Is Gun Control Necessary?
Charles Corrado
America Divided
Gun control is one of the hottest issues this election cycle, and for good reason. Polls show that when asked whether they favor or oppose gun control, the answers are about evenly split. Everyone you speak to will probably have an opinion on gun control, and most of the time they'll differ. Gun control isn't just about restricting who can own guns. It's much more
Arguments for Gun Control
There are many convincing arguments for restricting what guns people can buy, what ammunition people can buy, who can buy guns, where you can use them, etc. In 2014 in the US there were 33,000 gun related deaths, two thirds being suicides and one third being homicides. A study by the United Nations found that there were 3.2 gun homicides for every 100,000 people (The highest among developed countries). Many pro-control supporters say that more strict restrictions would bring that number down, and it seems like it worked for Australia. From 1979 to 1996 Australia had 13 mass shootings, and after passing stricter laws they haven't had one since.
Arguments Against Gun Control
Many Americans in more rural states have always had guns in their lives, whether it be for hunting, or for personal protection. Many Americans also quote the second amendment when talking about gun control which says "...the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Gun activists also see owning a gun as an expression of their rights. They say that they have the right to own a gun for hunting, defense, or just because they want to. While many pro-control supporters say that the second amendment doesn't directly reference just the right to own a gun, but in 2008 and 2010 the Supreme Court ruled that the amendment does protect a persons right to own a loaded gun for defense.
But Why Is This So Controversial?
In many of the rural states, a politician's stance on gun control can be the difference in what gets them elected. The N.R.A and many gun rights groups are also very powerful and have a large influence on elections. In 2013 after new gun control laws were enacted in Colorado, the public petitioned and successfully got a re-election that targeted two Democratic senators that had voted in favor of the laws. The senators were then voted out of office in a landslide.
Tragedy Strikes
The debate about gun control had not been prominent in election cycles for a while until more mass shootings had begun to happen. In fact, America's deadliest mass shooting in history happened this year when a man with a gun went into a packed gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. In December of 2015 there was a homegrown terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California which sparked another round of debates. Since 2010 there have been over 15 mass shootings.