Gun Control (2nd Amendment) Issue
Due to many mass shootings that have taken the lives of innocent people in America, a movement in support of stricter firearm rules and regulations has formed. This is known as support for gun control.
Supporters of gun control argue that firearms are dangerous and kill thousands of people every year (at rates higher than most countries). Therefore, they are asking for more control over the sale and use of guns.
Those in support of gun control are asking for:
More background checks when buying firearms
This is to ensure that the buyer is not legally prohibited from having one
They want background checks on all gun sales, not just from licensed gun dealers. For example, guns can still be sold online or at gun shows, which poses as a loophole that still allows people who may be perceived as dangerous (felonies, domestic abuse charges, etc.) to own guns
Education and safety training requirements to own firearms
Reduction or elimination of Semi-automatic/Assault rifles (A rifle that fires one round every time the trigger is pulled without requiring reloading)
Reduction or elimination of high-capacity magazines (magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds without reloading)
License requirements to own firearms (not just universal background checks and an assault weapons ban).
Having just background checks and an assault weapons ban is not enough because many believe that previous legislation for it it has not had a huge effect on gun violence. In addition, the majority of gun violence is committed with handguns, so it is not enough to just ban semi-automatics. We need to also have license requirements.
Those against gun control argue:
On the other hand, those who are against gun control believe that it is their right to own firearms and it is a restriction of their freedom to control their personal property (firearms)
The 2nd Amendment in the United States Constitution gives citizens the right to own firearms without restrictions. This has been upheld for centuries and is what the Framers would have wanted.
Mass shootings are the fault of the people who cause them, not the firearms. Therefore, it is illogical to restrict firearms themselves.
This has resulted in the popular slogan “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people”. With this thinking, focusing on the tools that create mass shootings is illogical. Instead, it is people who need to be focused on here.
If certain firearms are outlawed, bad people can still obtain illegal weapons. Therefore, if more people carry firearms, then more people can protect themselves from attackers with firearms
In the 1900s, gun ownership doubled, and the murder rate decreased. This shows that people have been better equipped to protect themselves, which is a justifiable reason for not increasing gun control.
Illegally obtained guns aren’t actually the problem here
Between 1982 and 2012, 49 out of 62 mass shootings in the United States were committed by legally obtained guns. Therefore, making sure that more people obtain guns legally wouldn’t actually deter mass shootings.