A634.8.3.RB_DiazBrian

Gun rights in this country is a hotly debated issue.  Our constitution affords citizens the right to bear arms.  “The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: ‘A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed’” (“Second Amendment” n.d.).  I support the right of people to own guns but there should be restrictions on the types of weapons we are allowed to possess.  There have been some high profile mass shootings in the last past years such as Sandy Hook Elementary and the Aurora movie theatre shooting  that have questioned the right to own automatic guns as well as some of the ammunition these weapons use (e.g. bullet piercing bullets).  “Adam Lanza brought three weapons inside Sandy Hook Elementary school on December 14 and left a fourth in his car, police said. Those weapons were a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle and two handguns -- a Glock 10 mm and a Sig Sauer 9 mm” (Almasy, 2012).  Gun rights advocates will argue that limiting certain types of weapons and ammunition would begin a slippery slope and would infringe upon their constitutional rights.  At what point do we weigh the benefits versus the costs of allowing these type of weapons to be available to the public?  When will logic be applied to this issue? 

 

I agree that we should be able to own guns however, I do not believe that homeowners need AK-47’s or an M16’s to protect their homes or property.  LaFollette (2007) wrote “our choice is not merely to support or oppose gun control, but to decide who can own guns, under what conditions” (Location 2775).  This argument has come under a microscope because of recent shootings where the perpetrator was determined to suffer from mental illness.  Those with mental deficiencies do not have the capacity to distinguish between right or wrong and cannot be held to the same standard as a person with normal mental competency.  

Guns kill people.  Point blank.  Yes, there are many uses for guns such as hunting, target practice, competitive shooting competitions, and personal safety.  However the fact remains that if you point a gun at another human being and you pull the trigger, you have the ability to take that person’s life.  You make the decision to place your finger on that trigger and whether or not to pull it.  While the majority of gun owners are responsible, there are those that use guns for violent acts such as robbery, car jackings, and sexual assaults.  There needs to be stricter processes in place in order for people to own guns.  The laws need to change to reflect society today, not society in 1776.  Austin (2014) wrote “there is a correlation between restrictive laws and lower homicide rates with and without firearms, both within the United States and internationally. Moreover, a recent study published in the Southern Medical Journal found that the presence of a gun in a home is twelve times more likely to lead to the death of a member of the household or a visitor than an intruder” (para. 5).   

Gun rights advocates will argue that guns don’t kill people, people kill people.  It can be said that someone can kill another person with a pair of scissors.  Does that mean we should outlaw scissors?  Advocates also propose that if citizens do not have the right to carry guns then what if someone tries to rob a store or a shooting incident takes place in public?  An armed civilian could help neutralize the situation.  Advocates will argue that criminals will always find a way to get a hold of guns and we should be armed to protect ourselves from these people.

 

 In 2013 there were a total of 11, 208 firearm homicides (CDC, 2015).  With tougher laws and gun restrictions I think as a society we have an opportunity to decrease this number.  Unfortunately guns are an issue of politics.  They make money and gun manufacturers have lots of it.  With money comes influence.  How many more Sandy Hook’s do there need to be before common sense is applied to gun rights.  I think it’s time that we really take a look at how guns affect us as a society.  While they serve a purpose that purpose needs to be redefined.

Almasy, S. (2012). Newtown shooter's guns: What we know - CNN.com. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/18/us/connecticut-lanza-guns/

Assault or Homicide. (2015). Retrieved May from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/homicide.htm

Austin, M. (2014). We Need Stricter Gun Laws. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ethics-everyone/201402/we-need-stricter-gun-laws

LaFollette, H. (2007). The Practice of Ethics. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.  

Second Amendment. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/second_amendment