...Why Cannot The USA Have a Stricter Gun Control? The 44th president of the United States of America, Barack Obama, wants to apply more gun control in the states. He has on several occasions indicated his opinion against firearms and crimes committed with firearms. Obama said after the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, “We won’t be able to stop every violent act, but if there is even one thing that we can do to prevent any of these events, we have a deep obligation, all of us, to try.” (McDonough 2012) Usually the American citizens agree with their president, but never before has one presidential opinion created so much outcry. In my research paper, I will look at why the American citizens cannot agree with their president. 47 American states have turned against their recently re-elected president’s opinion on gun control. How can the opinions of a democratically elected president offend so many American citizens? Eric Reed of Texas is encouraging Americans to rally against their president in the “Guns Across America” association. He felt offended by the president when Obama expressed his wish to ban assault rifles. He said to the New York Times: “He’s essentially restricting and punishing all law-abiding American citizens. He’s taking people who have never committed a crime in their lives and he’s trying to tell them that these guns are ‘assault weapons.’ Well, I’ve got guns in my home. If they’re ‘assault weapons,’ then mine must be defective because they haven’t assaulted...
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...| Households With a Gun | Adults Owning a Gun | Adults Owning a Handgun | Percentage | 40-45% | 30-34% | 17-19% | Number | 47-53 million | 70-80 million | 40-45 million | Firearms are generally classified into three broad types: (1) handguns, (2) rifles, and (3) shotguns.[3] Rifles and shotguns are both considered "long guns." A semi-automatic firearm fires one bullet each time the trigger is pulled, ejects the shell of the fired bullet, and automatically loads another bullet for the next pull of the trigger. A fully automatic firearm (sometimes called a "machine gun") fires multiple bullets with the single pull of the trigger. Protection Against Crime 67%Target Shooting 66%Hunting 58% To undergo a background check, prospective gun buyers are required by federal regulations to present "photo-identification issued by a government entity."[86] * Using fake driver's licenses bearing fictitious names, investigators with the Government Accountability Office had a 100% success rate buying firearms in five states that met the minimum requirements of the federal background check system.[87] [88] A 2001 report of this investigation states that the federal background check system "does not positively identify purchasers of firearms," and thus, people using fake IDs are not flagged by the system Five critical rules of gun safety from the NRA and other sources: 1) Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction (whether loaded or unloaded). 2) Always...
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...debated at all. The point of gun control is that it is common sense that your average person should not have the ability to kill another person. The fact of the matter is that the US keeps guns in the people’s pockets because of the right to bare arms, but when this collides with the right to not be killed why do the guns always win? This is somewhat the largest problem, if someone has a gun and you don’t you don’t feel safe, you go off and buy a gun. This is sort of like children in a park going around and hurting other children with a stick, and giving the other children sticks to defend themselves. This is basically the US way of thinking. When looking back in history you don’t have to look far to find a case where the US’s gun control (or lack of) has come back to bite them in the ass. In 2012 in Connecticut at Sandy Hook Elementary School, 26 were killed with 20 of them being children. A 20-year-old male criminal who was dressed in a military vest and heavily armed with at least 3 weapons was responsible for the shooting. This was the 15th mass shooting in the US in 2012 alone. Without the guns he would have just been a lunatic but with the guns he was a danger to anyone and everyone. But surely the United States of America would not allow a ‘lunatic’ to get a gun? He stole the legally purchased guns from his mother after he killed her. Simply because he had easy access to guns twenty-six had to die. How many massacres will it take for the US to realise that maybe it’s not...
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...America has the highest amount of gun related deaths each year in the world. “In Germany 381, in France 255, in Canada 165 in the United Kingdom 68, in Australia 65, in Japan 39 and in the United States, 11,127” (Moore Michael, 51:15-51:48). Since the United States has the highest number of deaths, it is important to have gun-control laws that restrict people from owning dangerous firearms like machine guns. Gun-control laws should support both sides of the debate. Of course, both sides will not be completely happy with the laws created, but America should have a balance. In 2008, a poll was taken stating: “Adult poll respondents’ views on the meaning of the Second Amendment; An individual’s right to bear arms: Republican 51% and Democrats 41%” (The History of the Right to Bear Arms). Today, the United States is more divided on gun-control than it has ever been. The Second Amendment 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”(Milestones in Federal Gun Control Legislation). Unless the Second Amendment is changed, we cannot take the right from others to own guns. However, the government should regulate the types of gun Americans can own and who can own a gun because times have changed and American’s mental health system is broken. Decades ago, the United States was once a country where a gun was considered to survive and protect. “As Americans civilized the wilderness...
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...Gun control paper Gun control is a big thing in the United States nowadays. There are people that think the American people would be better off without any guns at all and there is people that think that it would be better with guns and firearms. My opinion is in the middle of being for and against gun control. Some places it would be good to not have guns and other places should have guns. People that are for gun control might think that there shouldn’t be any guns in America so that their wouldn’t be anymore crime and murders with a firearm. But with this idea, the government would have to destroy all guns in the world because if America goes gun free there will be people that will want guns. With that people from different countries...
