Category: Gun Violence

Unraveling the Threads: Exploring the Nexus of Gun Violence in America

Gun Violence’s Youth Impact

Is the problem with gun violence the people or the guns? An abundant amount of American citizens in the United States of America are at risk of being shot on a daily basis. Many American citizens are frequently coming across an experience of gun violence in America. Whether it’s a personal experience or something they heard from a close friend, family, neighbor, or even on the news. Various Americans are aware that there is a problem but unsure of what to do or simply don’t care enough. Gun violence is a here-and-now problem we all should be working towards fixing.

Initially, we are all well aware that gun violence can affect anyone, no matter the shape, size, or color. But we often undermine the effects gun violence takes on the youth. In contrast to adults, the youth is still developing. However, someone can argue that everyone is constantly developing. Nonetheless, adults have a better understanding of things compared to the youth. Gun violence has no age. When it comes down to gun violence, the shooter isn’t going to stray away from shooting toward you because you’re a minor. Cruelty has no limit, especially in the land of the free, where Teens or children are killed daily. In 2019 a child or Teen was killed by a gun every two hours and thirty- six minutes. That right there is extremely absurd, now we have angry grieving families awaiting justice for their child/ren. Justice that they may or may not get.

Close Friend’s Tragic Shooting

When it comes to gun violence, it’s all about the here and the now. A perfect example of that is our close friend. About a year and a half ago, he was casually hanging out with 2 of his friends here in Boston. A car passed by them and did a U-turn. Someone then got out of the car and proceeded to start shooting at them. A total of 13 shots were fired. Out of the 13 shots, 4 hit him. He was only 17 years old and a very active person. All the activities he loved and had a passion for at the time he had to drop due to his injuries. Not being able to do the things he loved or the things he wanted to do led him to depression and constantly put him in a bad state of mind, and to this very day, the shooters are unknown and still out there in the streets.

If we backtrack to before he was shot, you’ll know that he was a bright young kid. Yet how does that make him different from the other kids? It doesn’t. Just like millions of other kids that we’re sure were just as bright as him, nothing much is done for them. Some possibly get two weeks of recognition on the news, while others are not even mentioned. But what is actually being done to address this major issue that is creating trauma for all these young kids? Especially in minority communities. Sadly this occasion was not his only encounter with a gun, and it is the case for many people. He knows other people that have been shot and has even had other experiences that included a gun. Emphasizing that no gun was ever meant to be directed at him. Although if it was, gun violence is not an issue kids should be dealing with.

Youth Victims and Urgent Reforms

The lives of many are cut short because of this tragic trend that consumes this country. Gun violence is a lethal subject that is spreading like wildfire that needs to be put out. So tell me, is the real question, are Americans at fault for the increased death rates of youths, or are guns the problem? At the bright and innocent age of three, Kennedy Powell was shot on June third in the chest by a drive-by gunman outside her grandparent’s Michigan home.

September twenty-seventh, in North St Louis County, Antonio Brown jr was asleep in the comfort of his home when bullets pierced through his bedroom walls; he never got to wake up. He died from multiple gunshot wounds. Antonio was just fifteen.

Ten-year-old Eddie Hill IV was shot on July twentieth, sitting on the porch and spending time with his grandparents and loved ones but yet again, another drive-by shooting. And unfortunately, there are many more names that, on this paper alone, would not fit. All the stated names are recent cases from 2022 with parents or guardians awaiting justice.

The gun control act of 1968 prohibits certain people of class from possessing such arms, but the restraint on access to these weapons is thin, causing rates to increase daily where three to four americans under the age of 18 are murdered by a firearm despite these troubling patterns. Some of our elected officials are reluctant to defend our youth from crimes gun related. Instead, they are neglecting sensible gun laws and even advocating for unwise policies that will put kids and teenagers in much greater danger. This needs to change.

