Professor Bowser
ENGL1101/TR2
4/7/13
The Debate over Gun Ownership Over the past century, the debate over guns has become more and more of an issue. Violent crimes involving guns have been increasing dramatically. “More than 30 people are shot and murdered each day, and more than 30,000 people are killed by firearms each year in this country”! (USA Gun Violence Statistics) The Second Amendment in the United States Constitution protects the right to keep and bear arms. Many people agree that something needs to be done about the gun violence in America, but the issue is what to do. Do we just take guns away from people or do we try to limit who owns a gun, and then why would we only let those certain people obtain guns and not the others. Guns are not only used for protection and engaging in crime. Many people use guns as a hobby as well, like target shooting and hunting. High school students can even obtain scholarships to college with shooting sports. In a video a 15-year-old Maryland girl effectively argued for the Second Amendment and against gun control to state lawmakers. Sarah Merkle stated, “Because of [my gun background] I have become eligible for various shooting scholarships around the country to a wide array of even the most prestigious colleges that have shooting teams,” she said in the video. “Achieving stricter gun control laws would obliterate any opportunity I could have had to attend a decent college on a shooting scholarship.” She added to her statement “People are the problems, not guns.” (Chumley) I believe the people to be the problem as well. We have always had guns in America, as well as violence and crime. These days though more people are on harder drugs and the economy is worse, which creates more stress for people. Stress can do all kinds of things to people; too much stress can make someone become depressed. Depression can lead people to do all kinds of things, intentionally or unintentionally. Schizophrenia can develop in someone from too much depression or a devastating event. These mental disorders can cause people to do things they don’t have any control over. So the problem seems to be that someone that could have held a gun in a reasonable manor five years ago may not be mentally stable now to do so. Therefore the person that bought a gun to keep in his home for protection five years ago, something devastating could have happened recently and made him go crazy, so now he goes into the mall and shoots everyone up. This is what I believe to have happened in many cases of school shootings and other crimes. In my opinion I believe that the government needs to conduct a full length background check on a person before issuing them a gun. Not just checking their criminal record, but also checking their health/ mental health records. In order to make sure that the person buying the gun clears both background checks, I believe that the government itself should only be the sellers of firearms and ammunition and ban anyone else from being able to sell firearms. These provisions would better insure that a gun doesn’t get into the wrong hands. Furthermore, if anyone gets caught with a gun that doesn’t have a certificate of sell with it then there should be jail time of 45 days and a fine of $500 on a first offense. If someone was to get caught a second time with a firearm with no certificate then they shall be placed in jail for 6 months with a fine of $1,000. A third offense, jail time of a year; and a fourth offense they shall be thrown in jail for four years. If someone was to get caught selling firearms then they would be thrown in jail for ten years. Before issuing these new laws for firearms I believe that the government officials in each state should conduct a full out search in everyone’s home and obtain all guns from residential areas. Then the people would be able to go to the new government buildings and obtain a gun after going through the background checks. We cannot take guns away from people; people do have the right to bear arms. People have had this right since 1791 with the Second Amendment, which we adopted from the English Bill of Rights of 1689. In District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment "codified a pre-existing right" and that it "protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home" but also stated that "the right is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose". ("Second Amendment to the United States Constitution"). So the only place a person should have a gun is in the house, you are not supposed to walk around town with a gun. Which is another major concern besides just who should own them. Some people would say that they should be allowed to carry firearms around for self-protection anywhere, because someone can be attacked in public as well and having a gun on them would help prevent it. “There is nothing wrong with openly carrying a firearm in a peaceable manner while going about one 's business.” (Workman) Others believe that carrying openly will increase the chances of someone being injured or killed, and that it is threating and dangerous. “People who choose to live in peace have the right not to be exposed to weapons and violence.” (Johnson) I do not believe that a person should be allowed to openly carry a firearm. Having that weapon right there within reach when something upsetting happens could very much lead to more violence. Some people would feel uncomfortable and threatened, thus leading to more conflict. Surprisingly though only six states prohibit this practice, and the remaining states either specifically allow open carry or having no law against it. In recent years openly carrying has become more popular and legislation has introduced it to some of the states that used to hold against it. I feel this is very bad for our economy, there is way too much stress from our everyday lives, and this practice would just cause more chaos. So everybody has many different opinions on what should be done about this issue. There are some people out there that would disagree with how I feel. "We not going to invade anybody 's privacy," Byron 's Simmons-Edmunds said. "We just want to send a statement that we 're not going to give up our guns." (Associated Press) So then; we shouldn’t send the government out to take all guns from every residence and let them go buy another one from the new government store that I proposed and let them pass a criminal, health, and mental/health background check; he and others would oppose my idea. Communities from Idaho to Georgia have been inspired to "require" or recommend their residents arm themselves ever since a gunman killed 26 youngsters and educators Dec. 14 in a school in Newtown, Conn. (Associated Press) I believe that this will only lead to more conflict and people feeling threatened, and as stated in the Second Amendment "It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose". Our founding fathers wrote it out for us that no one should keep and carry a gun on them. So why just because a crazed teen got hold of a gun should we keep and carry a gun on all of us? This would cause more people would be attempted to commit stupid acts.
