Arguments in Favor and Against Gun Control - Term Paper Example

 Introduction: The highly controversial issue of gun control and the widespread debates surrounding the right to bear arms has been central to American culture ever since the American Revolution, when the colonists first went to war against Great Britain (Carter, 2012). The very concept of gun control had been in the public consciousness, in part, due to extensive media-frenzy surrounding the issue and the persistent references and linkages to violence and due to the piling evidence indicating increasing violence involving assault weapons. Advocates argue that pro-gun control laws such as implementing a complete ban on possession of assault weapons can play a key role in limiting and/or restricting access to such weapons and hence ultimately result in reduction of violent crimes and attacks (Moorhouse and Wanner, 2003; Hemenway, 2006). Critics, however, disagree stating that no amount of pro gun-control laws can prohibit violent attacks and crimes involving assault weapons and that there is lack of literature substantiating the relationship between gun prevalence and violence (Carter, 2006). Regardless of the immense and widespread debates and controversies centered on the policy of gun control and the hysteria, panic, and terror accompanying the same generating varied emotions across diverse sections of the society, the fact that it still remains one of the most pressing issues in modern day America cannot be denied. This essay aims to discuss, analyze, examine and understand the issue of gun control against the various arguments in favor of as well as against it. The essay essentially argues in favor of passing of legislation that outlaws assault weapons. Gun culture in the U.S.: Overview and implications Firearms have off late risen to an elevated status commanding a central position as a critical public policy issue. The long-running debates and controversies related to firearms and it’s impact and implications on the American way of life demand a permanent and effective solution in order to end the chaos and restore the instability and dent caused in the social structure. However the solutions offered so far appear bleak at best, largely because the issue of gun control is difficult to deal with given that the gun-culture is an inherent part of the American society. The politics of guns: The proponents of gun control have persistently and vehemently defended the right to bear firearms citing their democratic rights to do so, granted by the U.S. constitution. Ownership of gun has come to be the fundamental democratic right of citizens in the U.S over the years (Burbick, 2006). The National Rifle Association who are the staunch supporters and defenders of the possession of firearms have consistently defended the right to bear firearms and continues to do. In a recent move by the NRA, the association once again launched full-fledged efforts to counter President Obama's bold gun control plans (The Guardian, 2013). Various new laws have been passed over the years granting the citizens an exclusive right to hold concealed firearms as a response to cater to the epidemic-level fears and anxiety among the citizens concerning their safety. Such favorable laws have escalated the access to firearms to the common public which in turn paved way for the development of a lucrative firearms manufacturing market that are now found to strongly lobby against any policies aimed at restricting or banning the possession of firearms. Such efforts on the part of the pro-firearms and anti-gun control lobbyists have essentially blunted the political efforts bringing the political momentum to a temporary halt (Squires, 2012). The gun control policy is perceived by the opponents as a conflict between the rural hunters and shooters of NRA and other pro-gun organizations versus the government and law enforcement officials (Bruce and Wilcox, 1998). Critics argue that the consistent efforts by such pro-gun organizations have made access to firearms easier, particularly among the children, youth and the mentally unstable sections of the population, thus increasing the odds of violent crimes and endangering the safety and well-being of the very citizens who oppose such laws (Lytton, 2006). The recent incidences such as the harrowing Sandy Hook school shooting which claimed several innocent lives due to a shooting rampage have escalated the drive for pro gun-control laws, pressurizing the law agencies to react strongly by adopting stricter gun control policies. Firearms and violence: Proponents of the gun control laws argue that implementation of favorable policies aimed at restricting access to assault weapons and/or firearms significantly reduces the incidence of violent crimes. Opponents on the other hand claim that there is no substantial evidence indicating the relationship between possession of firearms and violence. According to a study carried to study the relationship between gun laws and rates of crimes, across the world it was observed that there was absolutely no relationship between possession of firearms and violence. On the contrary, it was observed that countries with stricter gun control laws were reported to have high incidences of murders as compared to those with no such laws in place. The study further indicated that of the nine European nations studied, those with the lowest rates of gun ownership (approximately 5000 or fewer per 100,000 population) reported relatively higher incidences of murders and crimes, which was as much as three times higher than nations with higher rates of gun ownership. Norway, for instance, which is known to have the highest rates of gun ownership in Europe had the lowest rate of murder as compared to Holland which ranked higher in murder and violent crimes, despite having lowest gun ownership rate in Western Europe. Similar observations were made in countries such as Sweden and Denmark whereby the lower rate of gun ownership did not deter the high incidences of murder and violent crimes (American Civil Rights Union, 2013). The above argument practically dispels the notion that pro gun-control rates can help in reducing and/or preventing crime rate since there is no relationship between the two. However despite the paradoxical nature of the relationship between gun ownership