References:

1. “Gun Violence in America: Statistics, Causes & Solutions.” Brady United Against Gun Violence. https://www.bradyunited.org/gun-violence/statistics
2. “Gun Violence: Global Impact and a Call to Action.” World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/world_report/factsheets/fs_gun_violence.pdf
3. “Gun Violence and Youth.” American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/violence/gun-violence-youth
4. Smith, T.M., Son, J. & Wilson, M. “Is It the Gun or the Gunman? Automatic Weapons and Homicides in the United States.” Homicide Stud (2015) 19: 317. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088767915572197
5. “Youth and Gun Violence: An Analysis of CDC Data.” Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. https://giffords.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Youth-Gun-Violence-An-Analysis-of-CDC-Data.pdf
6. “Gun Control Act of 1968.” United States Congress. https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/STATUTE-82/STATUTE-82-Pg1213

Stricter Gun Control and Its Implications on Gun Violence

Introduction

The recent spate of gun violence and death in the U.S. has, for the umpteenth time, charged up debate on gun control laws. The battle line is clear with proponents and opponents of stricter regulations. Nevertheless, as the debate rages on to become a significant political issue, civilians can still buy guns freely. Proponents of stricter laws argue that, among other things, restrictions on gun ownership would solve gun violence and deaths.

Body

A Divided Nation: Stricter Regulations vs. Individual Rights

On the other hand, opponents of stricter laws also have the same reasoning but think they can defend themselves better in case of gun violence scenarios and that gun ownership is their right. It is a war between the proactive (proponents) and the reactive (opponents). Ideally, stricter gun control laws would reduce gun-related deaths and federal spending on healthcare, protect women and vulnerable people from domestic abuse and stalkers, and prevent the chances of a murder turning into a mass shooting because of high-capacity magazines.

The firearms issue has left the social sphere and into the health sector, becoming one of the leading causes of death in America. According to Resnick et al. (2017), gun violence accounts for over 30,000 deaths every year, costing taxpayers over 48 billion dollars in healthcare expenditure and lost wages. Over the last 15 years, close to half a million Americans have died due to gun-related violence. Faced with these massive deaths and healthcare costs, the existing federal law mandates dealers to conduct thorough checks on people before they buy guns (Aronow & Miller, 2016). The problem with this legislation is that private dealers and online sellers rarely conduct background checks. Resnick et al. (2017) also noted that restrictive gun laws had a positive relationship with decreased firearm-related fatality rates.

Protecting the Vulnerable: Domestic Abuse, Stalkers, and Gun Violence

Banning or restricting the use of high-capacity magazines could prevent an escalation of gun violence situations. According to Campion, Morrissey, Malina, Sacks as well as Drazen (2017), preventing future mass shootings should be based on restricting access of civilians to semi-automatic firearms, especially those that can be easily modified into automatic ones by their owners. Currently, the federal government has strict control over access as well as the use of automatic weapons, but that is not effective if people can just buy and convert their semi-automatic rifles into automatic weapons.

Campion et al. (2017) note that the fatal Las Vegas shooting was facilitated, in part, by a fully automatic gun, which enabled the shooter to kill hundreds of people so effectively and so fast. If semi-automatic rifles cannot be banned, at least they should be manufactured too rigid to convert into automatic weapons. Even then, the magazine capacity of these rifles and their purchase should be restricted. Restrictive firearm laws would also save women from domestic abuse and vulnerable populations from gun-related deaths (Lynch & Logan, 2015).

On the contrary, opponents, particularly Christian nationalists, argue that owning guns is their sacred right (Whitehead, Schnabel, & Perry, 2018). Just like most opponents, this group feels that they need to defend themselves in case of a need. Therefore, gun violence and related legislation should consider the underlying cultural and religious beliefs to allay any fears and prevent resistance to stricter policies.