Works Cited
Associated Press. "Some U.S. communities seek to require gun ownership." CBSNews.com. The Associated Press, 08 03 2013. Web. 8 Apr 2013. <http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57573401/some-u.s-communities-seek-to-require-gun-ownership/>.
Chumley, Cheryl. "Teen takes Maryland, and nation, by storm with pro-gun arguments.." washingtontimes.com. The Washington Times, 05 04 2013. Web. 7 Apr 2013. <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/5/teen-takes-maryland-and-nation-storm-pro-gun-argum/>.
Johnson, Constance. "No." 25 04 2012. USNews.com, Online Posting to Online Posting to Debate Club. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. <http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/should-people-be-allowed-to-carry-guns-openly>.
"Second Amendment to the United States Constitution." <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution>.
"USA Gun Violence Statistics." Heeding God 's Call. N.p.. Web. 7 Apr 2013. <http://www.heedinggodscall.org/content/pfctoolkit-10>.
Workman, Dave. "Yes." 25 04 2012. USNews.com, Online Posting to Online Posting to Debate Club. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. <http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/should-people-be-allowed-to-carry-guns-openly>.
Cited: Associated Press. "Some U.S. communities seek to require gun ownership." CBSNews.com. The Associated Press, 08 03 2013. Web. 8 Apr 2013. <http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57573401/some-u.s-communities-seek-to-require-gun-ownership/>. Chumley, Cheryl. "Teen takes Maryland, and nation, by storm with pro-gun arguments.." washingtontimes.com. The Washington Times, 05 04 2013. Web. 7 Apr 2013. <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/5/teen-takes-maryland-and-nation-storm-pro-gun-argum/>. Johnson, Constance. "No." 25 04 2012. USNews.com, Online Posting to Online Posting to Debate Club. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. <http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/should-people-be-allowed-to-carry-guns-openly>. "Second Amendment to the United States Constitution." <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution>. "USA Gun Violence Statistics." Heeding God 's Call. N.p.. Web. 7 Apr 2013. <http://www.heedinggodscall.org/content/pfctoolkit-10>. Workman, Dave. "Yes." 25 04 2012. USNews.com, Online Posting to Online Posting to Debate Club. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. <http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/should-people-be-allowed-to-carry-guns-openly>.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
Over the last several years there has been an ongoing debate on how to interpret the Second Amendment and whether or not we should have gun control. With the Second Amendment specifically grants that "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." The controversy of it being that in the Second Amendment doesn't specify who "the people" are. This being said it leaves room for the legislative bodies and court to pass laws and interpretations that influence the way this Amendment is applied and enforced.…
- 750 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Among every one of them, in any case, wrangle over weapon control has been common for so long, it is something numerous individuals can without much of a stretch set their sights on. It is an issue everyone should have a feeling on, as it is immeasurably essential, possibly debilitating, and very present in advanced society. Numerous locate the insignificant idea of weapon control intrusive to their sacred rights while others see an absence of firearm control to be astonishingly unsafe. An author describes, “Organizations like Gun Owners of America and Guns Save Lives also subscribe to the belief (a gun lobby article of faith) that society would benefit if every American carried a concealed handgun all the time” (Greif par. 4). Assurance of oneself and their rights could conceivably be more critical than many lives lost possibly because of genuinely unhindered firearm possession. The simple inquiry would convey numerous to ear-shattering open deliberation, and all things considered. Shouts of sacred disregard and of humanistic laziness would likely be heard miles away. This open deliberation would be particularly on target, however, as there are numerous substantial focuses from either side or it is a subject that must be thoroughly considered…
- 1633 Words
- 7 Pages
Powerful Essays -
The U.S. has been in a hot debate over a tough issue for hundreds of years now. The subject of that debate is gun control laws. With mass murders and break-ins happening all over America it brings up two groups of people. One group believes taking away the guns will solve the problem. I believe, along with lots of other people, that taking away the guns will not solve the problem. We need to protect our Second Amendment, as well as ourselves, and stick to our guns.…
- 519 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
A controversial argument opposite to both viewpoints of gun control mentioned, is the negatives of guns and the need for gun control. In the article, “The Impact of Violence on Children,” Joy Osofsky elaborates that gun violence in communities are extremely detrimental in communities especially on children. Osofsky, a professor of public health in Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, uses masses of children psychology, scenarios and experiences to demonstrate the importance of gun control and to increase gun regulations. She focuses on children’s response to guns and violence, showing that the exposure of gun violence to children at their early ages not only increases their interest to use guns, but also the likelihood to use…
- 287 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
In response to an article titled (Gun Debate: Where Is the Middle Ground?) written by Mallory Simon, writer and senior producer of online presentations for the Cable News Network (CNN) on January 31, 2013, the argument can be presented that “Guns don’t kill people, people do.” The article highlighted the common topic of gun control. In that phrase alone it is proposed that somehow guns have a mind of their own and can somehow control themselves. The author presents the proposal that somehow there may be a common ground in maintaining the use and sanction of guns in our country by creating a medium of strict public policy in the form of background checks and security. It is with strong supported evidence that an attempt will be made to argue that the power to control the illegal, malicious and careless use of guns is to limit the power of people to obtain them with a…