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...Gun Control Gun Control in the United States should be more limited because Gun Control would reduce gun violence and would limit the amount of people killed each year by guns. According to Watkins “We will never fully solve our nation’s horrific problem of gun violence unless we ban the manufacture and sale of handguns and semi-automatic assault weapons.” USA Today, December 29, 1993.” [ (Watkins, 2012) ]. Gun control has been a hot topic for many years, because conservative Americans believe they should have the right to bear arm and the liberal side believe that it is not safe to have guns in the home. Both sides believe that they are right, because of the Fifth Amendment but the facts speak for themselves, “with nearly 400,000 gun crimes committed every year, the United States has the highest rate of firearm deaths (more than 30, 000 each year) among twenty –five high-income nations. Clearly, stronger and more effective gun control laws are needed to keep guns out of the wrong hands and to better protect the public. Furthermore, despite what the gun lobby claim, most Americans are in favor of common-sense gun laws because they understand that such laws will, in fact, help reduce gun violence.” [ (Watkins, 2012) ]. Over 270 million people are estimated to own guns in American but does that mean we are safer in our homes because we have a gun or the fact that we have a gun increase the likely hood that we may be killed with our own gun? Watkins went on to say that “many people...
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...Hour 4/9/2018 Gun Control Gun control can be defined as the control over what types of guns and armory can be purchased by everyday consumers and the public, control by the seller to determine who is eligible to purchase a weapon and run background checks on their customers before purchasing, or simply outlawing guns all together. Many see gun control to be beneficial to a safe and non-violent society; however, Gun Control is not the solution to crime and violence in the US. Gun control will not prevent criminals from purchasing guns and limits our rights that go along with the 2nd Amendment. Gun control will not prevent criminals from buying guns. Mexico is a prime example. Mexico is well known for their extremely strict gun laws in their fight to lower their crime rates. For example they only have one gun shop in the whole country that is on a heavily guarded military base and if you are lucky enough to go there to buy a gun you get to choose from a .38 caliber handgun or lower caliber pistols and get one box of ammunition. (Burnett) From 2006 to 2010 the gun shop in Mexico had a recorded sale account of 6,490 guns, but as of 2012 the...
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...Introduction Guns have been a part of this country’s society from its beginning. Throughout America’s history we have used guns for various different reasons. We use guns to protect this nation, protect our families, to participate in recreational activities and finally to hunt for food. The issue of Guns and gun control is and has been a huge issue that has been debated and will be debated as long as we keep having school shootings and mass murders. Weighing the rights and liberties of the individual against the welfare and safety of the public has always been a difficult balancing act. In America gun control is one of those issues that is filled with passion and emotion. Both sides are firmly entrenched in their positions. Those parties in favor of gun ownership and the freedom to use and keep arms, rely on the fact that the provision for such rights is enshrined in their constitution. In today’s society, with the growing violence rate, turmoil and crime, gun advocates feel their position has strengthened. As citizens of the “Land of the Free” possessing a gun is a right afforded to us by the constitution, and is probably a necessity. Gun control advocates point to the same growing violence and gun related crimes to strengthen their argument in a collective effort to entice change from our Nation’s Capital. They hope the Government will take action by enacting more laws and stricter control. Gun Control activists feel this would create society that is safer. ...
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...Halusek Persuasive Research Paper In America, guns have been a part of the country’s society since its birth. Throughout history, citizens of the US have used firearms to protect the nation, protect their families, and to hunt for food. In the United States, gun control is an issue that has both sides firmly imbedded in their beliefs. The parties in favor of gun ownership and the right to keep and bear arms rely on the fact that provisions for such rights are protected by the Constitution. No legitimate study in the US has ever shown that gun control has any positive impact on crime. Society benefits from firearms in the hands of responsible citizens. In this time of turmoil and growing violence, gun advocates feel more than ever that their position is justified. The issue of gun control continues to remain a controversy. A large number of citizens believe that if gun acts are strictly enforced, that violence and the threat of crime will reduce everywhere. On the other hand, a large amount of society feels that they deserve the right to bear arms and will stop at nothing to protect their second amendment. The challenging issue of gun control takes a harmonizing act of extreme measures. Weighing the rights and liberties for each individual against the welfare and safety of the public is a risky balancing act. Attempts to keep firearms away from these citizens do more harm than good. People believe that the banning of guns is the way to save lives, this statement is incorrect...
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...According to the Gun Violence Archive, there has been over 50,000 gun related incidents in the USA in 2015.America has been immersed in the gun debate during recent years. It is a hot topic within the 2016 election race. Many believe that since the 2nd Amendment gives americans the right to own guns, gun owners should not be restricted in anyway. Gun control laws are necessary to curb mass shootings and decrease gun violence ( Infobase Learning,“Should the US adopt stronger gun control laws”) I advocate for stricter gun control laws considering that lax regulations within states such as Louisiana, gun deaths/injuries are a threat to American public health, and that more restrictive laws directly correlate to less gun-related injuries/deaths...
