Gun Control Background Essay Example For Students

Gun Control Background Essay Gun Control Since the days of the pioneers of the UnitedStates, firearms have been part of the American tradition asprotection and a means of hunting or sport. As we near theend of the 20th century the use of guns has changedsignificantly. Because of fast and steady increase in crimeand the fight for the right to own a hand gun, theintroduction of legislation for gun control, to try to reducethe crime in the United States, has been a hotly debatedissue in recent years. Although many people feel that guncontrol violates the right of the people, given in the secondamendment the right to bear arms, controlling distributionand sales and the registration of guns and gun owners isnecessary because of the homicide rate involving guns andthe violence by criminals using guns. Many people feel thatgun control violates the right of the people given in thesecond amendment the right to bear arms. Opponents ofgun control, including the National Rifle Association, betterknown as the NRA, argue that the right To bear arms isguaranteed in the second amendment of the Constitution ofthe United States of America and licensing restrictionspenalize law-abiding citizens while in no way preventingcriminal use of handguns. It is also argued that by making itdifficult for guns to be bought and registered for theAmerican public there is a threat to the personal safety ofAmerican families everywhere. However controlling thesale and distribution of firearms is necessary because of thehomicide rate involving guns. In 1988 there were 9000handgun related murders in America. Metropolitan centersand some suburban communities of America are settingnew records for homicides by handguns. LargerMetropolitan centers have ten times the murder rate of allWestern Europe. For example in Washington,D.C. therewas an estimated 400 homicides including guns. In additiongun control has been seen as necessary because of theviolence by criminals using guns. Gun control is wrapped ina series of social issues such as crime and drugs. Guns havebecome closely linked to drugs and murder in the publicmind. Drug dealing and high tech weaponry have escalatedthe warfare in cities between long established loosely knitgangs. Predominantly guns of crime are used by gangmembers. Many police officers are killed every year due todrug and gang related incidents involving guns. For examplein 1988 on February 26 rookie New York City policeofficer Edward Byre was sitting alone in his police carguarding the house of a drug trial witness in South Jamaica,Queens where he was shot four times in the head andkilled. In conclusion there are valid reasons for why certainpeople feel that gun control is unfair. People against guncontrol feel that it is a violation of the Constitution tocontrol the sale and distribution and the registration of gunsand gun owners. But it is necessary for there to be certainlimits on the way that firearms are handled in this countrybecause of the homicide rate involving guns and because ofthe violence created by criminals using guns. If gun controllegislation were to go through there would be a significantdecline in gun related crimes and fatalities.Social Issues Essays