Conclusion

Stricter gun control laws would decrease firearm-related lethality and national healthcare expenses, save women and unprotected people from family violence and prowlers, and limit the chances of shooting becoming mass because of high-capacity magazines. There is a need to prevent rather than react to gun violence. That requires active preventive measures like stricter firearm legislation, which will ban or restrict the access and use of high-capacity magazine rifles. Hence, this will reduce taxpayer expenditure on healthcare costs related to gun violence and deaths. However, for such strict laws to be effective and fair to everyone, they should consider people’s cultural and religious beliefs.

References

1. “Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America” by Adam Winkler
2. “The Second Amendment: A Biography” by Michael Waldman
3. “This Nonviolent Stuff’ll Get You Killed: How Guns Made the Civil Rights Movement Possible” by Charles E. Cobb Jr.
4. “Reducing Gun Violence in America: Informing Policy with Evidence and Analysis” edited by Daniel W. Webster and Jon S. Vernick

Stricter Gun Laws and the Battle Against Gun Violence

Introduction

The publisher of this article is Ashley Welch. She is a CBS journalist that largely focuses on political topics, one being gun control and new legislation for them. This article was published on March 6, 2018. The publishing date relates to the topic as this was published a few months after many mass shootings and domestic violence cases occurred.

Exploring the Urgency for Change

The information provided in this article is current and very useful as it listed many current tragedies, from not just mass shootings but also criminal incidents, suicides, and other domestic incidents. For example, in the text, Welch states, “According to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were more than 36,200 deaths from firearms in the United States in 2015, with guns killing more people than motor vehicle crashes.” This shows how Welch uses relative statistics of deaths from firearms to get her point across that guns are very dangerous and, in the wrong hands, violence will occur.

Welch writes an informational article that focuses on how making stricter gun laws will help U.S. citizens from violence. Specifically advocating strict licensing requirements and increased law enforcement control of gun dealers. Welch has much experience in this category; as a qualified journalist, she has other pieces of work relating to gun control. This article is not biased as she does not give any opinion on the subject and rather focuses on factual evidence that builds up a strong understanding that there needs to be changes in gun laws to help prevent violence.

I chose this article because I am able to comprehend and analyze the article thoroughly. The structure of this article is separated into paragraphs and categories, which is very helpful. The organized paragraphs and categories help me keep a clear understanding of what I am reading. With my background information on this topic and the information gained from other articles, I was able to understand everything that was being discussed, and I was able to form certain questions and inferences on the topic.

Conclusion

I mainly chose this article because the statistics it provided and facts about the percentage of deaths shocked me and made me even more interested in the topic. This article presents useful and valuable evidence and information that will largely help me in my last body paragraph about mandating and making new laws on strict licensing requirements. The main inquiry question this article helps me answer is why strict gun laws, specifically license requirements, are more crucial now than ever. Overall, this article will greatly help me with my research paper because the accurate facts, evidence, and views from other political people will build up a strong argument.

References

1. “Guns, Gun Control, and Elections: The Politics and Policy of Firearms” by Harry L. Wilson
2. “The Second Amendment: A Biography” by Michael Waldman
3. “Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America” by Adam Winkler

Balancing Freedom and Security: Examining the Impact of Gun Violence

Introduction

What is the purpose of government? The U.S. Constitution answers this perfectly; “We, the people of the United States, in order to form a perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity…” (U.S. Constitution, Preamble).

Body

The Debate Over Gun Control

This introduction to the U.S. Constitution promises that the government will protect U.S. citizens and their natural-born rights. While the idea of protection would normally feel comforting, U.S. citizens cannot rest assured that the government will fulfill the standards enumerated in the U.S. Constitution, as decisions the government makes often compromise these principles. Examples of this compromise would include the numerous times the government has or has tried to pass gun control laws. The government should not induce more gun control. In doing so, the government would be infringing upon the second amendment, failing to properly address violence, and infracting upon the freedom to own guns for hunting and sport.

By imposing gun control, the government is breaking its promise to protect U.S. citizens’ rights. The Bill of Rights explicitly states U.S. citizens’ unalienable rights, one of which is the right to bear arms. The second amendment states, “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 infringed” (The Bill of Rights). This clearly states that Americans are born with the right to own guns, and the government cannot impede upon this right. However, when gun control is imposed, making it harder or impossible for a U.S. citizen to own a gun, the right is infringed upon.

