Pros for Gun Control
Human beings experience numerous atrocities globally. A lot of people fall victims of different criminal acts. Such acts include robbery, theft, corruption, as well as gun violence. Gun violence refers to cases associated with the use of firearms. The topics of gun violence and gun control are two issues which have elicited global debate. Gun violence has resulted in the deaths of several people globally. It is also worth noting that not all the deaths related to firearms come about due to violent acts. Several firearm cases are also as a result of suicide acts, and unintentional or accidental scenarios. The topic of gun control has courted much controversy over the last few years. A fraction of the population supports gun control, while another section is against it. Those against the issue of gun control cite several reasons. These reasons include the need for self-defence, ineffectiveness of the gun control laws, interference with the right to gun sport and hunting, as well as the statutes giving too much power to the authorities. There is the other side of the argument; those in support of gun control. Given the two sides, gun control measures need to be put in place due to several reasons that have been discussed in this paper.
Gun Control
Out of gun violence and gun-related incidences arises the topic of gun control. Gun control, otherwise referred to as the firearms regulations, is a combination of laws and policies which have been adopted in a bid to curb the manufacturing, sale, transfer, possession and use of firearms by civilian (Newman & Hartman, 2019). Gun control policies vary from country to country. In nations such as the USA, the legislation of gun control may occur either at the federal or local state level (Newman & Hartman, 2019). Gun control is significant, not only in the US but also in the world. Numerous reasons can be given in support of the gun control policies.
Pros for Gun Control
Misunderstanding of The Second Amendment
Most people who are against gun control misunderstand the second amendment of the United States constitution. While those against gun control may view this amendment as serving to protect individual gun ownership, it should be noted that the bill does not provide unlimited rights for persons to own guns. In a 2016 ruling by the US ninth circuit court of Appeal, an individual’s right to walk with, or carry a firearm in public places is not protected by the second amendment (Pritchard, Parish & Williams, 2020). This is something which most people have not adequately understood. There have been cases of individuals carrying firearms in public places only for them to open fire on innocent and unsuspecting civilians. With an estimated two thousand people getting injured from firearm incidences globally every year (Kalesan & Galea, 2017), restrictions need to be put in place to curb individuals from going to public places with firearms.
Reduction in Gun-Related Deaths and Incidences
Deaths and other life-threatening incidences as a result of guns have been on the rise over the past years, not only in the United States but also across the world (Goodman & Perry, 2018). Statistical data collected between 1999 and 2013 revealed that there were over five hundred and seventy thousand firearm affiliated deaths globally (Kalesan & Galea, 2017). Over fifty per cent of these deaths were registered as suicides. On the other hand, homicide cases accounted for about thirty-seven per cent. Two per cent of the registered deaths were unintentional gun incidences (Kalesan & Galea, 2017). In New England, data revealed that gun incidences were the second most leading cause of fatalities among juveniles (Kalesan & Galea, 2017). Having gun control policies could significantly reduce gun-related deaths and incidences. Gun control laws were found to reduce firearm deaths by about fifteen per cent. Additionally, gun identification regulations can reduce gun-related incidences by nearly eighty per cent.
Protection of Women and Other Vulnerable Members
Vulnerable members within the society are usually placed at higher risks of gun incidences. Very few women own firearms; men mainly own them. If domestic violence ensues in any give home, women and children are the ones who usually suffer the most (Goodman & Perry, 2018). The risk of a woman being murder during a household disagreement increases five hundred per cent if there is a gun in the vicinity (Newman & Hartman, 2019). Additionally, more statistical data shows that every day, three to five women are killed with arms in the USA alone (Pritchard, Parish & Williams, 2020). Close to seven thousand women were shot using a firearm by an inmate within the United States prisons. Close to seventy per cent of the women victims had been stalked a year before being murdered.
Additionally, about sixty per cent of mass shootings in the USA had domestic violence as a cause. For instance, the CA salon mass shooting in Seal Beach was traced to domestic violence between the shooter and his ex-wife, who was a hairstylist at the saloon (Pritchard, Parish & Williams, 2020). Thus, with gun control in place, women and other vulnerable members in the society will be saved from gun incidences.
Guns Are Rarely Used in Self Defense
A lot of people who have been licensed to own guns all over the world will argue that the main reason why they own a gun is for self-defence. However, in most cases, they rarely use guns for self-defence. One school of thought is that these gun owners are seldom attacked. Another argument is that the licensed gun owners fear to use the weapon in the event of an attack actively; not everyone can entertain the thought of shooting another, even if the victim is a licensed firearm holder. Out of approximately thirty million violent crimes committed between 2007 and 2011, only about two per cent of the victims said they protected themselves by either using or threatening to use a firearm (Kalesan & Galea, 2017). Thus, guns were the least employed protective behaviour. Most of the firearm holders admitted to not being comfortable to use the firearms during an attack for fear of killing their attackers.
