Gun Violence: Should More Laws/Regulations Be Made?

Tracy Aguirre

Name of Professor

Name of Class

Day Month Year

Gun Violence: Should More Laws/Regulations Be Made?

The year 2019 has just started with the month January witnessing the sunrise for the 11th time, but the number of people injured due to the mass shooting has crossed the number of days which we have lived through in the year 2019. The number of people injured due to mass shootings has reached as high as 23 ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"z5hDomU5","properties":{"formattedCitation":"({\\i{}Mass Shootings in 2019 | Gun Violence Archive})","plainCitation":"(Mass Shootings in 2019 | Gun Violence Archive)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":392,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/PwL0F8bO/items/MHQVMH67"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/PwL0F8bO/items/MHQVMH67"],"itemData":{"id":392,"type":"webpage","title":"Mass Shootings in 2019 | Gun Violence Archive","abstract":"Gun Violence Archive (GVA) is a not for profit corporation formed in 2013 to provide free online public access to accurate information about gun-related violence in the United States. GVA will collect and check for accuracy, comprehensive information about gun-related violence in the U.S. and then post and disseminate it online.","URL":"https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/mass-shooting","accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",1,11]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Mass Shootings in 2019 | Gun Violence Archive). The total number of deaths due to guns in the year 2019 has already hit the number 415, and about 738 people have sustained injuries due to incidents in which guns were involved. Six mass shooting incidents in just eleven days of the new year are worrisome for the American population with a total of six mass shooting incidents with only eleven days with the start of the new year. The number of deaths due to guns have been on the rise, with the year 2017 breaking records for the incidents involving guns which either resulted in serious injuries or fatalities. There have been protests all around the USA, with citizens rallying in favor of strict and improved gun laws to be imposed on the U.S. population.

The origin of gun laws dates back to the colonial era, with America fighting wars against both the foreign and domestic forces. With increasing threats of foreign troops and the local clans, including the black slaves and Negroes, the second amendment was formulated which provided American citizens the right to bear guns so that they can protect themselves and can be better prepared if America had to fight against any domestic or foreign forces. As the years passed, there have been protests against the gun control laws, with the protestors calling the second amendment to be based for military forces and not the ordinary citizens. These protests could not eradicate guns from the USA but saw the beginning of a new power which fielded itself in support of the gun supply to the U.S. population: The NRA. National Rifle Association (NRA) was formed by ex-military personnel, who thought the American people were becoming sloppy when it came to using guns and came in full support of firearms for the ordinary citizens. As the bill for the complete eradication of guns was finalized by Congress, the NRA lobbied with full force to stand against it, which resulted with Congress ended up banning the big and advanced rifles, with smaller guns or pistols still legalized for the citizens of the USA. With NRA stepping into politics and endorsing political entities in support of the NRA and gun laws, the situation became more complicated. NRA endorsed several prominent political entities including the current president of the USA, Donald Trump. It was reported that NRA floated millions of dollars in support of the presidential candidate, Donald Trump ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"joPCbJ1b","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Rushe)","plainCitation":"(Rushe)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":394,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/PwL0F8bO/items/SDDMHGG9"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/PwL0F8bO/items/SDDMHGG9"],"itemData":{"id":394,"type":"article-newspaper","title":"Why is the National Rifle Association so powerful?","container-title":"The Guardian","section":"US news","source":"www.theguardian.com","abstract":"Compared with others, the 145-year-old lobby group isn’t a vast spender – but the NRA has the power to mobilize a grassroots support and make Washington listen","URL":"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/nov/17/nra-gun-lobby-gun-control-congress","ISSN":"0261-3077","language":"en-GB","author":[{"family":"Rushe","given":"Dominic"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2018",5,4]]},"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",1,11]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Rushe). This has brought in unconditional support of the president Donald Trump, who has also publicly endorsed his support to the NRA and the second amendment which provided rights for the general public to get and have guns.

Though differs for every country, if there are strict gun laws which do not allow the people to purchase weapons with just a single visit without any background check, this would mean lesser guns are wandering around with the people and hence, a lesser amount of gun violence incidents. People who are suffering from mental illness would not be able to gain access to firearms, either as they would not be allowed to purchase any guns and nor would their friends or parents be carrying guns restricting their further access to firearms. We can look at Australia as an example, as it is one of the countries with people not prone to any violence by guns. This was only made possible by the implementation of the strict gun laws, which Australia did in the year 1996. There are mixed opinions, as it is said that strict gun laws would mean that the citizens would not be able to defend themselves in case of any threat. But the facts prove likewise, with approximately none of the gun violence reported in Australia. The USA has not been able to cope with gun violence and incidents involving guns, which has resulted in a lot of people losing their lives at the hands of people with guns. The episodes of mass shooting incidents in schools have also been crucial as they have resulted in children losing their lives which are the bricks for a nation to build upon. A higher number of guns would result in more accidents as people tend to be irresponsible ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"5Zv6JAjC","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(\\uc0\\u8220{}The Pros And Cons Of Gun Control\\uc0\\u8221{})","plainCitation":"(“The Pros And Cons Of Gun Control”)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":396,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/PwL0F8bO/items/6DC72DUA"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/PwL0F8bO/items/6DC72DUA"],"itemData":{"id":396,"type":"webpage","title":"The Pros And Cons Of Gun Control","container-title":"The Odyssey Online","abstract":"America has a problem, but are guns the solution?","URL":"https://www.theodysseyonline.com/pros-and-cons-of-gun-control","language":"en-us","issued":{"date-parts":[["2016",7,3]]},"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",1,11]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (“The Pros And Cons Of Gun Control”). With no guns, the chances of people suffering from gun violence exceed and the people can be fearless, as the gun violence has spread fear across the citizens as they step out of their homes, fearing whether they would return home safely or not. Mass shootings in school have also induced fear in parents and children, with the parents fearful to send their children to schools and the children equally scared of what they have witnessed, either on television or in schools themselves. The gun control laws can also be helpful in reducing the deaths due to suicides when psychologically disturbed people have a gun in their hands; they can do anything, i.e. kill themselves too.

The state of California has endorsed the new gun laws to be immediately enacted which makes the background check to be necessary for the citizens before they can buy a gun from any gun dealer across the state. The state of California has also put a lifetime ban for the people who have come across any irregularity in their mental health condition or have been involved in any form of violence. But stricter gun laws need to enact upon immediately, as we have to save the lives of the American people, which the government is responsible for enforcing.

Works Cited

ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Mass Shootings in 2019 | Gun Violence Archive. https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/mass-shooting. Accessed 11 Jan. 2019.

Rushe, Dominic. “Why Is the National Rifle Association so Powerful?” The Guardian, 4 May 2018. www.theguardian.com, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/nov/17/nra-gun-lobby-gun-control-congress.

“The Pros And Cons Of Gun Control.” The Odyssey Online, 3 July 2016, https://www.theodysseyonline.com/pros-and-cons-of-gun-control.