The DOJ has a roster of handguns certified for sale in California and states that “No handgun may be sold by a firearms dealer to the public unless it is of the make and model that has passed required safety and functionality tests and is listed on the DOJ’s official roster of handguns certified for sale in California” (Pen. Code, #32000). This law prevents citizens from being able to own certain guns, which infringes upon the second amendment. The government justifies this by saying that gun control will prove to be beneficial, reducing crime and violence. In reality, gun control fails to solve either of these issues.

Balancing Rights and Safety

An increase in gun control would not solve the issue of violence. Desert News announced that the Brady Campaign issued a 100-point scorecard ranking all the states in The U.S. on gun control enacted by 2011, including; background checks, permit-to-purchase laws, etc. Number nine on the list of states with the strictest gun laws is Illinois (Hartvigsen “10 States Strictest Gun Laws”). However, Neighborhood Scout listed the thirty cities with the highest homicide rates in 2017 and named East ST. Louis, IL, as number one (“Top 30 Cities Highest Murder Rates”).

Illinois had strict gun control laws for six years, yet the state still had plenty of violence and crime. This directly shows that gun control does not resolve any violence or crime issues. A criminal, by definition, is a person who has committed a crime. Since these criminals have already proven themselves to be those who break the law, more laws would likely not prevent crime. Additionally, guns are not the actual problem that needs to be addressed. In 2012 a patient (Devin Kelley) escaped from a mental hospital in New Mexico. Later, in 2017, he shot and killed 26 people in the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs in Texas (Emily Shapiro “Texas Shooting Suspect”).

In this case, and numerous others, the human is not mentally stable, making them the threat, not the gun. There is a bigger issue at hand- mental health issues- that the government is failing to solve with gun control. This shooting in Texas occurred after an unstable patient escaped from a mental hospital; perhaps what the government needs to impose is stricter mental health regulations, such as higher security at mental hospitals or better mental health awareness.

Implications for Sports and Hunting

Gun control infracts upon the freedom to own guns for hunting and sport. Petersen’s Hunting summarizes how most hunters believe that the “common sense” gun laws the government wants to impose will not affect them. The hunters think that the gun laws only apply to the criminals and mentally unstable, and therefore, they can continue to hunt unaffected (Mike Schoby “Why Gun Bans Affect Hunters”). However, the government continues to keep adding gun laws, making it harder and harder for even a regular person to purchase a gun.

When the second amendment was written, there was no gun control at all, but over time the U.S. has accumulated a vast number of them. What starts off as just “common sense” gun laws can eventually turn into a gun ban, which most certainly will affect hunters. In the state of California, “It is illegal for any unauthorized person to possess or bring a firearm upon the grounds of, or into, any public school” (Pen. Code, #626.9). This gun control law directly impacts high school students as it makes it very difficult, and in some cases impossible, for high schools to have a trap team.

Since this law will not allow schools to hold practices on campus, schools are either forced to find somewhere else to practice or not offer a trap team. Many schools do not even have access to another location to hold trap team practices, and therefore students do not have a trap team to join. This violates Americans’ freedoms as schools should be able to easily offer a trap team for students to join.

Many people seem to think that banning guns will result in significantly reduced violence. However, the ban on guns will fail to solve violence problems as criminals already, and will continue to, obtain guns illegally. The California Firearms Laws Summary states that any person convicted of a felony has a lifetime prohibition from owning a firearm (Penal Code Section 29905). Criminals clearly disregard laws, so even though it is illegal for a felon to own a firearm, felons still obtain and use guns illegally. Just because there are more gun laws does not mean criminals will follow them. Therefore, more gun control will not solve violence issues.