and violence in the U.S. as well as elsewhere pro gun-control groups continue to strongly and vehemently demand for stricter laws to prevent loss of innocent lives and arbitrary massacres as those witnessed in the recent years. The critics have argued that a stark contrast between the gun control laws among nations and its resultant impact can be witnessed in a similar incident which took place in China where a man randomly attacked primary school children with a knife. The critics argued that the incident which took place hours before the New Town massacre, highlights the wide gap in the gun control laws in U.S. and China. None of the Chinese school students attacked died, but escaped with minor injuries. This difference was due to the fact that the attacker had no access to an effective weapon due to strict gun control laws in the country as opposed to the U.S. (CNN, 2012). The second amendment issue: Proponents argue that the Second Amendment affords the citizens the exclusive right to bear firearms and unless the constitution is amended to change this provision no law can prevent possession of firearms by the public. As many as forty American states allow their citizens the right to carry concealed weapons as long as it is effectively proven that they are law-abiding citizens and have a permit / license (Sidlow and Henschen, 2008). Critics on the other hand claim that the possession of firearms, even if legal, is responsible for the high incidences of violent crimes and murders reported each year. Hence repeal of the second amendment is essential since it has failed to uphold the very purpose for which it was introduced and tends to disrupt the process of pro gun-control laws endangering the safety of citizens in the process. Fig. 1: U.S. murders by weapons, 2010 Fig. 2: U.S. murders by weapons, 2011 Source: The Guardian (2012) Gun control laws in the U.S.: Rhetoric vs. Reality As shown in the figures above, the rates of crimes involving guns have increased drastically within a year and given the current status of gun control laws, it is likely to deteriorate further, in the absence of any favorable laws. Despite increased evidences dismissing any strong relationship between possession and ownership of guns and incidences of violence, the statistics in the U.S. for the years 2010 and 2011 suggest that an overwhelming majority of assault cases registered each year in the country, account for crimes involving guns. These statistics defy the mounting literature, thus pressing for a need to change the current laws and stressing the significance and relevance for stricter pro gun-control laws. Conclusion: The question central to the debate is hence concerned with eliminating the ambiguity surrounding the issue i.e. whether guns are part of the problem or part of the solution. As is apparent from the widespread debates pro and anti gun-control laws, both sides are essentially crusading for a common goal – that of ensuring safety and well-being of the citizens and maintaining the moral and social fabric of the society we live in. The pro-gun control group argues that implementation of stricter laws would help in prohibiting and preventing the access to firearms thus resulting in a sharp reduction in any untoward incident involving assault weapons and help in avoiding casualties. The anti gun-control group on the other hand argues that the right to bear firearms provides them with an opportunity to ensure their safety and defend themselves against acts of hostility and aggression. Furthermore, the shooting enthusiasts comprising of hunters and sports shooters have vehemently lobbied against passing of laws aimed at either banning of possession of firearms or restricting the access to the same, bringing the issue to a status-quo. The recent incidences of random shooting at highly vulnerable locations involving youth and young children have once again raised severe debates questioning the role and ability of current policies to protect children and common citizens against such assaults. It is hence in the benefit of all to ensure that stringent action is taken to limit / restrict access to assault weapons and/or firearms, to vulnerable groups including children, youth, as well as those of unsound mind, who are likely to cause chaos and claim innumerable innocent lives, thus endangering the safety of themselves as well as those around them. Introduction of stricter laws would help in restoring peace and stability in the society to a considerable extent, and provide a safer and conducive living environment for the citizens. References: Bruce, J. M., Wilcox, C., (1998) The changing politics of gun control. Rowman & Littlefield Publication, p. 6-10 Burbick, J., (2006). Gun show nation: Gun culture and American democracy. New Press. Carter, G. L., (2006). Gun control in the United States: A reference book. ABC-CLIO Publication, p. 2-5 Carter, G. L., (2012). Guns in American society. ABC-CLIO Publication. Hemenway, D., (2006). Private guns, public health. University of Michigan Press, p. 160-171 Lytton, T. D., (2006). Suing the gun industry: A battle at the crossroads of gun control and mass torts. University of Michigan Press. Moorhouse, J. C., Wanner, B., (2003). Does gun control reduce crime or does crime increase gun control? Cato Journal, vol. 26 (1): 103-122 Sidlow, E., Henschen, B., (2008). America at odds. Cengage Learning Publication, p. 126-128 Squires, P., (2012). Gun culture or gun control?: Firearms and violence - safety and society. Psychology Press, p. 5-10. American Civil Rights Union (2013). Harvard study: Gun control is counterproductive. [Online] Available at: http://theacru.org/acru/harvard_study_gun_control_is_counterproductive/ [Accessed: February 5, 2013] CNN (2012). China attack illustrates U.S. gun law divide [Online] Available at: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/15/world/asia/china-us-school-attack [Accessed: February 6, 2013] The Guardian (2012). Gun crime statistics by US state: Latest data [Online] Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/jan/10/gun-crime-us-state [Accessed: February 5, 2013] The Guardian (2013). NRA promises 'fight of the century' over Obama's bold gun control plan [Online] Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/16/obama-gun-control-plan-nra [Accessed: February 6, 2013] Read More