The Importance of Gun Control - Essay Example

Gun Control Violence, gun control, and gun rights have become the most popular issues in current events. These have continued to raise a debate, and have borne considerable controversies. The people in the United States are highly divided, with regard to these issues. While some support gun control, others support gun rights. Nonetheless, gun control includes the laws, rules, and regulations, which restrict the manufacture, sale, ownership, and use of guns. On the other hand, gun rights mainly advocate for the possession and use of guns for defense purposes.

The measures in gun control range from bans on different types of firearms to the licensing of those individuals wishing to possess guns. Nonetheless, in the debate about gun control, there are two main sides, the opposing, and the supporting sides. Each side has its key leaders, and members have their own valid reasons for the stand they have taken. The main supporters of gun control are the Democrats, while those opposed to gun control are the Republicans. Therefore, while the Democrats have held anti-gun campaigns, the Republicans have supported gun rights.

However, there is considerable division, since not all Republicans support gun rights, and not all Democrats support gun control. According to Reinhard, although President Obama, who is a Democrat, emphasizes that the gun control laws are aimed at the Republicans, there are a considerable number of his party members, who have in the past supported gun rights (Web). Therefore, the obstacles to gun control in the United States are not the Republicans only, but also some Democrats. However, it is clear that most Democrats support gun control, while most Republicans are ardent supporters of gun rights.

These two groups have different reasons that motivate them to choose their position on this issue. In recent research by Pew Research Center, findings have shown that 49 to 42 percent of Americans believe that limiting gun ownership is more important than protecting gun owners. This survey is the first, since Obama’s presidency, to show that many Americans valued gun control, as compared to gun rights (Reinhard Web). Nonetheless, the reasons different people hold for supporting or opposing gun control are motivated either politically, culturally or by the people’s religious beliefs.

Apart from the political class, there are major non-profit organizations, which mainly campaign for or against gun control. These include the National Rifle Association and the Brady Campaign. The National Rifle Association supports gun rights. This is because of the major reason that gun control violates individuals’ constitutional rights to gun ownership. On the other hand, Brady Campaign supports gun control because of the major reason that this will alleviate the level of gun violence in the United States.

According to Reinhard (Web), the issue of gun control has immense political importance in the United States. Therefore, this issue does not only serve the function of focusing on the safety of citizens in the country. The decision of a politician in the United States to support or oppose gun control has great political implications for him or her. For this reason, therefore, depending on the state, and the views of the majority of people in the state about gun control, a politician will base on these to decide his or her standing, as far as the issue of gun control is concerned.

For instance, Reinhard gives the example of Al Gore, who in the year 2000 lost the presidential election. This was for the main reason that being a Democrat; he supported gun control, to which most citizens were opposed. Since most people in the United States seem to be opposed to gun control, Reinhard claims that the Democrats have neither emphasized nor popularized their campaigns on gun control, for fear of losing supporters of their party (Web). Nonetheless, for those people supporting gun control, their main reason is that this would result in harmony and peace in American cities.

Different cases have shown that people who own guns tend to use them irresponsibly during conflicts and when under the influence of alcohol. In addition, the major aim of gun control is to curb violence. Therefore, supporters of gun control feel that this is not only aimed at disarming, but the safety of the people is the greatest deal. Gun control is also emphasized by supporters because they believe that it will also lower levels of suicide, in which guns are used. Nonetheless, since guns are considered more lethal than most weapons, gun control supporters believe that this will help to lower crime levels and other negative repercussions of gun use in society.

On the other hand, the group opposed to gun control believes that this limits the capability of individuals for self-defense. In addition, some states in the United States have been using firearms for recreational purposes, such as target shooting and hunting. Therefore, gun control would end these historical recreational activities. Most importantly, the advocates of gun rights consider gun control to deny citizens their constitutional right of exercising self-defense. Conclusively, gun control continues to be highly debated today.

Americans are divided on the issue of gun ownership. Those that support this might be politically motivated, or influenced by their social experiences or religious convictions. Nonetheless, most Democrats are believed to support gun control. Similarly, those people against gun control are influenced either by political standing. Nonetheless, in this debate, there can be no right or wrong side, as both sides have their reasons, which they consider valid.