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...Gun Control Paper Gun Control has been an issue that has been brought to the public’s eyes in recent years. This main issue has been going on for many years, for example when John F. Kennedy was assassinated; it raised public awareness to the lack of control on sales and also possession of guns in America. Until 1968 guns were available over the counter in stores and through mail catalogs to just about any adult in America. This was an example of how loosely guns were regulated which bring us back to the issue of guns. The constitution tells us in the second amendment that we, as American Citizens, have the right to bear arms. But the government is trying to change that by regulating everything to do with owning a gun. My stance: Gun control is just another way for the government to get into our personal lives. Gun violence is a common thing in America and it needs to be stopped some say. For example, Susan Milligan says this, “Opponents of any kind of gun restrictions argue that they are meaningless, since criminals by definition don't follow the law, and therefore won't allow gun laws to hamstring their criminal behavior. That's true. But gun violence isn't only committed by classic criminals, as recent gun-related tragedies show.” Now she argues that all of gun violence, well the majority, is because of criminals which bring us to background checks. When a person buys a firearm they go through a process of steps to make sure that they are capable of buying a firearm...
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...States has suffered 17 school shootings (Ahmed & Walker). Gun violence is greater in the US than in any other first world nation. In fact, when compared to other nations, the number of gun-related murders in the United States are at an all-time high (bbc.com). This goes to show that more government involvement has been shown to be necessary for the current political climate. In the past, when Congress became more involved and banned assault rifles, there was a fewer number of gun-related crimes (Ingraham). Stronger background checks and a ban on assault rifles must be implemented by Congress in order to lessen the current rise of gun-related crimes, as it has been proven to work in various other states and nations....
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...Gun violence is not a new issue, nor is gun control a new argument. The “war on guns” dates all the way back to the infancy of the United States of America; the right to bear arms was guaranteed in the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, and has been seen, in the more than two centuries since, as a cornerstone of American liberty. However, in the last few years, repeated mass killings have placed the gun control debate at the eye of the American political storm. In an effort to balance beliefs from both ends of the political spectrum - that gun ownership needs to be protected, while restricted enough to keep guns out of the hands of those who may do deadly harm with them - has come a lack of serious, effective legislation on the matter. The Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act - seen at its enactment as a milestone in the gun control movement - has proven itself ineffective at preventing the type of mass shooting that is, unfortunately, all too common today. These killings, and the high rates of gun violence overall, challenge the core values of social work practice, and the short- and long-term economic impact of this violence is, at best, counter-productive. Based on the research outlined in this document, it is necessary as social workers to create a culture of safety, and as a country to enact sensible gun...
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...Quarter 2015 Volume 13, Number 4 The U.S. Gun-Control Paradox: Gun Buyer Response To Congressional Gun-Control Initiatives Michael A. Jones, Ph.D., Southeastern Louisiana University, USA George W. Stone, Ph.D., North Carolina A&T University, USA ABSTRACT Many scholars and interest groups in the U.S. advocate for more gun-control in terms of restrictions on sales. Following the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Connecticut in December 2012, The Obama Administration initiated legislation to restrict gun sales. Coincidentally, U.S. firearm sales surged to record levels and ammunition shortages occurred. This article examines the gun control issue in the U.S. in light of the events of 2013, demonstrating the paradox which gun-control advocates face. The authors provide background information on the gun-control debate including the social cost of gun-violence and the U.S. political battle over the issue. Keywords: U.S. Gun-Control Paradox; Gun-Control Debate; Congressional Gun-Control Initiatives INTRODUCTION T his study examines the response of US firearm and ammunition consumers to the Obama Administration’s 2013 initiative to pass new gun control legislation. After staying-clear of guncontrol during his first term, President Obama initiated a dialog proposing the need for new gun control legislation after the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy in December 2012 (McWhinnie 2013). What followed was a sharp increase in gun sales and a run on ammunition which lead to...
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...Shooting for an answer (Gun Control Laws) Many may argue that weapons such as a gun and a crime go hand in hand. If it is so then does that mean guns lead to crimes? Gun control laws are meant to minimize crimes and help protect citizens but are they really doing this? The debate about gun control is no new topic to us and has been evolving over time. Now back to the question, do gun control laws really do what they are suppose to do? I personally believe that these laws don't work. They only affect law-abiding citizens and criminals as we all know aren't in that category. If a criminal wants to use a weapon such as a gun and knows they cannot legally acquire one they will still find a way to obtain one, of course illegally. Some may argue that by allowing more restrictive gun ownership and or use laws will help reduce gun related crimes, suicides and homicides in our country. Yet more than 30,000 American citizens die each year due to gunshots wounds, which in return is the highest homicide rate from guns in the world (Deborah White). Here are some facts about gun uses in America. About 80 million Americans, representing 50% of the U.S homes, own 223 million guns, easily the highest private gun ownership rate of any country in the world (Deborah White). An article on Wikipedia states that "Gun uses in the United States is associated with the majority of homicides and over half the suicides". Each year about 4.5 million firearms, including approximately 2 million handguns...
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