Sandy Hook Elementary School, Columbine High School, and the Century Aurora Movie Theater are places that have come up in the news in the past fifteen years. In all of these instances assault weapons and semi-automatic assault weapons have been used to slaughter men, women, and children. Due to this issue the common citizen bearing an assault weapon is prominent in the United States, also due to the loose gun laws, the lack of mental assistance, and the video games we play today.
We currently have no nationwide laws passed by Congress regarding the use of semi-automatic assault weapons. However, some states have decided to create their own laws regarding them to lessen crime and to combat the mass shooting rates. California passed a law that was recently challenged in a court of law and was deemed constitutional. After the Sandy Hook incident the state of Massachusetts quickly passed a law requiring all citizens that they need to be registered with the state to carry a gun and no one can carry any type of assault weapon, fully or semi-automatic without state approval (Massachusetts Assembly Section 128). Although some states have enacted laws like California and Massachusetts, the nation needs to follow.
Our nation’s mental health system is not doing enough for people who need help. In these four incidents people were killed and wounded by semi-automatic military style assault weapons. In an Aurora, Colorado incident a Mr. James Holmes approached a movie theater with a Smith & Wesson M&P15 with a 100-round magazine at a Batman premiere (Rickman). Mr. Holmes killed twelve and injured fifty-eight. On December 11 Jacob Roberts stormed the Clackamas Town Center with a semi-automatic rifle. Jacob took 2 lives before taking his own (Ri...
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Shermer, Michael. "The Gun Fight: Sensible Gun Limits Are Part of the Solution." Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, CA] 15 Jan. 2013: A13. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. .
Sigurdson, Chris. "THE MAD THE BAD AND THE ABANDONED: THE MENTALLY ILL IN PRISONS AND JAILS." CORRECTIONS TODAY Dec. 2000: 70. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 6 Nov. 2013. .
Assault weapon control is becoming an unavoidable topic in the United States. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation more than nine hundred people have died from mass shootings in the past seven years and an assault rifle was used in twelve of the forty-three mass shootings in the past four years. The U.S. Department of Defense has long defined assault rifles as fully automatic rifles used for military purposes. The National Firearm Act of 1934 prohibited fully automatic weapons in the
Should the Government Ban Assault Weapons? Over the last decade or so, the United States of America has been shaken by an epidemic of terrifying mass shootings, devastating slayings of unexpecting victims, and unnerving annihilations of the innocent. There is no specific target, no explicitly sought-out group, nor definite individual. From a classroom of first-graders, to a crowded movie theatre, to a U.S. Naval yard, the location seems at most, random, other than that it is almost always a public
Banning Assault Weapons: Protecting the American People or Infringing upon Their Rights?? 1966, Charles Joseph Whitman climbed to the top of the iconic clock tower in the center of Texas University in Austin and killed sixteen and seriously injured thirty of his fellow Texas Longhorns. 1991, George Hennard, thirty-five, opened fire on forty innocent patrons at a Luby’s in Killeen, Texas, killing twenty-three of his intended targets. 1999, citizens in a small Colorado County of Douglas were distraught
Should assault weapons banned in the U.S or not. Assault weapons should not be banned because of self-defense and protection of robberies. Also for drug dealers across the border because immigrants smuggle. AWB was applied in 2004 because of the use of Assault weapons. On this information that is provided Assault Weapons should not be banned. The AWB had an effect on all the crime that was happening because the ban took the use of weapons. The main thing that differentiated
The Dangers of the Assault Weapons In today’s society, it is not difficult to get access to assault weapons. In California, as well as many other states in America, obtaining a gun license is very easy: any twenty-one-year-old and above legal resident can apply for a gun license. The requirements of the gun license are: pass the written gun safety test, pass the federal background check, pay a small fee and present a valid ID. If the applicant fulfills all the requirements, then he or she can legally
People that have lost their lives, might have lost their lives from not being able to defend himself with a gun. Many people have been debating about how assault weapons should be banned. They are trying to prevent gun violence by banning the guns, which hasn’t worked very well. First, the laws that have been passed to try to prevent gun violence. Next, many people think these guns are bad because of their looks. Finally, the criminals should be stopped because they are the ones actually controlling
Introduction: What is considered an Assault Weapon There are many views about gun control especially when referring to assault weapons. People are both for it and against it. When first hearing “Assault Weapon Man”, many different images filter through one’s mind on what an assault weapon looks like and how to differentiate between an assault weapon and a regular handgun. There is still no consistent definition for an assault weapon. The only definitions that are out there are the ones found in laws
Assault weapons are dangerous for everyday people to just be carrying around (“ For Lives And Liberty”). According to Webster's Dictionaries, the term “assault weapon” is used in the United States to define specific types of firearms. The definition varies among regulating jurisdictions, but usually includes semi-automatic firearms with a detachable magazine and a pistol grip, and sometimes other features such as a flash suppressor or barrel shroud. Assault weapons have were banned in the year 1994
The word assault means to make a physical attack on someone, but how does a weapon with the purpose to provide food for your family become classified as an assault weapon? If a weapon is used to assault another person is it then classified as an assault weapon, or is it still just a weapon used to bring harm to someone? The classification of an assault gun should be changed. Most assault weapons that are in America aren’t used for assault, but they are used to provide food for a family or protection
Should the government restrict access to assault weapons? This question has gotten many Americans thinking and has the nation divided. The Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 banned large capacity magazines and assault weapons. Then in 2004 the ban was lifted and never renewed. Now Americans are wondering if it should be renewed after many mass shootings like in Newtown, Connecticut. Also, gun supporters argue that it would Infringe on the Second Amendment. Then, should Large capacity magazines be banned
gun ownership in the United States. The most common call is the restriction of hi-capacity magazines, foldable stocks, short barrels, and other attachments that classify a gun as an assault weapon. Since the Assault Weapons ban of 1994 was lifted there have been multiple attempts to reinstate the ban. The Assault Weapons ban of 1994 was unconstitutional, and ineffective at preventing large scale violence. The most common argument to restrict gun ownership is that the Second Amendment permits a
A solution to assault style weapons and large capacity magazines. I would like to see a full ban on large capacity magazines as their practicality for civilian use is minimal. For assault style weapons using the AR 15 as reference. I believe a stricter protocol for selling these weapons could be helpful, as many other countries have implemented stricter gun laws have they have proven successful. I would propose that for someone to obtain a semi-automatic rifle the buyer should go through a mental
has an assault weapon? Assault weapons are defined as military-grade weapons with a detachable magazine and any type of advanced features such as scopes and bipods. There are many controversies around whether assault weapons should be banned in the United States. Assault Weapons should not be banned in the United States because it’s primarily used for self-defense and fixing mental health can help put an end to mass shootings Assault weapons shouldn’t be banned in the United States. Assault weapons
The controversy over assault rifles is one of the most problematic issues related to the contributions of gangs, drug traffickers, and most criminal activity. More often than not, criminals have access to the weapons of their choice more easily than it should be. Getting them from licensed dealers, black markets, and family members’ homes, the availability of these militia weapons has become to effortless to obtain. The rise of criminal activity is part of the reason more than
controversy. Many people argue that there shouldn’t be assault weapons because they are too powerful, or that this amendment was not intended to allow high powered assault weapons. There are many reasons on why assault rifles and large magazines should not be banned in the United States, including protection, defense, and past bans have not been effective. Assault weapons give citizens the feeling of protection. Citizens use assault weapons to protect themselves