- 720 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Since the beginning of our nation after the Declaration of Independence was signed, individuals have had the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Inside these ‘rights’ is the right to bear arms. Is that wrong? Should all people have access to firearms? As stated in the second amendment, we as a nation and individuals have every right to own our own weapons. Therefore, it is your right to either own a weapon or not. There are some who buy a gun, put it in their gun cabinet, and never look at it again for years. Others shoot their guns regularly at ranges, take it to go on a hunting trip, or keep it close to their bed at night if they live in areas with a high crime rate, and these are all practices of using a gun that are considered to be proper uses. On the other hand, there are those who obtain them illegally and use them to harm, murder, rape, or put fear in other citizens. Most states offer a concealed handgun license that you can get when you turn twenty-one by going through the right course in order for you to carry a weapon around legally. The right to bear arms is an important symbol of an individual’s freedoms that our founding fathers established for those who understood the proper and improper uses when you bear arms, and anyone or anything trying to take that away is morally unjust and unconstitutional.…
- 1431 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
For the last couple of years, gun control has continued to be a huge controversial debate in Congress. This argument over whether gun control laws should be strict is nothing new to the world of politics. The ideas of gun control consist of laws that either keep away firearms from people, or allow one to keep guns for personal protection. They also control who the guns are being sold to and who can own them. In America, each state government has passed many gun control laws. Many people think that gun control is right because they think keeping people away from guns will reduce the amount of deaths each year. They also think that guns cause many of the deaths that had been committed each year. Whenever people hear the word gun, the thoughts…
- 214 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
Because of the establishment of concealed carry legislation by all states over the years, it has been increasingly possible for almost every American citizen to carry concealed weapons in public places. As unfortunate and horrifying gun violence tragedies like the Newtown School Shooting and Sandy Hook school shooting repeatedly occur, whether citizens should have the right to carry a conceal handgun in public has created a massive uproar. People have different views about this issue. Just as the Second Amendment states that every human being has the constitutional right to keep and bear arms, many gun-rights advocates believe that reasonable citizens have the right to…
- 1750 Words
- 7 Pages
Better Essays -
Americans have a unique relationship with their guns, one not found in most similar first-world countries. American culture idolizes guns through the popularity of hunting, sport shooting, and owning guns for home defense. In America, many celebrate this freedom, but this freedom has a cost. Although America was founded on principles of liberty, the amount of lives lost to gun violence raises an alarming problem which Americans undoubtedly cannot ignore. This problem is not distant or far off from this audience either. According to a publication from Princeton and the Brookings Institute, the annual total of death or injury due to gun violence of those under 20 is over 20,000. (Behrman, Culross, and Reich 1). However, outside of only those…
- 1131 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
With the growing number of mass shootings in America and violence around the world, the issue of gun control reform has been widely debated across all political parties. The arguments against reform almost always boil down to citing the constitution's second amendment; the right for citizens to keep and bear arms, whereas proponents of reform suggest the installment of new laws ranging anywhere to a simple mental screening before a person is given a license to complete withdrawal and ban on any form of assault weapons and guns, citing that it is far too easy for an individual to purchase a weapon and ammunition and then proceed to shoot middle school students and their teachers. In any case the topic is more complicated than either side will…
- 951 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Nisbet, Lee PhD. Editor. The gun control debate you decide. pp 391. 2001. Prometheus books.…
- 1244 Words
- 5 Pages
Powerful Essays -
On the contrary, opponents of gun-control laws claim that it is useless to prevent violence by regulating guns. In fact, law-abiding citizens are already permitted to carry concealed weapons in forty states with gun crimes rate remaining the same (Wright). In my opinion, with guns thousands of citizens could save their lives. Just like Jessica, they gain courage because guns are available to them when emergencies occur.…
- 415 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Marjolijn Bijlefeld states from “The Gun Control Debate” that we have the right to carry “to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections, and repel Invasions.” At any moment across the nation a shooter could be lurking in plain sight. Congress has brought this problem up numerous times, allowing only a…
- 1381 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
Reading a few articles on gun control I have found that studies have shown that criminals that know who owns guns have stopped them from committing there crimes. This brings up the right to carry concealed weapons to protect…
- 1134 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
For American citizens, the right to bear arms is granted to us in the United States constitution. The constitution states, “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” (CITE). However, guns have changed dramatically since the constitution was written. Now, guns have the capacity to kill more people, quicker than ever before. And far too often, guns are not used for protection or self-defense, but to intentionally harm the innocent. For this reason, political figures, social activists and members of the general public have called into question what is really outlined and protected under the 2nd amendment. For example, are all guns permitted,…
- 1567 Words
- 7 Pages
Good Essays