Gun Violence
Gun violence is slowly taking roots in the US with cases of deaths from gun attacks being on the rise. The law has been allowing the possession of guns by citizens under the excuse of providing personal security, although people have been taking advantage of the situation. Debates have been developing day-in-day-out on the issue of gun possession and gun control. The gaps in the gun control law have been the most difficult challenge to the security agencies, and many people have been left dead while others have been left crippled. The gaps in the law have also been associated with the increase in violence and gun-related crime. The government has been eluded by several people who have been reported to be holding unlicensed guns, and the issuers have continued to remain unknown. Gun violence is defined as the violence that happens due to the misuse of guns, with the guns being either licensed or unlicensed. Therefore, gun violence involves cases both by licensed and unlicensed guns, although the licensed guns are least likely to be used in a crime. Most of the violence cases committed using licensed guns are cases of self-defense. Most cases of gun violence also involve the deliberate use of guns to cause harm and disturbance with the cases being common among adolescents and children. Gun violence is a major problem in the society that puts several lives at risk, although the menace can be put under control if necessary measures are considered.
Figure 1: Homicides using firearms according to Handwaving Freakoutery
Figure 2: BBC research on the opinion of the public concerning gun control
The public opinion on the issue of gun violence mostly supports a change in the gun control laws. Figure 2 represents the opinions of US citizens on the need for stricter rules. Also, figure 1 supports the claim that guns have been used in most homicide cases which form part of the gun violence cases.
Solution
The ease of accessing guns is one of the challenges that gun control agencies face while dealing with gun violence. The law has been lenient in putting restrictions on the ability to own guns and individuals, including children, have owned guns easily without proper reasons. According to Ludwig (12098), gun violence is a continuous procedure that has to involve the knowledge of the number of guns in circulation. The solution to the issue of gun violence is based on the ability of the government to account for all the guns owned by the citizens. As the attempts to deal with the rising number of gun violence, attention should be directed towards dealing with the issue of unlicensed gun ownership and the methods of curbing the needs of gun ownership. The government needs the support of the citizens in the fight against gun violence since the citizens are in a position to provide crucial information concerning gun ownership. The fight against gun violence should be done by reducing the number of guns among the citizens.
Changes in the law to ensure that guns are not easily accessed are one of the solutions to gun violence menace. The law should be changed to ensure that the number of citizens owning guns is as small as possible and that guns are only issued where the government is assured of responsible handling. For example, the issuance of guns to children should be revised, and the decision is made as to a later age that should form a basis for eligibility for owning a gun. The issuance of guns to children can be greatly associated with the increased gun attacks in schools since children may not be able to make informed decisions concerning the use of guns. Also, Swanson et al, (368) argue that guns that are issued to people with mental illnesses end up being used in crime. The interference of politics and politicians on the issue of gun laws should be dealt with since the country is losing many innocent lives at the hands of rogue gun owners while the law continues to protect the right to own guns by the general public.
Moreover, the changes in the gun ownership laws should be followed by policies to curb the media and politicians involvement in the gun violence issue. Politicians have, on several occasions, collaborated with media houses to spread ideologies that have resulted in gun violence. The freedom of media channels has been misused and has eventually led to a significant change in the citizens’ perception of the use of guns. Therefore, the media should be subjected to checks that will filter the type of content to be accessed by the general public. Once the root cause of gun violence is dealt with, gun violence will no longer be an issue of concern to the government and the citizens will be assured of lasting peace.
Benefits of the Solution
Peace is essential in ensuring a firm economy as well as uninterrupted exploitation of opportunities. Gun violence cases have been among the leading threats to national peace. Webster (4) reports on the government importance in dealing with gun violence. Therefore, dealing with gun violence is equivalent to solving a national issue and is beneficial to both the government and the general public. Additionally, the international perception of the situation of national peace is crucial in maintaining the good relationships that favor investments. The benefits of getting a solution vary from social to economic benefits, and the nation and the citizens are the primary beneficiaries.
The family system is at risk of breaking with the current state of gun ownership laws. Parents are forced to deal with their children differently to avoid conflicts that might end up turning messy. Therefore, limiting gun ownership to adults will be beneficial in ensuring that the family system remains strong. Also, the inability of children to make informed decisions has been associated with frequent gun attacks involving children. Children with guns may break into fights with their friends, and the situation may easily turn out to be chaotic. Therefore, the change in the gun ownership law will reduce the number of cases involving guns. Additionally, the government will be able to track down illegal ownership of guns easily.
Moreover, the solution to gun violence will be beneficial to the economy. A peaceful environment will favor investments and innovation as citizens will not be afraid of engaging in business. Also, the government will not be forced to spend unnecessary funds in dealing with gun violence cases. Therefore, the issue of gun violence should be given maximum attention as the government is responsible for protecting the citizens.
Conclusion
The laws dealing with gun ownership have been lenient, and people have been accessing guns easily. The availability of more guns among the citizens has been causing an increase in the cases of gun violence. Changing the gun control laws and ensuring checks on the media channels will help in curbing the issue of gun violence. The solution to gun violence is beneficial to both the government and the citizens. The economy will be in a good position to grow while the government will spend less on matters to do with security.
Works cited
Ludwig, Jens. “Reducing gun violence in America.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114.46 (2017): 12097-12099.
Swanson, Jeffrey W., et al. “Mental illness and reduction of gun violence and suicide: bringing epidemiologic research to policy.” Annals of epidemiology 25.5 (2015): 366-376.
Webster, Daniel W. “Commentary: Evidence to guide gun violence prevention in America.” Annual review of public health 36 (2015): 1-4.