Gun Control in the United States
Daniel Kussow
DeLaSalle High School
Gun Control in the United States
Crime and guns seem to always be paired together with one another. But are the two really that closely associated with each other? Does owning firearms really lead to crime? And if it does, do laws that put restrictions on the ownership of guns reduce gun-related crimes? These are the questions that many of our representatives in Congress are asking themselves when they go about voting on gun control laws. The debate about gun control versus the right to bear arms is not new and has been here for many years and it still trudges on today. As seen through this paper, gun control is a complicated issue with many different points of view to consider. Guns are incredibly powerful weapons. They can be used to protect and defend or to threaten and even kill. As high school students and upcoming college students, it is important to stay informed about the relevant events in the news. It is very important to pay attention to the direction of where gun control laws are headed as our government works to create laws to both protect the public safety of the population and also protect the constitutional rights of the population at the same time. Why is gun control such a big concern and debate in our society today? In the United States, half of all families own at least one gun. Also, nearly 36,000 people die from gun related crimes in any given year. Those are big numbers and percentages and this is an issue that impacts a lot of people. Since gun related deaths are not always people who have guns in their homes, it is a broader issue than simply gun owner. The conversation should include everyone. Since 1993, American society has seen a decline in deaths related to guns. The number of fatal accidents has decreased at the same time as well. So why the drop? The real question is this: do these gun control laws really work? Is there proof that they will work? From the available statistics, it would seem that they do. But, in order to really understand the issue, it is important to look at the gun control laws that are currently in effect now. There are many laws both at the federal and the state level restricting the sale, purchase and use of any kind of firearm. Though the state laws change from state to state, there are some pretty basic federal laws which impact the entire nation. Some of these laws include that “no person convicted of a crime may own a gun,” “a person must be 21 or older to buy a handgun,” and that “persons who engage in the business of buying or selling firearms must be licensed” (NRA, 2009). The effects of gun control laws have been extensive, though it seems the laws do not do much to discourage people from obtaining a firearm - whether that be legally or illegally. The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, seeks to require more extensive background checks and to make it difficult to process, purchase, or own a handgun. Gun control advocates say that this is not enough, that there really needs …show more content…
(2016, February 26). What does the Church say about gun control? In Catholic Answers. Retrieved April 23, 2016, from http://www.catholic.com/blog/jimmy-akin/what-does-the- church-say-about-gun-control
Catholic Church. (1997). Catechism of the Catholic Church: Revised in accordance with the official Latin text. promulgated by Pope John Paul II (2nd ed.). Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference.
Fraga, B. (2015, December 18). Does Catholic Faith Dictate a Position on Gun Control? In National Catholic Register. Retrieved April 23, 2016, from EWTN website: http:// www.ncregister.com/daily-news/does-catholic-faith-dictate-at-position-on-gun-control/
Glatz, C. (2011, January 14). Gun control: Church firmly, quietly opposes firearms for civilians. In National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved April 23, 2016, from http://ncronline.org/news/ peace-justice/gun-control-church-firmly-quietly-opposes-firearms-civilians
Jim and Sarah Brady. (n.d.). In Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Retrieved April 23, 2016, from http://www.bradycampaign.org/jim-and-sarah-brady
"Official National Rifle Association of America Home Page." National Rifle Association - NRA Website Gateway. NRA, 2009. Web. 23 Apr.
Daniel Kussow
DeLaSalle High School
Gun Control in the United States
Crime and guns seem to always be paired together with one another. But are the two really that closely associated with each other? Does owning firearms really lead to crime? And if it does, do laws that put restrictions on the ownership of guns reduce gun-related crimes? These are the questions that many of our representatives in Congress are asking themselves when they go about voting on gun control laws. The debate about gun control versus the right to bear arms is not new and has been here for many years and it still trudges on today. As seen through this paper, gun control is a complicated issue with many different points of view to consider. Guns are incredibly powerful weapons. They can be used to protect and defend or to threaten and even kill. As high school students and upcoming college students, it is important to stay informed about the relevant events in the news. It is very important to pay attention to the direction of where gun control laws are headed as our government works to create laws to both protect the public safety of the population and also protect the constitutional rights of the population at the same time. Why is gun control such a big concern and debate in our society today? In the United States, half of all families own at least one gun. Also, nearly 36,000 people die from gun related crimes in any given year. Those are big numbers and percentages and this is an issue that impacts a lot of people. Since gun related deaths are not always people who have guns in their homes, it is a broader issue than simply gun owner. The conversation should include everyone. Since 1993, American society has seen a decline in deaths related to guns. The number of fatal accidents has decreased at the same time as well. So why the drop? The real question is this: do these gun control laws really work? Is there proof that they will work? From the available statistics, it would seem that they do. But, in order to really understand the issue, it is important to look at the gun control laws that are currently in effect now. There are many laws both at the federal and the state level restricting the sale, purchase and use of any kind of firearm. Though the state laws change from state to state, there are some pretty basic federal laws which impact the entire nation. Some of these laws include that “no person convicted of a crime may own a gun,” “a person must be 21 or older to buy a handgun,” and that “persons who engage in the business of buying or selling firearms must be licensed” (NRA, 2009). The effects of gun control laws have been extensive, though it seems the laws do not do much to discourage people from obtaining a firearm - whether that be legally or illegally. The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, seeks to require more extensive background checks and to make it difficult to process, purchase, or own a handgun. Gun control advocates say that this is not enough, that there really needs …show more content…
(2016, February 26). What does the Church say about gun control? In Catholic Answers. Retrieved April 23, 2016, from http://www.catholic.com/blog/jimmy-akin/what-does-the- church-say-about-gun-control
Catholic Church. (1997). Catechism of the Catholic Church: Revised in accordance with the official Latin text. promulgated by Pope John Paul II (2nd ed.). Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference.
Fraga, B. (2015, December 18). Does Catholic Faith Dictate a Position on Gun Control? In National Catholic Register. Retrieved April 23, 2016, from EWTN website: http:// www.ncregister.com/daily-news/does-catholic-faith-dictate-at-position-on-gun-control/
Glatz, C. (2011, January 14). Gun control: Church firmly, quietly opposes firearms for civilians. In National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved April 23, 2016, from http://ncronline.org/news/ peace-justice/gun-control-church-firmly-quietly-opposes-firearms-civilians
Jim and Sarah Brady. (n.d.). In Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Retrieved April 23, 2016, from http://www.bradycampaign.org/jim-and-sarah-brady
"Official National Rifle Association of America Home Page." National Rifle Association - NRA Website Gateway. NRA, 2009. Web. 23 Apr.