Gun control advocates have several arguments that they feel will support their cry for gun control. First, they feel more handguns that are being bought without stricter background checks enables these guns to get into circulation that will cause violent crimes. It’s stated in the Cliff Notes that each day, on an average, 13 children under the age of 19 are killed by gunfire or injured by a gun. Most youth homicides are committed with firearms. In 2010 handguns comprised 68.5% of all gun murders in the United States (FBI 2010).
This act enforced a five-day waiting period and background checks prior to the purchase of a handgun and was going to reduce crime dramatically. Eighteen states were exempt from the Brady Act and in 1993 due to state laws. Those same exempt states held the highest crime rates in America. When calculating the success of the Brady Act the fact that the exempt states accounted for 63% of U.S. violent crimes did not matter (National Rifle Association, 1999). With the highest crime states out of the picture it left knowingly less violent states for Brady supporters to use as proof of decreasing crime.
There is a terrifying, indisputable lack of firearm control in America. This is one of the most debated issues today, however the way American people approach this problem is as negligent as criminals. The aberration that surrounds this issue is misuse and misinterpretation of the Second Amendment. Often enough, the argument boils down to the Second Amendment which states citizens have the right to bear arms. This has resulted in the crime rates and murders skyrocketing because the people who commit these crimes have control of firearms.
“While granting citizens the means to protect themselves, it also gives criminals the means to commit crime. Concealed-carry extends more rights to crooks and felons, guaranteeing that some weapons will fall into the wrong hands, making law-enforcement a virtual nightmare.” (Lichtenheld, 2005). It is unreasonable to believe that carrying concealed weapons can be used successfully in self –defense; “of the over 30,000 gun deaths in 2002, only 163 were deemed “justifiable homicide,” and it’s well known that a gun is 43 times more likely to be used in killing its owner or relative than an intruder. It is clear that allowing citizens to carry weapons not only puts more guns on the streets but also provides opportunity for shoot outs. I am convinced that, we can all envision what could happen if a simple misunderstanding between two adults, was resolved with weapons that they were legally carrying.
However, Rhode Island submits only criminal records to NICS, and none regarding mental health or substance abuse.” (Journal Staff, 2014). Advocates also talk about how suicide rates in the U.S. are out of control due to guns. “Suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death in the U.S.; in 2010, 38,364 people killed themselves. In more than half of these cases, they used firearms. Indeed, more people in this country kill themselves with guns than with all other intentional means combined, including hanging, poisoning or overdose, jumping, or cutting.” (Drexler, 2013).
It is an undeniable fact that the United States has the most gun-related deaths. In fact, the United States has the most guns per person and the most gun-related crimes per 100,000 (ABC News, 2013.). However, what most people don’t know is that of all violent crimes, only eight percent are gun-related (NIJ 2011.). Also, only about five percent of gun related crimes are committed by people who own their guns legally. People who own their firearms legally usually use them for self-defense.
Another problem has been that the Brady Campaign has come under severe criticism from both gun-owners groups (such as the NRA) and non-aligned parties, due to its frequent use of inaccurate information and fake unsourced data regarding firearms and ammunition. Gun advocacy groups have protested at what they see as disinformation and unfounded hysteria. Some of the more famous examples include the labeling of semi-automatic or self-loading rifles as "assault weapons", calling for the ban of non-existent "plastic guns", and description of hollow-point handgun ammunition as "cop-killers". This information was widely exploited by media outlets, despite the fact that most types of hollow-point ammunition actually penetrate less than conventional jacketed rounds, thus being incapable of defeating police department-issue Kevlar vests. The organization has been involved in controversial Supreme Court cases.
In the United States death by homicide ranks at number 15 in comparison to health conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, cancer, blood poisoning, etc. (LeDuc, 2013)This is a high rating when put in perspective that in most cases one cannot control contracting most illnesses however man can control murdering people. In 2011 8,583 deaths occurred due to the use of firearms. (Simon, 2013) This is the type of statistical data that our officials use to form opinions on how weapons impact our society. The focus seems to be on the mechanism (the firearms) rather than who uses the mechanism.
It found that 75% of the altercations were fist fights, 6% sexual | |assaults, 8% stabbing, and an astonishing 17% involved firearm injuries (Smith, 1994). | |Homicide is the third leading cause of workplace fatalities and is the leading cause of death for women in the workplace, according to the | |Department of Labor's 1993 National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. In 1994, 1,471 homicides were reported compared with 1,063 in | |1993 (Heard, 1994). "Workplace violence is the new poison of corporate America," says Dennis Johnson, a clinical psychologist and the | |president of Behavior Analysts Consultants. "It's not just a reflection of a violent society, but of that violent society interacting with | |workplace dynamics that are significantly changed from 10 to 15 years ago" (cited in Dunkel, 1994).
Law abiding citizens who are properly armed are a natural crime deterrent by themselves. If you take a look at area such as Chicago, which simply does not allow the purchase of guns or ammunition, the violent crime rate is through the roof. Its simply not the gun, it is the man behind the gun who commits the crime. That being said, the policies need to be reformed to make it harder for criminals to acquire these guns. Over the course of history the second amendment has had plenty different interpretations of what exactly and who exactly has the right to bare arms.