Gun control

Inès Le Belguet                                                                                         November 2018

Histoire L3                                                                                          American civilisation

Gun Control

The debate on gun control is a very heated issue in the USA. America has the highest gun ownership rate in the world, and also faces more mass shootings than any other country. There are few subjects in the USA that cause as much controversy as gun control. Both sides have a lot of arguments and a lot of passion, and in the wake of atrocities like the 2012 Sandy Hook shootings the whole argument becomes a lot more heated. The debate about guns revolves around those very questions: Should Gun Control Laws be Tightened? Can Gun Control Reduce Crime? Will Gun Control Protect Children? Does the US need gun control or better mental health services?

Gun control has a history dating back to 1791, when the Second Amendment of the Constitution was ratified. Since this amendment is relatively vague, it is up for interpretation, and is often used by gun advocates to argue for relaxed gun laws. Pro-gun partisans argue that the Constitution's framers guaranteed peoples' right to possess and carry just about any sort of firearm. Gun control advocates say it was intended to allow states to maintain the equivalent of today's National Guard units. The issue of Guns and gun control in the USA is complex and completely unique. Weighing the rights and liberties of the individual against the welfare and safety of the public has always been a precarious balancing act. In the United States, gun control is one of these tumultuous issues that has both sides firmly entrenched in their positions.

Those in favor of gun ownership like the NRA lobbying-group rely on the fact that the provision for such rights is written in their constitution.

The main argument for gun control is that it would reduce violent crime and mortalities, especially in urban areas. To them, guns make it much easier to kill people. As well as killing others, guns also make it easier for people to commit suicide and kill themselves. Another point is that it has been proven that guns contribute to domestic violence.

Since 2006, there have been more than 200 mass killings in the United States and, according to Pew Research Center, the public tends to see mass shootings as isolated incidents, and not a reflection of a wider problem.

If I could give my opinion, I would say that changing laws and people’s mentalities is necessary to prevent gun violence. Stricter gun laws like background checks must be enforced, even though the exact impact of such laws cannot be foreseen. Logically, fewer guns would inevitably lead to less gun violence although pro-gun advocates assert it will leave law-abiding people unarmed.

However, law-making takes time and is full of traps. Indeed, public opinion is deeply divided, especially over the interpretation of the Second Amendment. A political as well as a citizen consensus is needed but Congress fails to act while the huge influence and responsibility of the NRA cannot be denied.

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