Gun control is a very polarizing topic in the United States, as there are many differing opinions on gun control and how people believe the laws should be structured.
- Some people believe that there should be no laws restricting the use and purchasing of guns. The main organization that is anti-gun control is the National Rifle Association. This organization raises money for candidates who promote the right to carry a gun supported by the Second Amendment of the Constitution.
- The Second Amendment of the Constitution gives the people of the United States the right to keep and bear arms.
- Others believe there should be laws completely restricting the use, the right to carry, or the eligibility of people to buy guns in the United States. An organization that is pro-gun control is the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.
- Many people in the United States are more central to the argument. These people believe there should be restrictions on the rights of carrying, buying and use of guns that still allow eligible people to carry concealed firearms as a way of self-protection.
The majority of the time, the conversation about gun control is centered around use by adults and the right to carry guns for people over the age of 18. Although this is not the only thing people should be concerned about. Every year, more than 20,000 children are killed or hurt due to gun violence. This happens in schools and homes. It can be done by friends, family members, or even by harming themselves. The conversation must also be focused on how to prevent injury done to children due to firearms.
In the past years, the lives of many children have been changed due to gun violence. On November 14, 2019, there was a school shooting at Saugus High School in California. This attack was done by one of the students. This is one of 45 school shootings that has happened in the past 46 weeks. In 2018, there were 47 school shootings where the attacker had the intention of hurting others. The Saugus shooting and all the others that have come before this one could have been prevented if there were stricter gun laws in the United States and by changing the conversation on gun control to include how it is affecting children. By restricting who can buy and handle guns, many children’s lives could have been saved. (Cota-Robles, 2019).
In the United States, students are no longer safe in the one place they should be guaranteed a feeling of security. Children and teenagers should not have to go to school worrying if they are going to make it out alive. Students should not have to march and protest to ensure their schools are gun-free. Many students are taking these matters into their own hands and are participating in protests, walkouts, marches, and are pushing those who are able, to register to vote in order to elect officials that will change gun laws in order to protect the youth of America. It has become normal for students to have “active shooter” drills in school. It has become normal to hear about shootings involving children on the news.
There are many flaws with the discussion of Gun Control in this country. As explained in the article, Children, Youth, and Gun Violence: Analysis and Recommendations: “First the lethality and widespread availability of guns have worsened youth violence in this country... Second, until very recently, public debates about gun policies have not focused on the safety of children and youth. Instead, much of the debate has centered on the meaning of the Second Amendment to the US constitution and the appropriate use of guns by adults.” (Reich, 2002). People are not aware of the major effects gun violence has on the children who are growing up in a world where this is the norm.
On September 11, 2019, one of my friends was killed due to gun violence in his own home. His family was known to have guns in their household, and his father was given a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Although, the person who gave him this permit failed to realize he struggled with mental illness. This lapse in judgment caused my friend Michael to lose his life as well as his mother and the suicide of his father. With stricter gun laws and reform on who can receive a permit, tragedies such as this will be prevented.
With an upcoming election, one thing that many voters are looking for in a candidate is someone who is passionate about gun reform and changing the current norm of gun violence in this country. Candidates such as Joe Biden are using their gun reform plans as a campaign strategy. Biden states on his website many ideas for legislation he will propose if elected president. This strategy is used to appeal to a large group of Americans who are in support of further gun control laws.
The opinions surrounding gun control is at the very center of our media, as many violent incidents are due to gun violence. I strongly believe that there needs to be more gun laws in our country because our current system is obviously not working due to the number of gun violence-related deaths there have been reported. There are many more school shootings in America than in any other country. People are affected by gun violence every day and there needs to be reform in our country.
Work Cited:
Cota-Robles, Marc, et al. “California School Shooting: Suspect in Saugus High School Rampage Has Died.” ABC7 Los Angeles, 16 Nov. 2019, Cota-Robles. www.abc7.com/suspect-in-shooting-rampage-at-saugus-high-school-has-died/5699170/.
"File:Thoughts and Prayers Don't Save Lives (40369207261) (cropped).jpg." Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. 18 Oct 2019, 22:02 UTC. 9 Dec 2019, 22:25 <https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Thoughts_and_Prayers_Don%27t_Save_Lives_(40369207261)_(cropped).jpg&oldid=371075666>.
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Grinberg, Emanuella. “March for Our Lives Has an Ambitious New Plan for Addressing Gun Violence.” CNN, Cable News Network, 22 Aug. 2019, www.cnn.com/2019/08/21/politics/march-for-our-lives-peace-plan/index.html.
Reich, Kathleen, et al. “Children, Youth, and Gun Violence: Analysis and Recommendations.” The Future of Children, vol. 12, no. 2, 2002, pp. 5–23. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1602735.
“Sympathy across Globe for Conn. School Shooting.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, www.cbsnews.com/news/sympathy-across-globe-for-conn-school-shooting/.
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