Conclusion

In summary, gun control infringes upon the second amendment, fails to solve violence issues, and violates U.S. citizens’ freedom to own guns for hunting and sport. All American citizens are born with unalienable rights that cannot be taken away. It is the government’s job to ensure that Americans’ rights don’t get taken away, yet they are the ones taking away our natural-born freedoms. It is time America bands together to stand up for our rights and explore new solutions, such as better mental hospital security or mental health awareness, instead of stricter gun laws.

Works Cited

1. Hartvigsen, Matthew. “10 States with the Strictest Gun Laws | Deseret News.” DeseretNews.com, 7 Apr. 2013, www.deseretnews.com/top/1428/0/10-states-with-the-strictest-gun-laws.html.
2. Schoby, Mike. “Why Gun Bans Affect Hunters.” Petersen’s Hunting, 1 May 2013, www.petersenshunting.com/conservation-politics/why-gun-bans-affect-hunters/.
3. Shapiro, Emily. “Texas Shooting Suspect Escaped from Mental Health Hospital in 2012, Attempted ‘to Carry out Death Threats’: Police Report.” ABC News, ABC News Network, 7 Nov. 2017, abcnews.go.com/US/texas-shooting-suspect-escaped-behavioral-center-2012-attempted/story?id=50985821.
4. “State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General.” State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General, oag.ca.gov/.
5. “Top 30 Highest Murder Rate Cities in the U.S. 2017.” NeighborhoodScout, 27 Oct. 2017, www.neighborhoodscout.com/blog/highest-murder-rate-cities.

Balancing Freedom and Security: Examining the Impact of Gun Violence

Introduction

What is the purpose of government? The U.S. Constitution answers this perfectly; “We, the people of the United States, in order to form a perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity…” (U.S. Constitution, Preamble).

Body

The Debate Over Gun Control

This introduction to the U.S. Constitution promises that the government will protect U.S. citizens and their natural-born rights. While the idea of protection would normally feel comforting, U.S. citizens cannot rest assured that the government will fulfill the standards enumerated in the U.S. Constitution, as decisions the government makes often compromise these principles. Examples of this compromise would include the numerous times the government has or has tried to pass gun control laws. The government should not induce more gun control. In doing so, the government would be infringing upon the second amendment, failing to properly address violence, and infracting upon the freedom to own guns for hunting and sport.

By imposing gun control, the government is breaking its promise to protect U.S. citizens’ rights. The Bill of Rights explicitly states U.S. citizens’ unalienable rights, one of which is the right to bear arms. The second amendment states, “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 infringed” (The Bill of Rights). This clearly states that Americans are born with the right to own guns, and the government cannot impede upon this right. However, when gun control is imposed, making it harder or impossible for a U.S. citizen to own a gun, the right is infringed upon.

The DOJ has a roster of handguns certified for sale in California and states that “No handgun may be sold by a firearms dealer to the public unless it is of the make and model that has passed required safety and functionality tests and is listed on the DOJ’s official roster of handguns certified for sale in California” (Pen. Code, #32000). This law prevents citizens from being able to own certain guns, which infringes upon the second amendment. The government justifies this by saying that gun control will prove to be beneficial, reducing crime and violence. In reality, gun control fails to solve either of these issues.

Balancing Rights and Safety

An increase in gun control would not solve the issue of violence. Desert News announced that the Brady Campaign issued a 100-point scorecard ranking all the states in The U.S. on gun control enacted by 2011, including; background checks, permit-to-purchase laws, etc. Number nine on the list of states with the strictest gun laws is Illinois (Hartvigsen “10 States Strictest Gun Laws”). However, Neighborhood Scout listed the thirty cities with the highest homicide rates in 2017 and named East ST. Louis, IL, as number one (“Top 30 Cities Highest Murder Rates”).

