- Introduction/Thesis Statement:
The gun control issue is now a matter of greater concern and a matter of interest which has attracted the attention of the government of the US. The gun control issue is basically based on the essence of the policies relating to the importation, shipment and sale of guns in the country. Gun control has raised concerns due to the risks and threats posed by the poor use of guns in the society. There are recent cases of shooting in the public and schools by the teenagers due to poor control of guns in the country. The government has therefore put policies in place in order to control and regulate the use of guns by the citizens. The regulations and rules pertaining to the gun control policies in the country. The gun control policies should aim at the protection of the citizens of America from the external attacks and insecurity forces. The issue of gun control has attracted great attention of the government due to loss of lives by irresponsible handling and use of guns in America (MacKay, 2013).
Gun control should therefore be given much attention in order to reduce the risks and treats associated with the poor gun control measures by the government. The increased insecurity therefore necessitated the close regulation and monitoring of the gun use in America. The gun control aims at ensuring security at home places, public institutions as well as the shopp8ing centers thereby ensuring adequate security of the people in the society. The use of guns in the shopping malls and public institutions like schools should be taken into consideration in order to facilitate smooth flow of operations in the country.
- Explanation of gun control:
Gun control refers to the policies, laws, proposal, practices and regulations which are put in place in order to restrict, limit the production and possession of firearms by individuals in the country. Gun control entails regulating the rights of importation as well as sale of guns by the people in a country. The shipment of the guns is also a matter of consideration in relation to gun control. The policies relating to gun control ensures that there is no illegal production or importation of guns into the country so as to ensure that all guns in the hands on the hands of the citizens are accounted through coding of such guns. The coding of the guns enables tracking of the guns so as to trace the acts relating to insecurity in the country.
The gun control policies varies from one country to another, for instance gun control policies and regulations in UK are very strict compared to the gun laws in America which is lenient and less strict (Merino, 2013). The gun control laws relating to possession and ownership guns should be made stricter in order to facilitate safety and security in the country. The arguments for strict gun control rules are tailored to eliminate the impropriety related to the use of guns by the irresponsible individuals in the country thereby reducing the harmful effects to the innocent citizens.
Gun control also ensures that the people who are entitled to custody of guns have the necessary capacity and are registered with the security departments so as to ensure that the improper use of such guns can be easily traced so as to account for every bullet used. The government should therefore put restrictions in place in order to assess the capability of specific individuals to have the custody of guns. This will ensure that the gun holders will only use the guns and firearms at the appropriate time especially in the instances of forced theft and burglary. These policies will ensure appropriate use and handling of firearms in facilitating security and coexistence of people in the country. This will also help in reducing insecurity because the robbers will know that the owners of the property are also armed. This therefore generally improves the security the country.
- Gun Laws in the USA:
The US government faces a challenge and difficulty in relation to gun control due to the fact that the gun control rules and regulations are determined by each state making the ideas and views divergent. The individual states take approaches which differ in relation to purchase, licensing, permits, carry laws as well as self-defense concerning the use of firearms.
In relation to carrying of the firearms it may be open or concealed. These laws relating to conceal-carry and open-carry laws which helps in guiding the use of guns in the public by the citizens. The conceal-carry regulations controls the use of small guns and this is permitted by various rules and regulations in most of the states. The open-carry rule is authorized in some of the states but not recommended at certain locations due to security threats.
In relation to purchasing, registration and possession of guns laws are put in place in order to ensure that the whole process of gun acquisition is legal and is conducted effectively so as to enhance safety and security in the country (Merino, 2013). Licensing of the gun laws will therefore help in ensuring that the guns are not acquired through illegal means. This will also help in ensuring that possession of guns is under the control of the laws of the country. Licensing will also facilitate a reduction in the number of guns held in the public without the legal mandate of the state. The regulations in the licensing procedures will therefore help in limiting the possession and purchase of guns illegally.
The shoot first laws have also been taken into consideration in order to allow the citizens to defend themselves in cases of violence. These laws are basically enacted to protect the individuals in cases of great public forces. The shoot first laws are therefore allowed to protect the individuals against the criminal trials.
Gun control in relation to private sellers and gun shows are also facilitated in order to ensure that those purchasing guns from the authorized dealers are full scrutinized as well as ensuring that the loopholes for criminal activities are minimized. The background check requirements should therefore be facilitated in order to ensure security in the country by reduction of criminal activities relating to illegal gun acquisition.
In relation to safety, federal laws ensure that there is no illegal sell or transfer of guns. This therefore ensures that the individuals are protected from the illegal handling and transfer of guns to criminals because this will, pose the lives of the people to threats and risks. The state laws may also require the reporting of the lost guns to the relevant authorities in order to look for them or tracing them.
- Gun control and gun rights:
The Amendments to the constitution of the US have taken into consideration the gun control and gun rights. Various groups have been lobbying for their rights to be drafted in the constitution in order to enable them have the rights to control the guns. The gun control rights advocates for the use of guns both the local levels and national level in order to facilitate proper use of guns in ensuring security rather than posing insecurity threats in the country. The gun rights should take into consideration the safety of the citizens and the welfare of the country (Valdez, 2012). The courts have also evaluated and analyzed cases relating to the individual rights of guns which are intended for personal use. The issue of gun rights and gun control have raised a lot of controversies pertaining to the capacity and requirements as well as regulations governing the use of guns in the society.
- Conclusion:
In conclusion, the issue of gun control is an issue of concern and public interest which requires careful consideration. The regulations and policies formulated concerning gun control should therefore consider the welfare of the citizens in order to protect them from insecurity and criminal attacks through illegal possession and ownership of guns. The ownership and purchase of guns should therefore be controlled through licensing so as to limit accessibility and illegal guns in circulation. The federal government should also make the gun control regulations uniform in all states in order to avoid loopholes which may still lead to illegal possession of firearms. Gun control rights should also be taken into consideration in order to encourage individuals to participate in implementation of the gun control laws.
Works Cited
MacKay, Jenny. Gun Control. N.P., 2013. Print.
Merino, Noel. Gun Control. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. Print.
Valdez, Angela, and John E. Ferguson. Gun Control. New York: Chelsea House, 2012. Print.
