studies have narrowed down the reasons behind the murderous shootings. Gun control is a big factor that contributes to mass shootings, but there are other important factors, as well. These mass shootings are a serious issue in America and as a country we need to modify our current gun control laws, limit the amount of opioids sold, and create laws to restrict people with mental illnesses and psychiatric disorders from purchasing guns. If our country modifies the state of this situation, the United …show more content…
States will have taken a step into becoming a safer country.
Different factors all add up to drive these shooters to commit such a crime. As stated before, one of the leading causes is unsuccessful gun control laws. All of the factors that contribute to mass shootings all trace back to one thing, unsuccessful gun control laws. In the past, our country has tried to find funds to create more gun control laws, unfortunately they were unsuccessful. “The President also requested $10 million (which Congress denied) for broader CDC research into the relationship between violence and entertainment media” (“Gun Violence Research”). Without any enforcement or restrictions, people will continue to be victims of these murderous acts. Guns are not a toy, they are a weapon, and weapons can kill. No one should be able to go out and buy a weapon unless you are a figure of authority. Many guns are just sold because the customer has presented the right amount of money, but who is really buying that gun? This person could be plotting a mass shooting, and they could have just bought the final piece of the puzzle to make it happen. This why our country needs to enforce these restrictions when it comes to guns.
Of course, how gun control is related to mass shootings is such a talked about topic.
When discussing gun control, the amount of pros outnumber the amount of cons. This proves that having gun control laws will only benefit our country, and the people living in it. One pro of gun control is that deaths caused by guns can be reduced by having more gun control laws. Without the access to these guns, the potential shooters will not have any weapons to fight with. Another pro is that women are protected from stalkers and abusers by having gun control laws. Feminism and the harassment of females have become more of a current situation in today’s time. “Five women a day are killed by guns in America. A woman's risk of being murdered increases 500% if a gun is present during a domestic dispute” (“Should More Gun Control Laws Be Enacted?” 2015). With the help of gun control laws, we can reduce the amount of gun deaths in the U.S, and save many lives as a
result.
As a result of these unsuccessful gun control laws, one of the deadliest mass shootings occurred only three years ago. On December 14, 2012, Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut was attacked by Adam Lanza. Before committing suicide, Adam took the lives of twenty children and six adults, including his mother, Nancy Lanza. Adam Lanza was armed with a rifle and two handguns that morning, and these are only three of the multiple guns owned by Nancy Lanza. Why would Adam need to be armed with such dangerous weapons if he planned on shooting defenseless targets? If there had been gun control laws in the past, Nancy would not have owned nearly as many guns as she did when the shooting occurred, especially if they were illegal weapons. Hence, if gun control laws had been enacted sooner, they could have prevented this shooting and many others from taking place.
Moreover, another factor that contributes to these mass shootings is that the shooters are opioid abusers. “A national survey on drug use and health, conducted in 2013 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, found that an estimated 1.9 million people in the United States suffered from substance use disorders related to prescription pain medicines and 517,000 suffered from a heroin disorder” (“Gun Violence Research”). Many people have become addicted to different pain medications and drugs, and a certain percentage of these people have had a relationship with violence in some way. According to studies, “…the hearings explored evidence of a relationship between increased opioid analgesics and heroin abuse, as well as insecure borders as a gateway for drug traffickers” (“Gun Violence Research”). Since these drugs have impacted so many people, they can change someone’s life for the worst. These drugs and medications are weapons themselves and can easily drive someone to commit a crime, such as a shooting.
To end the issue of opioid abuse, our country needs to limit the amount of opioids sold. The only way these shooters have access to these drugs is because they can be found in local stores. Since mass shootings and opioid abuse go hand in hand, by solving the issue of opioid abuse, we can prevent certain mass shootings from happening immediately.
The factor that many people believe is the true reason behind mass shootings is the shooter’s poor mental health. In previous mass shootings, the suspect has been said to have a type of mental illness causing them to commit such acts of violence. Around 2012, it became certain that gun policies were based on the fact that mental illness is the leading cause of most mass shootings. In order to eliminate mental illnesses as a cause of mass shootings, laws need to be created to restrict an individual with poor mental health from purchasing guns. Our country’s mental health policies that allow these people to purchase guns are also lacking. If the United State’s health and gun policies were up to par years ago, mass shootings would not be as much of an issue as they are today.
About eight years ago, the deadliest mass shooting on record occurred because of lacking mental health policies. On April 16, 2007, Seuing-Hui Cho attacked Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Seuing killed thirty-three people while wounding seventeen others on campus. The police found the victims all around the area as well as Seuing-Hui who took his life. This tragic event caught the attention of all around the country. “A report commissioned after the shooting reveals that Cho had a mental health record dating back to middle school. In college, he presented as threatening and isolative, both in class and socially” (“Mass Shootings and Mental Health Policy”). Why should a person with poor mental health be allowed to own a weapon? This is the reason why our country needs more gun control laws and stricter mental illness policies. However, almost three years later, we have found that opioid abuse, unsuccessful gun control, and mental illnesses are the top reasons behind these mass shootings, psychiatric disorders seems to be the leading cause. “Although researchers conclude that mental illness does not lead to violence, a large body of studies found that co-occurring psychiatric disorders and substance abuse are associated with violence (Fazel & Grann, 2006; Swanson et al., 1997; Volavka & Swanson, 2010)” (McGinty, “Using Research Evidence to Reframe the Policy Debate Around Mental Illness and Guns: Process and Recommendations”). The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence has concluded that those who suffer from mental illnesses are not as likely to commit acts of violence as those who suffer from psychiatric disorders are. As a result of the conclusions, those who suffer from a psychiatric disorder should not be allowed to purchase guns. If a person is not physically healthy, they should not possess an item that could potentially threaten the lives of other people. All of these factors lead back to gun control because that is the base of the issue. Each factor causes a chain because they all are related, and they all can cause mass shootings.
Just before the Sandy Hook Shooting, a mass shooting occurred because the shooter’s psychiatric disorder came into play. On July 20, 2012, James Holmes attacked the Century 16 Cinemas in Aurora, Colorado during the midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises. James took the lives of twelve people and he wounded seventy others. He was also fully armed with an AR-15 rifle and two handguns. However, unlike the other mass shootings, Holmes surrendered to the police and was sentenced to life in prison. It was later revealed that Holmes is dealing with his own psychiatric disorder that led him to commit such a crime. Why should someone with such a dangerous mental illness have access to such deadly weapons? After this shooting occurred, it became clear that the mental health policies were not strict enough because a patient with a psychiatric disorder had access to multiple guns. With stricter mental health and gun policies, our country will immediately become a safer place.
All in all, these tragic and horrific mass shootings have impacted everyone’s lives over the years. Studies have shown that lacking gun control laws, opioid abuse, mental illnesses, and psychiatric disorders are the reasons why these shooters committed such a crime. Each of these causes have contributed to the major mass shootings that have occurred in the last decade. Even though these mass shootings are still occurring, research has been conducted to find out how to end the violence once and for all. In conclusion, we have learned the causes of mass shootings and in a few years, these outbreaks will become a thing of the past.