Gun control involves policies or laws that restrict manufacture, use, sale, and possession of firearms such as guns. The laws vary from one country to another, with countries such as the United Kingdom placing very strict laws regarding possession of firearms while countries such as the United States placing modest laws. Many other countries have been debating regarding the issue with proponents arguing its dangerousness while opponents arguing that it is good for self-protection.

Gun control law has constantly generated political and social debate concerning the availability and restrictions of firearms within the United States. It has been one of the most contentious issues. Majority of Americans believes that the right to own a gun is constitutional. At the same time, majority as well support stricter enforcement of extensive gun control laws (Squires 207). The Second Amendment of the US Constitution was voted in 1791 asserting the right for every person to possess arms for security of his life, property and family. Those who support gun control law say that they have a right to possess guns while proponents argue that allowing people to own guns increases the rate of crimes such as mass killings.

Gun control law determines whether ordinary citizens can possess a gun or not (Carter 42). The Second Amendment of the Constitution which concerns the right to have arms is a burning issue. Since it is part of the Constitution, it is virtually a sacred amendment, which can scarcely be confronted with ease and even if it is confronted, altering it requires very high legal and legislative hurdles.

Gun rights and gun control groups have been pressurizing Congress for years to expertise legislation in their personal favors (Dimitrova n.p.). The National Rifle Association (NRA) enjoys the support of both sides of the isle with both Republicans and Democrats, particularly, those from conventional states who are gun cohorts. The NRA always fights back any legislation that tries to ban firearm.

Two times, in the past two years, the gun subject reached the state’s highest court. The 2008 Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution protects a person’s right to possess a gun for personal use (Dimitrova n.p.). In July 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that the national right to own arms as well applies at the state and local level (Carter n.p.). The National Rifle Association (NRA) termed the ruling a landmark however the verdict did not specify the kind of laws that can be applied to the Second Amendment.

Points in Support of Gun Control

The Americans support the gun control laws, specifically the NRA, as it is the legal right of inhabitants to own weapons. The NRA supports the Second Amendment of owning guns in order to protect themselves, their properties and families (Squires 205). Moreover, the American society will not become safer with the restriction of gun ownership as guns do not kill people but people kill people (Dimitrova n.p.). In many cases relating to guns or firearms, the weapons used are not legally registered or bought; they are either stolen or smuggled from registered proprietors.

Furthermore, it has been observed that if law abiding American citizens have guns, they are better prepared to handle circumstances where they meet face to face with criminals; therefore, it brings the rate of crime down (Dimitrova n.p.). It is evident that the president, congress members, and bank guards use guns for protection. The gun culture is armored by political powerful National Rifle Association (NRA). NRA shows that 25 states in the United States have implemented laws that give homeowners liberty to shoot people on their own property without fear of prosecution (Squires 210).

Gun helps people to protect their families and properties. Families are working very hard around the clock to acquire wealth. After acquiring some wealth, should it they be left for other people (thieves and robbers) to take? Absolutely not, they should be protected using guns. It prevents emergent of criminal revenue. Banning possession and use of guns will promote the development of black market for guns. Guns enhance the police’s protection of violent crimes. With the possession of guns, the police are able to protect citizens from violent crimes and pursue criminals who possess guns. Without banning or restricting it, the police might not differentiate people who legally possess guns and those who do not easily.

Despite the fact that there are several advocates of the thought that prevalent gun possession is the method to reduce crime, it is important to realize that it is not the gun that is being questioned but the hand that pulls the trigger. Gun prohibition will not make them disappear or any less dangerous.

Points against Gun Control Law

The foundation line is that a gun is a lethal weapon and its only function is to slaughter and the fewer people have it, the better. If firearms are less widespread in society, criminals would have greater difficulties laying hands on them (Dimitrova n.p.). With the abolition of gun control law, firearms will not reach the hands of children or teenagers, preventing disasters such as the Columbine High School slaughter and the Sandy Hook Elementary School that left twenty school children and six school staff dead (Kumar n.p.).

Gun control will guarantee that there will be a strict background check on the ownership of all firearms and the number of manufactured firearms (Carter 38). As a result, there would be almost no vicious crime. For instance, there will be incidences of house theft or shop lifting but no guns would be involved thus no deaths from the incidences (Kumar n.p.). The background checks would also identify the purchaser as the gun owner and create a national gun registry.

Restricting guns reduces violent crimes. In the recent years, many violent crimes have been committed using guns. For example, about 30,143 people were killed in the United States using firearms in 2005. Gun restriction reduces suicides and crimes of passion. With guns readily available, people would easily commit suicide when stressed or offended. It also reduces terrorism, shootings at school, and other types of modern crimes. With the guns readily available, school pupils and terrorists can easily access them and cause killings to innocent people.

Sport shooting, hunting or a gun culture that legitimizes and glamorizes unwanted gun ownership can desensitize ordinary people to the lethal effects of guns and firearms in general (Dimitrova n.p.). With the abolition of the gun culture, the tragedy which took place in the shooting spree which left six people dead in Tucson could have been avoided (Squires 210). Ultimately, according to the New York City Mayor, each day thirty three people pass on in gun related aggression in the United States. The main question is why so many Americans continue their love affair with guns, yet many die of it.

Conclusion

The debate on gun control has made no progress at the federal level in the United States despite the nationwide attention and exposure of current incidences of mass assassinations such as those at Virginia Tech, Columbine and Tucson. President Obama also has carefully shunned the topic, and has even signed two laws including the provision for intensifying gun access (Squires 202). As a result, criminals will still find ways of getting illegal ownership of firearms as they do not respect the law. It is the responsibility of every citizen to determine whether or not the procurement of firearms is good for the society at large.

Works Cited

Carter, Gregg. Gun in American Society: An Encyclopedia of History, Politics, Culture and the Law. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2002. Print.

Dimitrova, Maia. “Will the Newton Massacre Change the US Gun Cculture?” International Security Observer, 2013. Web.

Kumar, Nikhil. The US Gun Control: Sandy Hook Was Meant to Have Changed America. Then Politics Got in the Way. The Independent, 2013. Web.

Squires, Peter. Gun Culture or Gun control: Firearms and Violence, Safety and Society. London: Routledge, 2000. Print.