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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