The debate over gun control in the United States has been on center state following a spate of shootings in recent years. Accordingly, the gun politics have dominated American politics in the recent past and the debate has been determined by the actions of two groups of activists: the gun rights and the gun control activists. These groups differ on the legal interpretations regarding firearms and the possible effects of gun control on crime as well as public safety. Research shows that many households within the United States own firearms. Since the 1990s, there have been concerns regarding the availability of guns and gun violence in the United States given the right to bear arms as provided in the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution on the one hand and the duty of the government to protect the needs of its citizens by preventing gun-related crimes and deaths. Today, the United States has the highest rate of gun-related deaths in the world with a majority of Americans having had an experience of gun violence, whether self-inflicted or perpetrated by others. There has been an increase in the number of people and organizations advocating for an increase in the gun control laws in a bid to decrease the rate of gun violence with the Obama administration taking center stage for those proposing further gun control measures.
President Obama’s gun control plan seeks to introduce background checks on people purchasing guns. It also seeks to regulate the sale of firearms through the internet, which has largely been unregulated. As such, the Obama plan on gun control is not concerned with where a person sells firearms but the procedure of selling the guns to ensure that those selling firearms do not sell whose past dealings are questionable. Obama also aims at ensuring that those dealing in firearms have the necessary licenses. One of the notable issues with licensing is with regard to the Brady Hand Violence Prevention Act of 1993 that amended the Gun Control Act of 1968 that had imposed a five-day waiting period before a licensed firearms dealer sells or transfers a handgun to unlicensed individuals. However, it is important to know that the five-day waiting period would only apply to the States that did not have systems of conducting background checks on the purchasers of handguns (“Brady Laws”). The Brady Laws have been a subject of discourse in the US Supreme Court with five justices voting to strike down the handgun ban in Washington D.C. in a decision of 5-4. The justices who voted to strike down the ban argued that it was unconstitutional (Agresti). Ultimately, the Obama administration is concerned that the existing laws relating to acquiring and use of firearms are too lenient and allows everyone to purchase firearms regardless of their past criminal records and mental capacity. This leniency has seen many deaths due to various mass shootings in the United States between 1982 and 2016 (Beckett n.pag).
The advocates for the increased gun control in the United States argue that the high rate of gun violence is hindering the responsibility of the government to fulfill its responsibility of protecting its citizens. They argue that the controls over the use of guns should ensure that gun owners only use their firearms for specific purposes including sporting activities, hunting, and security in opposition to tyranny. Accordingly, the proponents of gun control believe that more regulation in relation to owning and use of guns by civilians would be a step in the right direction towards achieving safer communities where people are able to go about their quest for American dream without fearing for their lives.
While a considerable number of organizations have continued to rally their support behind the Obama plan for increased gun control regulations, there are those who have remained as staunch defenders of the Second Amendment right to own firearms. Led by the National Rifle Association those opposing the plan to create more controls on firearms believe that it is an infringement of the constitutional right to own firearm (“A Brief History of the NRA”). Instead, those opposing the Obama Plan of increased firearms control argue that rather than introduce controls the government should fund gun safety and educational projects that seek to benefit the public. In this regard, the NRA is adamant that the government should not be seeking to increase the gun controls, but should be investing in firearms education. Accordingly, some opponents of the gun control measures argue that the debate regarding gun ownership and laws is not just a question of constitutional rights but is a political, cultural values and public health, hence it should sensibly rather than emotionally. Wilson believes that the NRA and firearm owners have considerable influence on politics while also examining why several school shootings have not resulted in increased gun control laws (Wilson 55). It is important to note that Wilson is against increased gun controls because he believes that those calling on more controls rely on emotions rather than reason, which means they are unable to present arguments for and against gun controls in a dispassionate manner.
With regard to the foregoing, it is important to note that there are various compelling reasons that inform the Obama administration’s plan to increase controls on guns. Some of these reasons include the increase in deaths due to various mass shootings of innocent people and schoolchildren within the United States. There is believe among the proponents of gun control consider those dealing in firearms as capable of ensuring that they do not sell guns to people who have a history of mental problems as well as those who have perpetrated violent crimes in the past. On the other hand, the opponents of gun control believe that rely heavily on the Second Amendment clauses regarding the right to bear arms. Ultimately, the debate on gun control requires delicate balancing to ensure that the consideration of emotional, social, and political aspects for purposes of reaching an amicable solution to gun violence within the United States.
Work Cited
Al Jazeera English. "Inside Story - Can Obama's Gun Control Plan Work?" YouTube. 5 Jan.
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Agresti, James & Smith, Reid. “Gun Control Facts.” Just Facts. 13 June 2016. Web. 26 Jul.
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Beckett, Lois, Rich Harris, Nadja Popovich, Jan Diehm, and Mona Chalabi. “America's Gun
Problem Is so Much Bigger than Mass Shootings.” The Guardian-Guardian News and Media Limited. 21 Jun. 2016. Web. 26 Jul. 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/21/gun-control-debate-mass-shootings-gun-violence
“Brady Law”. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). 23 Jun. 2016. Web.
26 Jul. 2016. https://www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/brady-law
National Rifle Association. “A Brief History of the NRA”. National Rifle Association of
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