Theft of Legally Owned Guns
Even though there is licensing of individuals who wish to own guns legally, there is the problem of theft of these firearms by thugs. Reports by the criminal investigation agencies suggest that almost all the guns which are used in criminal acts enter the circulation legally (Goodman & Perry, 2018). This means that licensed gun holders first purchase these guns. How these guns get into the hands of criminals and gangs is still not well-explained. However, most studies suggest that these guns are stolen or forcibly taken from licensed owners. Between 2005 and 2010, a total of one million five hundred were reported to have been stolen in numerous US household and security firms (Kalesan & Galea, 2017). There are more concerns because although theft of guns is on the rise, little efforts are being put in to trace the gun ownership. Instead, more guns are finding their way into the market. With proper gun control measures being adopted, gun owners will be under strict regulations on how they handle guns. This ways theft of firearms will significantly reduce, translating into reduced firearm incidences.
Reduction of Gun Associated Costs
Uncontrolled gun possession and use pose a significant danger to human lives. A lot of lives are lost unnecessarily due to the improper use of guns or guns getting into illegal custody. The amount of resources used in the management of gun-related incidences increases with every case. Individuals, families, states and countries incur a lot of costs in the management of gun cases. On an annual basis, over one hundred thousand people who are shot in the United States accrue close to three billion US Dollars in hospital bills (Pritchard, Parish & Williams, 2020). Every decade, approximately three billion US Dollars is spent by both Medicaid and Medicare on the hospitalization individuals with a gunshot wound and injuries (Newman & Hartman, 2019).
Further studies reveal that most of the gun victims are not under insurance cover, hence further increasing the cost of treatment. The World Health Organization describes firearm violence costs to include the legal fee, policing, imprisonment, lost earnings and time, psychological damages, as well as life insurance (Newman & Hartman, 2019). Adoption of effective gun control policies will go a long way in mitigating such losses.
Few Suicide and Accidental Gun Incidences
A lot of individuals in the present day world suffer from depression. If not well and timely managed, people who go through intense episodes of depression are placed at higher suicide risks. A hazardous case scenario would a licensed gun owner who is going through depression. Such individuals are highly likely to commit suicide by shooting themselves dead. Between 1999 and 2013, the reported cases of suicides were approximately two hundred and seventy thousand (Kalesan & Galea, 2017). Out this figure, half were firearm suicides. More statistical facts reveal that suicide rates in the United States are directly proportional to gun ownership rates. This means that when gun ownership numbers in the US reduce, suicide cases also reduce; the vice versa is also true. It thus, essential to have gun control policies which will limit gun ownership, subsequently lowering firearm-related suicide incidences.
Reduce Conflicts Going Violent
Conflict can best be solved when there are limited or no factors that may pave the way for fatalities. Presence of such factors as a gun during battle may accelerate violence. Studies show that on average, about two thousand gun-related deaths were arising from disagreements such as love triangles, money related arguments, as well as conflicts arising in bars (Kalesan & Galea, 2017). If a dispute turns fatal, the nearest weapon is that in hand or that which can easily be accessed by the hand. For licensed gun holders, reaching out for one’s gun during conflict is not difficult. Gun control policies can help curb such problems.
Countries with Restrictive Gun Laws Have Fewer Gun-Related Incidences
Gun control policies differ from country to country. While these policies may be weak in some countries such as the US, they are powerful in other. For instance, both Switzerland and Finland have got stringent gun control policies; licensed gun holders in these countries need to have passed several background and mental checks. In 2007, the US, with less strict gun control policies, registered over twelve thousand gun homicides; Finland and Switzerland recorded twenty-three and twenty-four gun homicides respectively (Pritchard, Parish & Williams, 2020).
Conclusion
Gun control entails all the policies which standardize the creation, transfer, ownership and use of guns by civilians. Gun control is critical since, through such systems, fatal incidences associated with firearms are controlled or reduced. There are several reasons in support of gun control. These reasons include a reduction in gun-related deaths and incidences, protection of women and other vulnerable members, reduction of gun associated costs, as well as reduction of conflicts going violent. Additionally, weapons are seldom used in self-defence and countries with restrictive gun regulations have less gun-related incidences.
References
Goodman, S., & Perry, B. (2018). The American Gun Control Debate: A Discursive Analysis. In Discourse, Peace, and Conflict (pp. 67-82). Springer, Cham.
Kalesan, B., & Galea, S. (2017). Patterns of gun deaths across US counties 1999–2013. Annals of epidemiology, 27(5), 302-307.
Newman, B. J., & Hartman, T. K. (2019). Mass shootings and public support for gun control. British Journal of Political Science, 49(4), 1527-1553.
Pritchard, C., Parish, M., & Williams, R. J. (2020). International comparison of civilian violent deaths: a public health approach to reduce gun-related deaths in US youth. Public health, 180, 109-113.