“Author’s name”
“Institutional Affiliation”
I would like to begin the essay, by conveying that I do not in any way support gun prohibition because it has been ruled unconstitutional. The second amendment of our constitution clearly states - "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." (Amendment II, United States Constitution)
But what I am aiming through this essay is to, discuss some opinions on gun rights and evaluate the various points put across both in favor and against gun control. Gun control has always evoked serious sentiments and elaborate discussions. Particularly in the wake of recent events (Sandy Hook massacre), this issue has again become heart of discussion all throughout the world.
Gun right supporters advocate that each citizen of this nation is entitled to carry a gun without any restrictions whatsoever. And gun control supporters argue that there should be stricter norms for granting gun access to civilians and there should also be classified list of certain types of guns which should not be sold to public. Who among these two factions interpret the spirit of the second amendment correctly? Let us discuss each of this theory in detail.
Gun rights as the sense of liberty
Possessing a gun goes with the American national pride. For years Americans culture has been influenced by guns and it gives the people a sense of liberty. People in favor of gun possession without any control, believe that guns do not have any role to play in higher crime rates. Take the example of Switzerland, where there are no stringent norms for possessing guns and they even distribute assault rifles to all adult males. But the country has a very negligent crime rate. Also, criminals will definitely find means to procure guns if they want to and the law-abiding citizens would be left with no means to protect themselves if they are restricted against purchasing guns. (“ Lott, 1998, pg.37”)
Rights and Powers of Individuals
A law-abiding citizen has the right to protect himself against a possible threat. The constitution gives him as much power for self-defense. In fact in his book, “More guns, less Crime”, gun rights advocate John Lott states that, if people are allowed to carry concealed guns, it would decrease the crime rate drastically. He has also published crime statistics of each county in the U.S. from the year 1997 to 2005, to support his theory. One of the strong arguments presented by gun rights supporters is that women in particular can be better equipped to handle sex crimes, if they are in possession of a gun. Criminals mostly aim to commit the offence on people who are soft targets and do not have any means to protect themselves. In addition, banning guns would become another source of revenue for the organized crime sector, as they will start distributing guns through black market.
In short the gun rights advocates, believe that increasing the restrictions to possess a gun would not stop a criminal. A person, who is ready to break the law for committing a crime, would not hesitate to break another law for procuring a gun. It would be the vast majority of honest, law-abiding citizens who are going to be affected by gun restrictions and would be left defenseless in facing crime threats. (“Bardwell, 1995, case No. 94-7448”)
Arguments for sanctions and incentives for gun possession
Gun control supporters believe that guns should be distributed among citizens only subject to stringent norms and sanctions. They think guns should not be given to anybody with a piece of official paper but should be sold only after a detailed background check and only if the situation of the individual requires him to have a gun. They argue that easy availability of guns would increase the possibility of it landing in the wrong hands. Particularly, if most of the homes have a gun, children could get access to them easily and thus there are more chances of accidents. Also the chances of lunatics, terrorists and disgruntled individuals getting their hands on a gun, increases if there are lesser restrictions. (“United States v. Cruikshank, 92 U.S. 542 (1875)”)
A small time crime has every chance of blowing into a huge massacre, if that crime is accompanied by a gun. Guns can cause mass destruction in fractions of second and if a person is possessed by a nervous breakdown or anger, he can cause unintentional damage even before he comes to his senses. If a criminal carries a gun while committing a crime he will impulsively shoot at a victim who is trying to defend himself. Thus gun control advocates want stricter laws to govern gun distribution. (“Kleck, 1997, pg.237)
Agreement on punishment for illegal ownership
Both Gun rights advocates and gun control advocates agree that illegal possession of weapons is not a healthy scenario and tackled using severe punishments. There are already many stringent punishments in various states for illegal gun ownership. But at the end of the day preventing and stopping illegal gun possession lies in the hands of local law enforcement agencies of every county. The problem is not in the law or the existing punishments, but in the execution part of it. The solution to this issue lies in a political middle ground between gun rights and gun control. We should strike the right balance between our right to defend our family and ourselves against crime and our duty to give our children a safe environment to grow and live devoid of gun violence. It is a political challenge which is to be tackled by devising laws which incorporates the more relevant points or arguments presented by both the groups. (“Kleck, 1997, pg.385)
References
- John Lott (June 1, 1998) More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws published by University of Chicago Press.
- (April 11, 2013) Gun control: Supreme Court weighs taking up new case on gun rights.
Retrieved from http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/national_world&id=9061842
- (April 17, 2013) Gun Control vs. Gun Right. Retrieved from http://www.opensecrets.org/news/issues/guns/
- James O. Bardwell. Descriptions of the supreme court gun cases. Retrieved from
http://www.constitution.org/2ll/bardwell/bailey_v_us.txt
- James O. Bardwell. Descriptions of the supreme court gun cases. Retrieved from
http://www.constitution.org/2ll/bardwell/caron_v_us.txt
- Gary Kleck, (December 31, 1997)Targeting guns: firearms and their control published by Aldine Transaction
- Ohio Northern University. (March 11, 2013) Landmark Supreme Court case concerning gun control to be discussed at ONU. Retrieved from http://www.onu.edu/node/48193
