Essay, Research Paper: Gun Control

Gun Control Since the days of the pioneers of the United
States, firearms have been part of the American tradition as
protection and a means of hunting or sport. As we near the
end of the 20th century the use of guns has changed
significantly. Because of fast and steady increase in crime
and the fight for the right to own a hand gun, the
introduction of legislation for gun control, to try to reduce
the crime in the United States, has been a hotly debated
issue in recent years. Although many people feel that gun
control violates the right of the people, given in the second
amendment "the right to bear arms", controlling distribution
and sales and the registration of guns and gun owners is
necessary because of the homicide rate involving guns and
the violence by criminals using guns. Many people feel that
gun control violates the right of the people given in the
second amendment the right "to bear arms". Opponents of
gun control, including the National Rifle Association, better
known as the NRA, argue that the "right To bear arms" is
guaranteed in the second amendment of the Constitution of
the United States of America and licensing restrictions
penalize law-abiding citizens while in no way preventing
criminal use of handguns. It is also argued that by making it
difficult for guns to be bought and registered for the
American public there is a threat to the personal safety of
American families everywhere. However controlling the
sale and distribution of firearms is necessary because of the
homicide rate involving guns. In 1988 there were 9000
handgun related murders in America. Metropolitan centers
and some suburban communities of America are setting
new records for homicides by handguns. Larger
Metropolitan centers have ten times the murder rate of all
Western Europe. For example in Washington,D.C. there
was an estimated 400 homicides including guns. In addition
gun control has been seen as necessary because of the
violence by criminals using guns. Gun control is wrapped in
a series of social issues such as crime and drugs. Guns have
become closely linked to drugs and murder in the public
mind. Drug dealing and high tech weaponry have escalated
the warfare in cities between long established loosely knit
gangs. Predominantly guns of crime are used by gang
members. Many police officers are killed every year due to
drug and gang related incidents involving guns. For example
in 1988 on February 26 rookie New York City police
officer Edward Byre was sitting alone in his police car
guarding the house of a drug trial witness in South Jamaica,
Queens where he was shot four times in the head and
killed. In conclusion there are valid reasons for why certain
people feel that gun control is unfair. People against gun
control feel that it is a violation of the Constitution to
control the sale and distribution and the registration of guns
and gun owners. But it is necessary for there to be certain
limits on the way that firearms are handled in this country
because of the homicide rate involving guns and because of
the violence created by criminals using guns. If gun control
legislation were to go through there would be a significant
decline in gun related crimes and fatalities.


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