Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Persuasive Essay on Gun Control

Persuasive Essay on Gun Control

What would be going through your mind if you were in a restaurant and a mad man came in and began slaughtering people right and left including you family (Swasey 174)? Would you be thinking if they would ban guns this would have never happened? Probably not! What you were probably thinking is if I had a gun on me I could protect not only my family but also the others being slaughtered. This same scenario was on the mind of Suzanna Gratia as written in Elizabeth Swasey essay ”NRA Woman’s Voice”(174). People are starting to see a gun as an object of death and destruction, and not what they are intended to be.

There is a major debate going on in the U.S. on gun control. Should people have the right to carry a concealed weapon or should they only be allowed to have a gun in their home? Another question is if the government were to ban guns would that be doing us law-abiding citizens more harm then good? Or maybe they should only allow guns in the hands of people that have had background checks and our licensed to handle them. [C]itizens in Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas are asking their state legislatures for the ability to defend themselves against violent criminal attack regardless of where the attack takes place”(Swasey 175).

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Guns are a part of America’s way of life. Today many people are under the impression that guns are the root of all that is evil. Who would be the person that would save a lady that was being raped? Probably someone who owns a gun and its use is not intended for evil, or what about someone that is breaking into your home? Who is the person that will save the day? Once again probably someone who owns a gun and it is not intended for the use of evil. Those people who fought for the independence of America were not evil people they were average people who hunted and farmed for a way of life.

Some people believe that the banning of guns would then no one would have them…please! One example that clearly comes to mind is the Prohibition Act of 1920, we see how well that worked, and it most certainly didn’t stop people from drinking. It only made people that would sell it illegally richer. Also, what about illegal drugs, just because it is illegal doesn’t mean that people are doing it. Kids could get their hands on many illegal drugs. So banning guns would not mean that people would not have them.

Banning guns would only take them out of the hands of honest citizens that own guns and give criminals more of an advantage over unarmed citizens. Banning guns would do no good because criminals don’t care if they break the law, or they wouldn’t be considered criminals in the first place. Isn’t that the reason why we are trying to ban guns is to reduce crime? That could leave us law-abiding citizen in more harm than good. Their will be no law that can keep guns out of the hands of criminals or to stop criminals from using them illegally.

Today we hear more about kids and teenagers killing one another accidentally or for murder with a gun, but this is not because we don’t have enough laws on guns. Kids can get their hands on tobacco, and alcohol or other drugs that there are laws against. It has nothing to do with the laws but it does have to do with the people not caring about the laws. So putting a ban on a gun won’t keep them out of the hands on a child either.

One statistic that I found was in James D. Wright’s essay, “In the Heat of the Moment” he says,” that police had been called to the residence five or more times before the killing occurred. Indeed, most of the families in which such homicides occur have histories of abuse and violence going back years or even decades”(184). This shows that most crimes that are committed is not just because a gun is around but shows that why they commit these crimes is because history has to take its place. So they would kill with whatever they could get their hands on. He goes on to question that many violent acts happen because a gun was available, or was it because they had a moment of rage? (184) Only way to find out is to get into the heads of murderers. “Such information does not support conclusions about homicidal motives or about the number of slaying that might be prevented if fewer guns”(184 Wright).

Another issue of gun control is should people have the right to carry a concealed weapon? From reading the essay by Swasey I found that [many] state legislatures support the citizens right to use a firearm to defend him or herself at home (175)[.] But do you think your home is the only place that you will need protection? What if you were in the same situation as Suzanna in the restaurant? Wouldn’t you like to have the right to carry a concealed weapon? “In1987 Florida enacted a concealed carry law. Before the law, Florida’s homicide rate was 11.7 per 100,000. By, 1991 it dropped 20% to 9.4 per 100,000”(175). With this evidence statistic still show that guns kill far more people from murder then they do trying to save their own life or the life of someone else (Sugarmann 186). I think that this shows that there are many crazy people in the world but if I were in a bad situation I would only pray to God that I would have a gun and anyone that says different would have to live for the rest of their life knowing that they could have made a difference but didn’t.

“Handguns are the number one weapon for both murder and suicide and are second only to auto accidents and leading cause of death due to injury” (Sugarmann 186). Yes, I do agree with this but that only makes me feel that I would not be safe if I didn’t have a gun to defend myself. If they were to ban guns a criminal wouldn’t be stopped by this law, so this would only give them an advantage.

I do believe when many things are used improperly they can be far more dangerous, like a vehicle, a knife, or even heavy machinery, but why is it that this things are not the leading cause of murder? A simple answer I could think of is because people respect these things and know that life would be very difficult if they were banned. People are more educated on how to be safe with these things. So what could be done in order for people to have the same respect for guns? Guns are a part of many peoples everyday life. With many people owning guns they do some times fall into the hands of children but if they were more educated on gun handling and taught not to point a gun of any sort even a squirt gun at anyone, or if the parents would check after every time of using a gun to make sure there is no ammunition left then, their would not only be less accidental killings with a gun but by teaching kids to respect guns they will become a more responsible gun owner.

A gun is a tool and like any other it can benefit an owner. There are people who enjoy using guns for hunting or even a hobby. The banning of guns would not only bring a halt on many things that citizens enjoy but would also give us law abiding citizens a disadvantage when defending our self.

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