Gun Law Reform in The United States The issue of gun control reform has led to arguments in recent years because of the increased media coverage of shootings—the “media contagion” factor outlined by the American Psychological Association—which has caused the awareness of firearm danger to rise (Media). Further, the gun culture of the United States has promoted the widespread use of firearms since revolutionary times, making guns prevalent in society (Kennett). These factors have grim results, making the United States the leader of developed countries in gun homicides — with almost five times more gun deaths than in any other developed country (Quealy). These data found, in an article by Kevin Quealy, a journalist and co-professor at both …show more content…
Joseph Blocher, a professor at Duke University, comments on one proposed solution to reform the process of getting a concealed carry permit in the United States. “The right to keep and bear arms does not encompass a right to carry guns in public for any reason whatsoever. It is equally clear, however, that some “causes” for gun ownership are constitutionally protected, and therefore cannot be excluded by a good cause requirement” (Blocher). He argues that while the right to own guns is not intrinsic in the Bill of Rights, there are certain times where it is covered in the constitution, so he defends the motion that would make it necessary to present a good reason to need a firearm in order to get a gun license. The Maryland proposal of this idea was addressed in Woolard v. Sheridan. Benson Legg, the judge presiding on the case stated, “A citizen may not be required to offer a ‘good and substantial reason’ why he should be permitted to exercise his rights. The right’s existence is all he needs” …show more content…
Following the 1996 Tasmania shooting in Australia, a strict gun policy was enacted banning long guns, and the Australian government started buying back guns. The effectiveness of this is analyzed by Philip Alpers, a professor at the Sydney School of Public Health. In order to possess a gun in Australia after the reform, one had to present a genuine cause, and in order to sell or transfer firearms, dealers must be licensed. In Addition to this, the government banned and bought back rapid-fire rifles and shotguns. From 1996 to 2006, 1.8 million of the 3.2 million guns in Australia were destroyed. It should be noted that this caused an immediate surge in buying unrestricted guns, and the importation of guns, but the public health benefit is perceivable. The risk of an Australian dying of firearm homicides fell 50% to 0.13 out of 100,000, and there has not been a mass homicide since (compared to 13 mass homicides in the prior 18 years)(see appendix B)(Alpers). 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton cited the Australia example as something worth looking into for the United States, and Nonetheless, the United States National Rifle Association criticized Clinton for promoting this, saying that the views were “out of touch with the American people” and “extreme” (Chozick). Alpers expounds on the original notion. He states that because the U.S. and Australia have different societies and legislation,
Gun Control in the United States Gun control in the United States has become a highly contested topic recently due to the mass shootings that have occurred. The Federal Bureau of Investigation defines mass murder as a murder in which four or more people are killed in one incident (Morton). Over the past decade the topic of gun control has been prevalent in new legislation because mass shootings seem more frequent. Statistics reveal that although mass shootings have not become more frequent over the years, they have become deadlier with higher death tolls than ever before. The firearms and ammunition that civilians are able to obtain since the expiration of the Assault Weapons Ban in 2004 have led to the increase in the death toll (Duwe).
Gun Control and Mass Shootings in America Gun violence is an unquestionable issue in America, with the United States ranking as one of the worst with both homicides and suicides using guns. That being said, we outnumber Mexico in gun related deaths and among first-world countries we rank far above others in the number of gun deaths, such as England and Australia. Consequently, we live in one of the only first world countries that does not have extensive gun laws and restrictions to gun access. Aside from the countless homicides and suicides by firearm in this country, one particular issue within this predicament is mass shootings, with the most recent mass shooting occurring on February 14th, 2018 at a high school in Parkland, Florida where 17 people were killed. Although, it may seem like an easy fix to just implement gun control laws into our society to eliminate gun violence, but it is important to note that Americans own nearly half of all firearms globally, which is roughly 325 million guns;
An incident involving an accidentally shooting sparked the gun debate in Australia, which as a result, lead to the Victorian government introducing a specialised shooter 's license. After more gun related deaths and incidents in Australia, the Victorian and the NSW government took a stand by working to introduce tougher laws regarding gun owning and use. These tougher gun laws lead
With the event of the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, the Australian population where pushing tighter gun laws. With the quick development of one of the largest gun reforms in recent history, Australia became and remains the standard for advocates of anti-gun and gun control campaigns. As Australia being a federation, John Howard (who has only been in office six weeks) had to convince the country’s states into supporting a nationwide reform. With the ‘Australian gun buyback’ in 1996-97, 650,000 privately held guns were collected and destroyed in an incentive to minimise gun related crime.
