The gun problem in the USA.
Incidences of firearm-related deaths and injuries are a problem the USA is grappling with. The real cause of worry is the spread of these incidences from random public shootings to homicides, suicides, shootings in workplaces, and street crime. The death toll for casualties of guns in the hands of private citizens has warranted a heated debate with opponents proposing the scrapping off of gun ownership rights altogether. They argue that allowing people to own guns makes them susceptible to commit suicides and homicides using these deadly weapons. However, advocates of gun rights feel that only stricter background surveillance should be initiated before issuing firearms, and the system is good to go. These people speak on behalf of the entire weaponry industry that stands to lose heavily if gun rights are scrapped. Finding a suitable solution is essential to keep weapon manufacturers in the business and spare the lives of innocent Americans.
Opponents of gun rights believe that the continued granting of the freedom to own and carry firearms is the primary instigator for these crimes. This opinion is held by activists, especially in black communities who see guns as one of the chronic problems in their neighborhoods. According to Azrael et al., granting gun rights ensures arms get into the wrong hands either through the primary or the secondary market (53). These guns then find their way into the hands of black juveniles who are tempted into crime. They also argue that statistics in the USA has proved that states with stricter gun control laws report lower incidents of suicides and homicides (Azrael et al. 59). These activists have quoted the vast sums of money spent annually on lawsuits and solving gun-related crimes.
I tend to agree with the propositions of anti-gun rights based on research in different states of the USA. Firearms contributed to half of the reported suicide cases in the USA in the year 2017. These cases were reportedly high in military retirees who held guns in private. A study has shown that it is more natural and more probable to commit suicide if one has a gun around them. The Harvard school of public health was able to prove through research that reduction in gun ownership led to a decline in suicide cases. The state of Connecticut recorded a decrease of 13.7 percent in suicides of teenagers and older people after they enacted a gun confiscation program. This proves that the availability of guns is a significant accelerant for gun-related deaths.
Revising the gun policies at the federal and national levels would be beneficial for all citizens of America. We should note that the rate of deaths resulting from guns is worrying and would leave even firearm dealers with no customers to sell to. Over 90mpercent of juveniles in remand have confessed to owning a gun, with most of them handling these firearms at the tender age of 14. About sixty percent of these young Americans obtained these weapons from friends, family, drug peddlers, or street gangs. Criminals also get guns from traffickers who sometimes acquire them through legal means and end up endangering the lives of innocent people. This is a clear indication that the current gun control laws are not working and therefore need revision or complete scrapping of ownership laws.
Due to the economic impact of altogether scrapping away firearm ownership rights, it essential to find a middle point of benefit to all in society. It is important to note that there are 310 million pieces out there in public for 306 million Americans, translating to over one gun per person (Kalesan et al. 218). However, these guns are concentrated among approximately 40 million people. The gun business is thus a lucrative one that contributes to the GDP of the country and cannot be easily wished away. According to Kalesan et al., one of the ways of compromising is by altogether abolishing secondary markets that allow pilferage of weapons to criminal and unlawful hands (220). Ruthless background checks should be instituted when purchasing guns complete with an ample waiting period. Members of the public must prove beyond doubt that their security is threatened so much as to necessitate a gun purchase.
The American public is grappling with gun-related deaths that demand a solution. They also grapple with instances of insecurity that could warrant they have guns in their homes. We should, however, look at the statistics that are a pointer to the deadly results of owning guns in our homes and walking around with them. People claim their own lives and those of others due to the availability of an easy means of doing that. This is why it is essential to enact laws that limit public access to firearms. This is to cushion legal firearm dealers from running out of business entirely. This collective approach will better work to save the economy and the lives of people.
Works cited
Kalesan, Bindu, et al. “Gun ownership and social gun culture.” Injury prevention 22.3 (2016): 216-220.
Azrael, Deborah, Philip J. Cook, and Matthew Miller. “State and local prevalence of firearms ownership measurement, structure, and trends.” Journal of Quantitative Criminology 20.1 (2004): 43-62.