Argumentative Essay: Gun Violence In America

Gun control has been a controversial issue for years and numerous solutions have been proposed and enacted. The debate sparked after tragic civilian attacks, like school shootings. An example, is the tragedy in 1999 at Columbine High School. Two teens attacked the school, killing 13 people and wounding more than 20 others before killing themselves. Following this attack, numerous solutions have been argued and purposed. However, a definite solution still has not been reached and America is split on the topic. The solutions currently enacted focus on guns, yet America still has a serious issue with gun related crime attacks, and fatalities. Solutions should not solely target the actual guns, because guns are powerless without the person who fires the weapon. The solution should not be to take away guns, but to consider the people who have access to them. Addressing mental health is the real solution to preventing gun violence and attacks.

Gun violence in America has been alarmingly increasing since the 90s and has continued throughout the years. Although guns may save lives, evidence shows that most guns in America are stolen from other thieves and misused. Due to lack of gun control found in nearly fifty percent of the states, guns are mostly misused for other reasons. Since 2012, there have been gun sales spiking across the U.S. Every year, America’s minimum increase in gun sales is five percent. The American government should raise gun laws to reduce gun violence, which leads to death.

Since the Second Amendments’ ratification in 1791, Americans still debate with one another, because of its many controversy views. The amendment allows every citizen of the United States the right to own guns and to defend themselves when in danger. The problem arises when the laws being set are restricting people from their rights. There are so many gun control laws, varying from state to state. The development of arguments surrounding gun control correlates to the increased violence and altercations related to the use of fire weapons.

Background and Significance Even though there are recent tragedies that happened in the country that resulted on many fatal injuries due to gun violence, gun laws are basically remains unchanged. One of recent gun law that was passed was The Brady Handgun Violence Act that was signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993 that allowed a waiting period for criminal background check that dealers must perform before selling a handgun. However, an amendment was added to this bill which replaced the waiting period with National Instant Criminal Background Check System by licenses (Vizzard, 2015). The following year, The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act became law.

Gun laws raise the rates of many different types of crimes in America. “Between 1980 and 2009, states with more restrictive concealed weapon laws had 10% higher crime rates” (Lott, Jr.). The occurrence of higher crime in states with stricter gun laws shows that restrictions against firearms actually have a negative effect on crime. Criminal actions like auto theft in cities have become more frequent as stricter gun regulations take place (Mustard). These crimes are the cause of new laws that prevent the carry of concealed weapons since there is nothing that people have to defend themselves with.

Guns. Guns are an enormously controversial topic discussed across the world; however, I am going to focus on guns in America specifically. America is in a deadly love affair with firearms despite 32,000 people each year. Losing their life to gun crime for every one person who died due to guns, two more are wounded which can drastically impact someone’s life. I feel that America has a huge influence in the world therefore if they get rid of their right to bare arms, others will soon follow.

America has been set on ideals created centuries ago; focusing on freedom and fighting for the rights of many. However these ideals once used to protect the nation are being misinterpreted by far too many people today. Guns have always played a big role in the lives of Americans, and many believe it is a necessity and all should have the right to own one. What they are unaware of are the average 13,000 gun homicides that take place within a year. Guns are slowly but surely becoming the leading cause of death in America.

The 2nd Amendment Right has been one of the most controversial liberties that has brought many opposing views with it. Gun control has become a vastly argued topic that has left the federal government with many ideas on it. The United States is the leader in per capita gun deaths. Just in 2016 there were 58,428 firearm incidents with 15,077 of those resulting in a death. The current year, 2017, there were almost 16,000 firearm incidents within the first 4 months of the year.

Ninety one Americans are killed by guns, on an average day, proven by statistics. Henceforth, this is one of the many countless reasons why gun control should be enforced. Some may argue that a gun provides protection and safety, if in an emergency. My opinion based on the past and recent shooting, are that guns do more harm than good, and there are other weapons that can replace the “emergency” of a gun, an example of this would be a bat and/or a taser. In the US the top five areas that have the highest deaths by guns are Alaska, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas.

According to Gun Violence Archive (GVA) “as of today there is a total of 27,645 of gun incidents in the United States, of this total, 7,151 are deaths, 14,749 injuries, 319 are children between the ages of 0 to 11 years old, 1,551 are teens between the ages of 12 to 17, 179 of this incidents correspond to a number of mass shootings, 171 are officers that were either killed or injured, 960 were individuals involved with crime, 1,160 due to home invasion, only 849 are use in defense and 1,179 correspond to accidental” (Gun Violence Archive, 1). Due to high numbers on statistics regarding gun violence a lot of people wonder if by giving the right to people to keep arms is keeping them safe or turning them into a menace to society. Some people believe that gun control will not deter crime and it will prevent citizens from protecting themselves. However, some other individuals believe that gun control will reduce gun

Everyday in the United States, ninety families are changed forever; guns claim an average of ninety lives every day in the United States, 33,000 lives in a single year. Gun control has been a debate in the United States for many years and is constantly thrusted back into the public’s attention by horrific shootings. These shootings constantly cause individuals to petition the government to place stricter and stricter regulations of guns. However, these policies cannot be the solution to this problem. To determine a solution that will be both effective and constitutional, we must look at statistics and research that has been conducted to determine the best course of action.

They can be used to defend and protect as well as to threaten and kill. Guns and crime go together. A study conducted by the American Journal of Public Health found that the legal purchase of a gun seems to be associated with an increased risk of violent death. Every year, Americans are shocked by numerous mass shootings and senseless acts of violence involving guns and weapons. And, every year around 100,000 people are shot among which 18,000 are children and teens (Lane, 131).

Many people believe that there should be many gun control laws in place, they also believe that

The number of incidents of gun violence last year in the United States was about 60,000. In recent years, the number of mass shooting has risen to about one mass shooting per day in the United States. The country is divided with some wanting to reevaluate our gun control laws and either ban or add additional regulations to the purchase of guns. Others say it is our right for Americans to own guns and something the founding fathers considered important to put in the Bill of Rights. The number of firearm sales has risen with the number of mass shooting many Americans question if banning guns or certain guns could help decrease the number of gun violence deaths.

The United States of America, a great but very flawed nation is one of the highest-ranking countries in the world—which isn’t always a good thing. From its number one rating in areas like defense spending (almost half a trillion dollars in 2015 according to data from the National Priorities Project), to its astronomical and ever rising national debt (which increases $40,000 a second (The Telegraph))—America consistently comes out on top. Although rankings like these are upsetting to hear, the most frustrating is the fact that this country outranks every other nation in the world in guns, mass shootings, and gun violence. So far, there have been nearly 1,600 mass shootings since one of the most horrific shootings in modern history at Sandy