Australia's 1996 gun law reforms were followed by more than a decade free of fatal mass shootings, and accelerated declines in firearm deaths, particularly suicides. Total homicide rates followed the same pattern. Removing large numbers of rapid‐firing firearms from civilians may be an effective way of reducing mass shootings, firearm homicides and firearm
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
Ryan Clark Adeline Mitchell English 125 22 July 2015 An Annotated Bibliography Wright, Stephen E. "Gun Control Laws Will Not Save Lives." Guns and Crime. Ed. Christine Watkins.
Many accidental deaths happen each year by guns in the hands of people who do not know gun safety. People are concerned that the amount of guns available have allowed gun violence to run rampant throughout the United States. An estimation of the amount of people in the U.S. shot each year is staggering, “The Brady Campaign to Prevent Violence estimates that around 144,994 people are shot each year in the U.S.” (8 Facts). This data shows that thousands each year are shot in the United States, which includes the deaths of those killed each year. According to the supporters of more age restrictions, the new laws will take some of the guns off the streets and decrease the amount of gun
Statistics show that comparable to other democratic nations the United states has a higher proportion of gun related violent incidents than those states where gun control legislation has been adopted. An example would be the case of the United Kingdom, which had approximately 2,261 Violence Against the Person (VAP) Offences involving firearms, including low velocity Air weapons in 2015/16 . If this is then compared to the United States which had, in the same period, 9,616 gun related murders and a million VAP offences that did not end in a fatality, then it can be argued that the NRA’s outdated mantra is illogical . There are many further problems with the NRA argument that can be identified in the modern era. , but the main issue would be the NRA’s reasons for the existence of the Amendment.
‘’Guns are responsible for over thirty-three thousand deaths in the United States annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).. In 2014, the CDC reported that 11,008 of the 15,872 homicides committed in the United States that year involved a firearm. Of the 42,826 suicides reported that year, 21,386 involved a firearm. These statistics have inspired efforts at the federal and state levels to enact gun control legislation to reduce crime and violence’’(‘’Gun Control’’). According to the statistic guns are held for over 33,000 deaths in the United States.
The question on whether the 2nd Amendment in the U.S. should be changed or not has become a widely discussed and argued topic as of recent, due to recurring incidents of shootings occurring on U.S. soil by its own inhabitants. While many would be in support of the right to bear arms, including myself, I do believe that the current gun laws need to be made more restrictive than they are in their current state, for the sake of the country and the safety of its people. I’m well aware that I am not a U.S. citizen and that I have no say in what decisions are made there regarding the country’s constitution, but I feel that what I have to say is shared by many of America’s people and that it’s not only Americans that are affected by guns but also those who are visiting the country from abroad. There are many problems regarding America’s very unrestrictive gun laws at present, whether it’s the fact that there is no federal minimum age for possession of a long gun, or the fact that individuals don’t
Instead of banning or limiting guns, the evidence will show that removing the current restrictions and targeting individuals instead of guns will be a more effective process. The topic of gun control has two polarized opinions. One such opinion targets the individuals responsible for the crime, instead of just the weapons. John Moorhouse and Brent Wanner tackle the issue of gun control in their article “Does Gun Control Reduce Crime Or Does Crime Increase Gun Control”, which was published in 2006 in the twenty-sixth volume of the Cato Journal. These researchers looked at the effects gun control laws had on violent crime and gun violence in the individual states.
The number of incidents of gun violence last year in the United States was about 60,000. In recent years, the number of mass shooting has risen to about one mass shooting per day in the United States. The country is divided with some wanting to reevaluate our gun control laws and either ban or add additional regulations to the purchase of guns. Others say it is our right for Americans to own guns and something the founding fathers considered important to put in the Bill of Rights. The number of firearm sales has risen with the number of mass shooting many Americans question if banning guns or certain guns could help decrease the number of gun violence deaths.
Topic: Ownership of Guns for non-professional reasons should be illegal in the United States General Purpose: To argue. Specific Purpose: The specific purpose of this speech is to argue for outlawing private gun ownership in the United States. Central Idea/Thesis Statement: Private ownership of guns in the United States should be illegal. Various specific reasons are presented to support this statement: (1) Banning private ownership of firearms, and, their distribution, would save a large number of lives that are lost as the result of gun violence.
"In 1990, handguns were used to kill approximately 48 people in Japan, 8 in Great Britain, 34 in Switzerland, 52 in Canada, 58 in Israel, 42 in West Germany and 10,728 in the United States”. For many years, America has been regarded as one of the world’s most perilous and ferocious countries in the world. The death rate caused by active gun shooters in the US is extraordinary: “since 1968, more Americans have died from gunfire than died in … all the wars of this country 's history”. Hence why public ownership of guns should be abolished in the USA. Can you imagine to what extent the death rate in America has increased by now?