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Haaris Khan
Dr. Sterling
ENGL 1302
10 April 2017
Gun Control Analyzed
The heated debate over gun control is an impeding crises facing this nation currently and
in the future. Guns have been a vital asset into the formation of this country. The founding
fathers incorporated the Second Amendment known as the right to bear arms; To make sure the
people of this country are safe and never defenseless again. A major group of people in America
believe in the preservation of the Second Amendments right to bear arms, and are considered
Pro-gun lobbyists. Whereas the other group are for stricter gun control legislations and policies.
However, recently mass shootings and terrorism has led to a fear of firearms inciting a backlash
from the families of those who have lost loved ones for stricter anti-gun legislation. An analysis
of the issue of gun control depicts the two polarized views about guns in America, one
supporting gun control and the other opposing it.
Pro-gun supporters delineate their logic for supporting gun rights in a variety of
arguments. According to Hunter, Gun control deters violent crime about as well as the death
penalty. Worse, stricter gun control is the surest way to insure that virtually every would-be
shooter is successful (Hunter). Hunter exemplifies his argument by relating gun control to the
death penalty giving us an unusual perspective on the necessity of arming every citizen. He
claims that if every citizen was armed then they could easily defend themselves in an active
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shooter situation. A gun in every civilians possession would ensure their security if need be.
Furthermore, Davidson states We need to remember that we've have had a remarkable decrease
in violent crime and gun crime in the U.S. since the early 1990s, even though the number of
firearms has increased by about 10 million every year (Davidson). In other words, Davidson
claims that the number of firearms are inversely proportional to the number of gun crimes
committed since the early 1990s. Moreover, Davidson further reveals People should also be
aware that most gun-related deaths are suicides, not murders. There are twice as many suicides in
the U.S. by guns as there are homicides and I think most people find that very
surprising (Davidson). Another aspect of gun control issue is who should be allowed to have
firearms legally. A solution that comes to mind would be implementing comprehensive
background checks for every eligible gun owner to have legal rights to use the weapon, either for
security or for pleasure. This way the Second Amendment rights of gun owners are preserved as
well as the rights of citizens without guns.
On the other hand, the proponents of gun control have a very diverse and different
perspective on guns. In the analysis of the topic of gun control, the most important questions
raised are whether the Second Amendment protects guns like the proponents of gun rights claim.
Does the Second Amendment apply to civil suits for trespass, negligence, and nuisance? Does
the Amendment cover gun-neutral laws of general applicability like assault and disturbing the
peace? (Blocher, 295). Blocher implies that any form of gun control laws enacted or in the
process of being enacted are not immorally designed or interpreted by the Second
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Amendment as such, neither are they designed to be in collision with the principles and
fundamental ethical issues of a moral society. Another aspect of gun control is the proliferation
of practical gun control programs regulating the community. According to Patton, Gun control
programs in the community such as the buy-back program and informational groups to inform
the potential users of firearms, Projects Triggerlock and Safe Neighborhood foster compliance in
affected communities (1429). Subsequently, these community programs prove the effectiveness
of gun control regulations and practices. Communities as such have a lengthy record of depicting
less violence and social injustice due to guns. Gun ordinance statistics in accordance with gun
control legislation mandates a societys actions to seriously consider all forms of regulations
against guns that the members of society can implement. According to Blocher, Unsurprisingly,
the misuse of guns can give rise to liability for civil and criminal negligence, as well as liability
under related rules regarding civil and criminal recklessness (310). In other words, just a slight
negligence in controlling guns or the regulation of guns can result in costly civil and criminal
complications disrupting the main fundamental functioning of a well-regulated community.
Another example of atrocities imposed by unsecured guns is highlighted by Blocher. Juveniles
are a victim of unsecured firearms or guns hundreds of times each day (Blocher 310).
A number of common ground elements could be analyzed in review on the topic of gun
control. An effective background check system brings both sides of the spectrum to one table.
According to the article in Gun control 5, A poll last summer showed 74% of NRA members in
favor of expanding background checks. And a CBS News/New York Times poll this month
showed 92% support for background checks on all potential gun buyers (Gun control 5). Straw
purchases is another element of consensus between Pro-gun advocates and anti-gun advocates.
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Gun control 5 references an instance of common ground among lawmakers. In a welcome sign
of bipartisanship, Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Mark Kirk, R-Ill., are co-sponsoring a
proposal that among other things would make straw purchasing a federal crime with punishment
of up to 20 years in prison, with up to an additional 15 years for conspiracy and organizing a ring
of straw buyers (Gun control 5). Virginia lawmakers from both sides of the aisle came to
consensus on the issue of gun control. The lawmakers decided on having a common ground goal
of creating a Mental health database to prevent people with mental disabilities in acquiring
firearms (Gun control 5).
In conclusion, achieving a compromise should be the main goal of both sides of the
spectrum of gun control. One way to reach a compromise on gun control is To slow down the
increasing number of handguns sold in this country (Hardy). Another way of reaching
compromise is to require both parties to follow a scheme of consensus in which both parties have
to be willing to go beyond their area of comfort in order to accommodate the other party. Lastly,
both anti-gun and Pro-gun activists have to come up with a system of checks and balances to
devise an effective background system without loopholes. Even though both anti-gun Democrats
and Pro-gun Republicans have strong feelings towards their goals, they need to sit down together
as Americans to achieve the ultimate goal for this nation i.e. bringing peace to America.
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Works Cited
Blocher, Joseph, and Darrell A.H. Miller. What Is Gun Control? Direct Burdens, Incidental
Burdens, and the Boundaries of the Second Amendment. University Of Chicago Law
Review, vol. 83, ser. 295, 2016, pp. 295355. 295, scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/
viewcontent.cgi?article=6281&context=faculty_scholarship. Accessed 17 Apr. 2017.
Davidson, Jacob. A Criminologists Case Against Gun Control. Time, 1 Dec. 2015, time.com/
4100408/a-criminologists-case-against-gun-control. Accessed 10 April 2017.
Gun Control, 5 Common-Ground Steps: Our View. USA Today, 30 Jan. 2013.
Hardy, David T. Why Gun Owners are Right to Fight Against Gun Control.
Reason.com, Reason Foundation, 18 July 2013, reason.com/ archives/2013/07/18/why-
second-amendment-supporters-are-righ. Accessed 10 April 2017.
Hunter, Jack. How Gun Control Kills. The American Conservative, Burr Media Group, 27
Dec. 2012, www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/how-gun-control-kills. Accessed
12 April 2017.
Patton, David E. GUNS, CRIME CONTROL, AND A SYSTEMIC APPROACH TO
FEDERAL SENTENCING. Cardozo Law Review, vol. 32, ser. 4, 2011, pp. 14271479.
4, cardozolawreview.com/Joomla1.5/content/32-4/Patton.32-4.pdf. Accessed 17 Apr.
2017.
