The American Gun Culture - Essay Example

The paper “ The American Gun Culture” is an original example of a finance & accounting essay. Describe the scene on Virginia Tech shoot-out. The large-scale murder would have been avoided had there been more stringent rules that enforced the rules that disallowed the carrying of guns on college campuses and educational environments. Bring up the question should gun license be made mandatory? Will it really have an impact on the crime rate and violence found in society?

Thesis Statement: This research aims to analyze the factors that lead people to take to the gun, like the 1) excessive importance to privacy and lack of social controls over individuals 2) availability of guns and other arms, and 3) availability/lack of alternate means to redress the frustrations of youth. It shall begin by tracing the origins of the use of guns in the early seventeenth/eighteenth centuries, and trace it to the present day. It shall analyze how today’s youth seem to have taken to the gun easily. It shall argue that if more guns and arms were allowed to freely circulate in the society, more shall be the chances of the arms being put to use and shall spread more violence; thus strict enforcement, coupled with education of youth regarding value systems, and social ethics may help solve the problem.

Origins of Gun Protection
Trace the use of a gun as a protection tool from the works of Michael A. Bellesiles (2002) “Exploring America's Gun Culture” and describe how it was initially used to protect oneself in the colonial wars, and the wars against the Indians, later for protection from animals during trapping, then civil wars which made gun really a part of the home instrument in the US.

Gun Culture Today
Does possession of a gun really protect? Or does it induce bravado in youngsters? Does it not make them trigger happy, all the more so because of their previous desensitization to violence. Cite from Michael Huemer’s work to substantiate the argument that more gun in circulation means more chances of the gun being fired, especially in the hands of inexperienced youth. It is like a disaster waiting to happen. So further easing the laws for owning guns is not a solution. This becomes clearer when the reasons for the insecurity and tensions of youth today, are considered.

The reasons for the sense of insecurity in youngsters are a) parents holding guns, and b) children being aware of the weapons available at home. Discuss the role of TV and movies especially the wild-west type of Hollywood movies that glorify gun culture. The youth have become ‘desensitized’ to the violence of guns, the bloodshed, and the loss of lives it causes. Breaking up of the family security and safety ring; loss of cultural values and moral values that general disillusionment with social constructs, excessive importance given to lifestyle comforts and loss of parental surveillance especially in single-parent households. - So more and more youth think their safety depends on guns.

Hence, stringent enforcement of laws is recommended. Consider the option of licensing being made mandatory. However, there are practical problems in such action; point out that it is better to overcome great difficulties than to lose lives to the muzzle of the gun. Point out that law alone is not enough. Spreading awareness coupled through education of youth regarding value systems, and social ethics is a solution. Highlight that, it is important to bring about a change in the mindset of the American people first only then can any measure can be effective in curbing violence and bloodshed in the future. It should be a two-pronged effort, very difficult but there seems to be hardly any choice since the gun culture has already been strongly ingrained in the American blood.

Conclusion
Retrace shortly origins and the factors that make the gun so much an inevitable part of the American culture. Touch on how the family-system break up and TV have had a role to play in the increased incidence of violence. More the number of guns, more the violence. The solution, control gun ownership by licensing, and strict vigilance. However, awareness and change of mind regarding violence are necessary. Conclude by stating that America may be able successfully to ward off the alien threat, but it should take firm steps to instill discipline in its younger generation and teach them the value of peace and non-violence if someone is to survive into the future. It is pertinent to remember Mahatma Gandhi’s words “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” Read More