What is this article about?
Nowadays gun control is a controversial problem in the USA. Politicians, scientists, and other experts actively discuss this argument and express opinions related either to a pro-gun control or to an anti-gun control position. Because of the importance and the global scale of the issue of gun control, students are often required to write argumentative essays on this topic to develop critical thinking and reveal the tendencies in public opinion. This article provides a free example of an essay on gun control. It consists of an introduction with an arguable thesis, several main body paragraphs with arguments and examples supporting the thesis, and conclusion.
Introduction
Everybody knows that a considerable argument over the place and role of gun control exists in America nowadays. Because of the growing number of tragedies caused by handguns, experts and authorities argue over the right to possess the gun. The main advantage of the gun is the chance for people to save themselves as they can defend themselves from danger. On the other hand, the free use of weapons is sometimes unjustified and can lead to an increase of fatal outcomes caused by violence. The fact is that the increasingly negative tendencies in America show that the policies concerning gun control should be reevaluated and reassessed.
The Second Amendment
A long time ago, when The United States Constitution was developed, the government constructed a set of rules regulating the most basic rights of the citizens of the United States. These rules were called amendments. They were intended to determine what is acceptable for people living in the United States and what is not.
The major part of the Constitution is the second amendment. The history related to this second amendment dates back to the nineteenth century. At that time, the Framers decided to write the articles of the Constitution. The second amendment guaranteed the citizens of the United States the right to carry firearms. In particular, according to the second amendment, people are allowed to use firearms against a threat that can in some way endanger their lives.
The Debate
While the free use of firearms is intended to protect oneself, handguns are actually often used as the means for an attack. Statistics show that more than 31,000 deaths and much more nonfatal wounds annually are caused by the use of firearms. Unfortunately, the majority of these deaths are related to intentionally violent actions. In America, violence as a cause of fatal outcomes has been growing in recent years, and that is why the debate on gun control is even more important than ever before. People argue whether the use of firearms meets the standards of the existing laws as the number of tragedies proves the opposite.
What is more, numerous experts claim that the number of tragic outcomes will be much less than what we have now in the United States if the laws regulate the use of firearms properly. Thus, people call for the government to reevaluate the role of firearms as a protective measure and as a means for an attack and to revisit the regulations of the second amendment. In particular, as the disadvantages of the free use of handguns seem to outweigh the potential advantages, certain restrictions should be developed to protect people from armed violence. The situation will improve if the government proposes certain ways of fighting the excessive gun use and finds new approaches intended to eliminate gun activity.
What exactly should be done?
As it has already been said, the number of tragedies occurring annually because of the use of firearms shows that America needs stricter laws for regulating gun activity. That is why one should understand what measures can be taken to put end to the excessive gun use with violent intentions.
Nowadays, numerous gun rights groups are being created to redefine people’s rights to bear firearms under today’s circumstances. One of the major gun rights group is the National Rifle Association. The members of this group believe that guns are not the objects to be blamed for the final decision of a particular person. What is more, they state that the possibility that one person is carrying a gun is the only factor that can stop another person with a gun. These thoughts show controversy in what the use of handguns actually means to society.
Thus, one should carefully reevaluate the existing laws regulating gun use and decide on whether gun control will be risky or beneficial to society at large. For this purpose, there is an importance to define the role of the past and existing regulations on gun use. In particular, the most effective gun control policies include a ban on high-capacity checks, a restriction on certain assault weapons.
As for the universal background checks, this policy is rather ambiguous. It implies that all the financial, criminal, and other records of people and organizations are controlled. Particularly, the history of a person buying weapons and his/her mental state is checked. This policy is extremely important as the majority of events involving gun use with violent intentions are related to mentally ill people. Besides, people are checked on drug and alcohol consumption as these are the two factors that can reinforce violent behavior.
Conclusion
All things considered the permission for the weapon in the United States is a relevant issue that needs to be discussed and solved. Nowadays, as the number of tragedies involving gun use is increasing, people argue that stricter laws and regulations should be created to control gun activity. Opinions differ, and various gun rights group express significant arguments against limiting the right to carry firearms. At the same time, it seems that in this situation, the disadvantages outweigh the possible advantages. Thus, effective ways of approaching the issue of gun activity should be found. For instance, the laws should be based on the existing regulations including universal background checks, a prohibition of high-capacity checks.
