Gun Control

Introduction

Gun control laws seek to limit the extent to which citizens can keep and own firearms, and often place limits on who can own firearms. For example, gun control laws frequently require that a background check be performed, and those with criminal or mental health records be denied access to guns. In addition, certain types of guns are prohibited. Fully automatic machine guns and other types of guns that are deemed to be especially lethal are often illegal to own under any circumstances. Proponents of these laws argue that gun control laws are necessary to reduce gun-related crime and protect the police and the public from the dangers inherent in the proliferation of guns. Opponents argue that gun control laws impermissibly infringe upon citizens' rights; endanger the existence of democracy by disabling civilian defense capabilities; prevent honest citizens from defending themselves, their families, and their property; and unreasonably restrict gun-related recreational activities like target shooting and hunting.

Thesis Statement

The main statement for the current topic is that more gun control is necessary for a safer society.

Discussion

Many gun control advocates argue that guns are dangerous instruments, and that as guns become more common in our society, so too will injuries and deaths caused by guns. For them, there is no such thing as a good gun; all guns are potentially lethal and subject to misuse, and should be removed from the general population whenever possible. These people often cite the finding of Dr. Kellermann and his colleagues that gun owners are 43 times more likely to kill a family member or friend with their gun than to kill an intruder. Other gun control advocates, including former President Clinton, focus on the toll gun violence takes on children and frequently cite the statistic that 13 children a day die as a result of gun-related injuries. There are also numerous studies suggesting that when guns are available, rates of suicide, accidental injury, homicide, and domestic violence increase. In addition to the human toll, all of these phenomena also increase the monetary costs of healthcare and criminal justices (Crooker, 156).

Pointing to tragic mass murders like the 1999 Columbine High School killings or the 1984 massacre at McDonald's in San Ysidro, California, proponents of gun control argue that having guns readily available to the general public makes them available to people who are mentally unstable. Noting that many individuals who snap and act out ...