Gun Control versus Gun Rights

FAQ's Re Gun Control. http://www.med.usyd.edu.au/medfac/GunControl/fp_10_1.htm. Friday, Jan. 17, 1997. Carlile, Dr. Simon. USA Gun Deaths.

However, amidst this fact of destruction, they can also be used to defend and protect the lives and property of people. One important point to be noted here is the fact that guns are very powerful instruments that can either be used for good or ill. It is because of this fact about guns that the gun control debate still goes on and seems rather inevitable. From my above highlights about gun control, it seems obvious why I am motivated to write about gun control, especially the American context that has been plagued by gun abuse amidst all the laws on gun control. Hence, it is pertinent to be conscious of the direction where the gun control laws are headed.

The continuing Mass Shootings in the United States has caused the gun control debate to intensify. While anti-gun control advocates say the Second Amendment guarantees each individual the right to bear arms, the pro-gun control group reads the Second Amendment as a collective right to bear arms; meaning organized militia are the only ones with that right. This essay will analyse the effectiveness of several different articles which present arguments for and against gun control. Charles W. Collier’s article, “Gun Control in America: An Autopsy Report”, dives into the controversial topic of gun ownership and gun control in the United States. He uses recent shootings, including the George Zimmerman case and the Connecticut elementary school shooting, to present his case that gun violence will remain in the United States as long as guns remain high in number and low in regulation.

Current lawmakers believe that any possession of firearms leads to serious danger because of the way that they might be used. It is also reported that since 2000, most American citizens have been in favor of stricter gun laws (Dreier 92). These lawmakers look toward the tragedies of Newtown, Connecticut and of Aurora, Colorado. They realize that guns pose a legitimate threat to the safety of the United States and the well-being of its citizens. While the safety and well-being of the American public is important, these lawmakers are taking the wrong approach in their strides for protection.

Since its creation the firearm has served as man’s best means of self preservation, has helped in the expansion of frontiers, and has served to help many, including Americans, to secure and enforce their rights and maintain democracy. Even today our military uses firepower to prevent the spread of tyranny throughout the world. We refer to our troops as “armed forces” and the necessity of maintaining our firepower has been recognized throughout the human history, which the firearm has helped to shape. The founding fathers of this nation recognized the necessity of arming the average citizen to protect the rights so dearly purchased through armed revolution, and it was these men, all veterans of that revolution, that made it part of our constitution that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The right to bear arms was granted to the American people by the drafters of the constitution who understood first hand the effects of a tyrannical government, and included that right in the constitution before many other rights such as the right to trial by jury and the prohibitions against illegal search and arrest.

The gun control debate has been in the news a lot lately. Their are two clear sides to the debate. One side states that they don’t want their second amendment rights taken away. While the other side sees guns as dangerous and wants reforms set in place so that certain people can’t have access to them. Some are against reform that, “private citizens who own guns are constantly told by gun-control advocates that only fully trained government agents should be allowed to possess and use guns” (Krey 41).

How do you go about taking guns away if that is the solution, or what will the effects be of taking guns away from people who don’t use them for crime? The lack of information on this issue leads to an unequal view on gun control and can completely distort the ability of that individual to be able to take a rational stand on the issue. I believe that by being open to the facts of gun control that involves elimination weapons people will find that this type of gun control is not rational and therefore is not the answer for the gun control debate in our nation. What exactly is gun control? This question is where much of the misconception begins.

A few republican politicians have a strong belief in the right to own guns. This battling contradiction can sometimes make it difficult to approach the issue reasonably. The arguments have different statistics and facts regarding how firearms can impact society. It is important to realize that there are strong and valid points to be made for both sides of gun control issues. With that in mind, is there a “right” or “wrong” side to this issue?

IntellectualCapitol.com August 1999 http://www.intellectualcapital.com/issues/issue284/item6187.asp Bai, Matt, "Caught in the Cross-Fire." Newsweek June 1999 Encarta. http://encarta.msn.com/ Jillson, Cal. American Government: Political Change and Institutional Development. Harcourt Brace, 1998 Library of Congress web site http://thomas.loc.gov/ National Rifle Association web page, http://www.nra.org/ Richie, Rob and Hill, Steven.

With regard to Federal laws and policies, it is crucial for them to be upheld effectively and help law makers curb illegal purchase of firearms. Both sides have pleaded their case openly, defending their claims of gun control and, which is better for the American public. At this current junction it is not clear if a compromise over the issue will be reached anytime soon. Current measures proposed by the US President, such as increased funding for patients with mental illness and background checks will go a long way in addressing events of senseless shooting. If the rights of owning a gun are taken away, this will only make firearms more valuable and people more vulnerable against attackers.