Gun Control in America
Guns claim thousands of lives each year in events of senseless murder. Will you be next? A rise in mass shootings and gun deaths has politicians threatening to take away many, if not all of our guns. With this idea sweeping the nation and gaining much traction, it is imperative that I point out how flawed it in fact is. Gun control will not solve our problems since many gun deaths are caused by suicides and gang violence which skews statistics, it will leave our law-abiding citizens unarmed and defenseless, and criminals are criminals so if they want a gun, they will find a way to get one.
Statistics used by people to advocate for gun control are often skewed and untrue due to the high amount of gun deaths being from suicide and gang violence. In 2012, 64% of all USA gun deaths were suicides. This is a very large majority and removing those takes the total amount of deaths from 33,636 to only 12,461. The thing about suicide is that even if guns were banned, people would still find a way to do it. Guns happen to be the most painless and efficient way to do so. Therefore over half of the annual gun deaths are mostly void in a debate about the topic. Furthermore, if we only look at gun homicides, which is the easier statistic, we find another problem, gang violence. 8,900 of 11,100 gun homicides in 2010 and 2011 were caused by gang violence. That statistic shows how there were just 2,200 non-gang-related firearm murders in both years in a country of over 300 million people and 250 million guns. This puts into perspective how gang violence is the real issue here and not regulating guns.
Banning guns and confiscating them will only put average law-abiding citizens in danger. Normal everyday people who own guns for the sake of shooting as a hobby, hunting, self-defense, or all three will hand over their guns or have them taken away and that will be the end of it for them. Those who use guns for criminal purposes won’t just give up and look for another weapon, they will illegally acquire a firearm by whichever means necessary. It isn’t as hard as one may think as the internet black market has many guns available for purchase and regulation from the government is very difficult. This leaves average people without the best and safest self-defense measure while those using guns against them have an immediate advantage facing off against defenseless citizens because criminals will be criminals.
Elaborating on the last paragraph, there is a multitude of statistics proving criminals get guns illegally. To start off with one of the most important points, 86% of children in juvenile detention centers are reported to have owned a firearm,
which of course is illegal since they are not old enough to own one. This is such an eye-opening statistic as it shows the large majority of troubled kids who end up in jail were carrying a deadly weapon, and many of them probably ready to use it which is rather concerning. A study done in Rochester, NY concluded with the fact that 22% of all males in the city owned an illegal gun. Imagine 1 of every 5 men you see on the street (who could easily be of the age to own a gun legally) are carrying an illegal gun. For criminals, this just shows how it’s probably easier to have an illegal gun. It is untraceable by the government and there are no necessary background checks that delay or may cancel the sale.
Another study done concluded with the statistic that ⅚ gun possessing felons came about their gun through the secondary market or theft. These all further the point on how criminals using guns for crimes don’t care to follow the laws for getting one. They will get it whether the government says they can’t or not.
Due to there seemingly being a rise in mass shootings and gun violence, many politicians are threatening our second amendment rights. Looking at the facts and proposing logical arguments dismantles these ideas rather easily as demonstrated in the paragraphs. Taking away guns leaves law abiding citizens defenseless. Gang violence is a problem that far outweighs the gun deaths. The majority of criminals who use guns for crimes acquire them illegally. These three points are why you can’t and shouldn’t take away our guns.
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