Illinois had strict gun control laws for six years, yet the state still had plenty of violence and crime. This directly shows that gun control does not resolve any violence or crime issues. A criminal, by definition, is a person who has committed a crime. Since these criminals have already proven themselves to be those who break the law, more laws would likely not prevent crime. Additionally, guns are not the actual problem that needs to be addressed. In 2012 a patient (Devin Kelley) escaped from a mental hospital in New Mexico. Later, in 2017, he shot and killed 26 people in the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs in Texas (Emily Shapiro “Texas Shooting Suspect”).

In this case, and numerous others, the human is not mentally stable, making them the threat, not the gun. There is a bigger issue at hand- mental health issues- that the government is failing to solve with gun control. This shooting in Texas occurred after an unstable patient escaped from a mental hospital; perhaps what the government needs to impose is stricter mental health regulations, such as higher security at mental hospitals or better mental health awareness.

Implications for Sports and Hunting

Gun control infracts upon the freedom to own guns for hunting and sport. Petersen’s Hunting summarizes how most hunters believe that the “common sense” gun laws the government wants to impose will not affect them. The hunters think that the gun laws only apply to the criminals and mentally unstable, and therefore, they can continue to hunt unaffected (Mike Schoby “Why Gun Bans Affect Hunters”). However, the government continues to keep adding gun laws, making it harder and harder for even a regular person to purchase a gun.

When the second amendment was written, there was no gun control at all, but over time the U.S. has accumulated a vast number of them. What starts off as just “common sense” gun laws can eventually turn into a gun ban, which most certainly will affect hunters. In the state of California, “It is illegal for any unauthorized person to possess or bring a firearm upon the grounds of, or into, any public school” (Pen. Code, #626.9). This gun control law directly impacts high school students as it makes it very difficult, and in some cases impossible, for high schools to have a trap team.

Since this law will not allow schools to hold practices on campus, schools are either forced to find somewhere else to practice or not offer a trap team. Many schools do not even have access to another location to hold trap team practices, and therefore students do not have a trap team to join. This violates Americans’ freedoms as schools should be able to easily offer a trap team for students to join.

Many people seem to think that banning guns will result in significantly reduced violence. However, the ban on guns will fail to solve violence problems as criminals already, and will continue to, obtain guns illegally. The California Firearms Laws Summary states that any person convicted of a felony has a lifetime prohibition from owning a firearm (Penal Code Section 29905). Criminals clearly disregard laws, so even though it is illegal for a felon to own a firearm, felons still obtain and use guns illegally. Just because there are more gun laws does not mean criminals will follow them. Therefore, more gun control will not solve violence issues.

Conclusion

In summary, gun control infringes upon the second amendment, fails to solve violence issues, and violates U.S. citizens’ freedom to own guns for hunting and sport. All American citizens are born with unalienable rights that cannot be taken away. It is the government’s job to ensure that Americans’ rights don’t get taken away, yet they are the ones taking away our natural-born freedoms. It is time America bands together to stand up for our rights and explore new solutions, such as better mental hospital security or mental health awareness, instead of stricter gun laws.

Works Cited

1. Hartvigsen, Matthew. “10 States with the Strictest Gun Laws | Deseret News.” DeseretNews.com, 7 Apr. 2013, www.deseretnews.com/top/1428/0/10-states-with-the-strictest-gun-laws.html.
2. Schoby, Mike. “Why Gun Bans Affect Hunters.” Petersen’s Hunting, 1 May 2013, www.petersenshunting.com/conservation-politics/why-gun-bans-affect-hunters/.
3. Shapiro, Emily. “Texas Shooting Suspect Escaped from Mental Health Hospital in 2012, Attempted ‘to Carry out Death Threats’: Police Report.” ABC News, ABC News Network, 7 Nov. 2017, abcnews.go.com/US/texas-shooting-suspect-escaped-behavioral-center-2012-attempted/story?id=50985821.
4. “State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General.” State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General, oag.ca.gov/.
5. “Top 30 Highest Murder Rate Cities in the U.S. 2017.” NeighborhoodScout, 27 Oct. 2017, www.neighborhoodscout.com/blog/highest-murder-rate-cities.