GUN CONTROL

Gun Control in United States

Abstract

This paper aims at discussing the various aspects related to the issue of gun control in the Unites States. The paper traces the history of administrative and legislative efforts aimed at achieving the objective of gun control and regulation in the country, while discussing strengths and weakness of major actions taken in this regard. The negative impacts of guns and firearms proliferation are also discussed, highlighting the importance and need of immediate and effective action in this respect.

Gun Control in United States

Introduction

Guns occupy a central place in American mythology, and their ownership is an important symbol of personal freedom. During the American Revolution, firearms were used by citizens' militias to overthrow British colonial rule, and, during the westward expansion of the American frontier, for protection against Indian and other attacks on property and family. An explicit right to 'keep and bear arms' is consequently established in the Second Amendment to the constitution. Today, there are more than 200 million guns in circulation, with more than 40 percent of all American households in possession of guns (DeConde, 2001). As a consequence, gun-control is an emotive political issue and under the Clinton administration, a concerted attempt was made to tighten the gun laws. Control has also been applied on types of weapons whose destructiveness is indiscriminate, as in the case of mines, biological weapons, or chemical weapons.

The objective of this paper is to discuss the Gun Control. Gun control has existed in varying degrees throughout the history of civilization. In many cases, restrictions on civilian ownership of weapons have been used to control potential uprisings of the oppressed classes. In the twelfth century sought to ban the use of crossbows, because its management did not need much training, which caused a person with little education in war could kill a knight. Today, Japan is one of the most restrictive gun control in the population, and the United States is one of the least (Kopel, 1995).

Gun control is being viewed as the most debatable topic of the country, especially after the unexpected increase in the percentage of brutal killing of innocent citizens of the country. This report will initially discuss the prevailing concept of gun violence, and will discuss its impacts of the live of the people. In addition to this, this report will also briefly describe the legal and registration structure of the country and in the end will discuss the perception of people regarding the gun violence, and its legal framework.

Debate about reducing the gun culture in this universe is very old, and in United States of America its intensity is of high magnitude and public is unaware of the legal regulation of the gun (Smith, 2003). Various sections of media are creating awareness in the public about the devastating impact of keeping a gun, but their efforts have not achieved the desired outcome. Situation regarding possessing of gun has become devastated because of poor legal structure regarding the demand and supply of weapons (Slovak, ...