A634.8.3.RB - Gun Control: What is the Answer?

According to Nelson Lund (n.d.), the right to keep and bear arms is a lot like the right to freedom of speech. The Second Amendment was meant to leave citizens with the ability to defend themselves against unlawful violence. Should American citizens have the right to bear arms? The simple answer is yes, this right is protected under the Second Amendment of the Constitutional and I believe every person should have the right to protect him or herself. If you were not allowed to own a gun how would you protect yourself if criminals break into your homes. Most criminal’s get their gun illegally and whether is legal or illegal to own a gun they will find a way to get the weapon. John Lott, economist and gun-rights advocate, points out that with just one exception, the attack on U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Arizona, in 2011, every public shooting since 1950 in the U.S. in which more than three people have been killed has taken place where citizens are not allowed to carry guns (Bennett, 2012). Additionally, the massacres at Sandy Hook Elementary, Columbine, Virginia Tech and the Century 16 movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, all took place in gun-free zones (Bennett, 2012).  We can see now the importance of the right to bear arms or in other words the right to protect yourself and the ones you love.

In contrast, gun violence and unintentional shooting has grown. This might be cause by the inability of certain individual to properly use a gun. In 2010, guns took the lives of 31,076 Americans in homicides, suicides and unintentional shootings (Statistics on Gun Deaths & Injuries, n.d.). It is estimated that firearms were used in 19,392 suicides in the U.S. in 2010, constituting almost 62% of all gun deaths and in 2010; unintentional firearm injuries caused the deaths of 606 people (Statistics on Gun Deaths & Injuries, n.d.). If we can reduce the death toll, then why don’t we just get rid of guns? In my opinion, it’s because is our rights to defend ourselves from criminals and in certain situations wildlife.

Another reason for allowing the right to bear arms is by looking at the statistics of burglaries around the country. It is estimated that 3.7 million burglaries occurred each year on average from 2003 to 2007. A household member was present in roughly 1 million burglaries and became victims of violent crimes in 266,560 burglaries (National Crime Victimization Survey, 2007). This is to me evidence enough to continue allowing citizen to have firearms. I believe with proper gun safety training and gun safety awareness we can decrease the unintentional shootings.  

Bennett, William (2012). The case for gun rights is stronger than you think. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/19/opinion/bennett-gun-rights/index.html

Lund, N. (n.d.). Amendment II Right to Bear Arms. Retrieved May 15, 2016, from http://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendments/amendment-ii/not-a-second-class-right-the-second-amendment-today-nelson-lund/interp/2

National Crime Victimization Survey. (2007). Retrieved May 15, 2016, from http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/ascii/vdhb.txt

Statistics on Gun Deaths & Injuries. (n.d.). Retrieved May 15, 2016, from http://smartgunlaws.org/gun-deaths-and-injuries-statistics/