Charming 1
Prince Charming
Mrs. Hooks
English 111
12 May 2020
It is an Individual Responsibility
No one is able predict what an individual is going to do once he or she successfully purchases a firearm. Throughout history there have been drops and rises of homicides, murders, and suicides in the United States and around the world. Gun Laws and legislature constantly attempts to modify or adapt new laws to stay abreast or get ahead of the increasing number of firearm sales and shootings in the United States. Many Americans argue that murders, homicides, and suicides have increase in recent years due to the easy process set forth to acquire weapons by individuals who are not eligible based on their mental status or criminal background. The 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting has been the focal point for former President Obama’s Administration to pass a law mandating that the Social Security Administration and Veterans Affairs Administration report individuals with unstable mental status to the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the intent to deny those individuals the opportunity to purchase a firearm (“Deadliest U.S. mass…”). In recent years the majority of shootings that happen in public places such as schools, churches, work places, and even in military bases were conducted by non-mentally ill individuals, with no criminal record, and weapons involve legally purchase. The current President Trump’s Administration, the National Rifle Association, and millions of Americans, despite the numerous shootings throughout the United States, have fired back and have voted against laws establish to discriminate against certain Americans with mental disabilities and weapons banned in America (“Second Amendment 100 percent”). These groups strongly argued and fully support the right to bear arms as stated in the Constitution’s Second Amendment. The right to purchase and own a firearm is the right of every American Citizen whose intentions are to protect his life, family, and/or personal property. Many Americans choose to maintain a weapon in their home for family and property protection. Others use firearms for hunting game, sports, and or just collect them. Weapons of all caliber and capacities are safe and extremely fun when properly handle. Every day more and more Americans utilize firearms for sports and at the same time improve their ability to effectively use a firearm. Even though the Second Amendment allows all American Citizens the right to legally purchase and own a firearm, it is every firearm owner’s responsibility to safely store, train appropriately, and become familiar with his/her firearms. Comment by Naomi Hooks: Good thesis statement
Uniquely, gun control dates back to the 1640s, during this time period the only people that legally own or carry a weapon had been white Americans. Gun controls started as a total racist concept, denying blacks and Native Americans the right to posses or own any type of weapon. The only reason why some blacks were permitted to carry a weapon is because they needed it to serve in the militia to fight against other Armies. During those years Gun Control Laws have been based on race and not called laws but rather Slave Codes (Eddlem, 35). Slave Codes primarily prohibit black slaves from being able to posses any type of weapon to defend themselves. Whites believe that no black slave has the right to own a weapon and portray blacks as unprivileged and as a threat to white people. As early as 1640 the state of Virginia enacted an order stating that there was less than 300 African American slaves in the British colony during that time frame and for that reason blacks are relieve from mandatory militia service (Eddlem, 36). Years later following the state of Virginia removing the mandatory service for blacks also initiated the disarmament and prohibition of all blacks from owning or bearing arms, which was known as the Virginia slave code of 1680th. The code stated, “It shall not be lawful for any Negro or other slave to carry or arm himself with any club, staffed, sword or any other weapon of defense or offence,” (Eddlem, 37). In the following years as blacks started defending themselves against the discrimination and mistreatment, many states such as North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama follow Virginia in enacting and passing similar slave codes. Today gun control laws continue to involve due to the increasing numbers of homicides, suicides, and murders around the United States. Former President Barack Obama’s administration enacted a law prohibiting mentally disable individuals from purchasing fire arms. A high number of Americans today believe that some gun laws continue to be prejudice and discriminative in many ways against certain groups of individuals based on race and stereotypes (Eddlem, 35). The National Rifle Association and Republicans strongly believe it is discriminative, unlawful, and racist to deny certain individuals from purchasing guns. These two groups are constantly striving to change the current gun control bill and protect Americans right to bear arms. Many states have banned certain assault rifles with high capacity magazines due to their lethality and casualty producing capabilities. Other states such as New York, California, and Illinois have completely banned fire arms, and yet those states are among the ones with the highest number of crimes. Currently, there is a bill on its way to President Trump’s desk for approval, in hopes to reverse and or modifying the former bill that prohibits mentally ill Americans from purchasing firearms. The probability of it being approved is high since President Trump stated on a national television interview to be 100 percent supportive of the Second Amendment and Americans right to bear arms (Eddlem, 38). Comment by Naomi Hooks: Good topic sentence Comment by Naomi Hooks: Good intext citation Comment by Naomi Hooks: Do not begin a sentence use there is or there are because it makes it passive voice.
Correspondingly, many Americans are divergent to the National Rifle Association, Donald Trump, and some weapons manufacturers for producing high capacity military grade weapons (“Second Amendment 100 percent”). These Americans in conjunction with families who have lost someone or were affected by one of the horrific assaults executed either on a school, shopping mall, church, and/or military installation strongly believe that something needs to be done in reference to weapons sales within the United States. In response to petitions from those families who have lost a loved one, many states have banned rifles with more than 10 round capacity magazines. Some of the outlaw deadly weapons with high capacity magazine include but are not limited to military grade M16, M4, Assault Rifle 15, and many types of AK-47s. People describe these weapons as dangerous due to their capacity and caliber and are also easy to purchase in most states (“Second Amendment 100 percent”).
Even though a few states have banned weapons with high capacity magazines, statistics show that crime rates and homicides have not receded. In fact recent studies show that regardless of partial or complete gun bans around the world murder, homicides, and mass shootings have not decrease much. Crime Research Organization conducts a study in which it illustrates that regardless of complete or certain assault rifle bans murders, homicides, and suicide rates have actually increase (“The Leading Source…”). Some of these states are Chicago and District of Columbia or even other countries with complete gun bans such as England, Jamaica, and Ireland have not seen a reduction in crimes regardless of firearms ban. Although crimes tend to slow down following a gun ban, success cannot be calculated because homicides and mass shootings start intensifying short thereafter. A prime example within the United States after the Obama rule and many states banning assault rifles mass shootings, murders, and homicides have not decrease in recent years. In fact since 2012 the United States alone has sustained the worse and deadliest mass shootings in the world (“The Leading Source…”).
Some people believe that more gun control laws condense the number of gun related deaths; however, 464,033 people die between 1999 and 2013 due to gun related crimes (“Grand Old Party...”). Legally purchase guns tend to promote violent crimes and firearms related deaths. Adhering to the execution of federal background checks foreseen to reduce deaths by 56.9 percent (“American Journal of…”). Moreover, implementing background checks to purchase ammunition as well decrease deaths by 80.7 percent; also individuals properly train and possess the knowledge to identify weapons also diminish deaths by 82.5 percent (“Lancet Study”). Comment by Naomi Hooks: Good intext citation
Additionally, people who disagree that more gun control laws actually lessen gun related crimes dispute that gun control laws do not deter crime, however, gun owners do. Unbelievably, the sale of firearms has doubled during recent years, which has caused murder rates to generally decrease. States with the largest sale of guns have a significant drop in violent crimes; a survey conducted in 2014 reports that 57 percent of Americans believe that owning a weapon protects them from being victimize (“Should More Gun…”). Criminals tend to attack victims who are defenseless, carrying or possessing a weapon deters criminals and as the old saying states, “if guns are outlaw, then the outlaws will be the only ones with guns” (“Should More Gun…”).
Federal background checks need to continue including individuals with certain mental disabilities, individuals with prior crimes, proper training, and enforcing gun safety are all excellent factors to consider if states want to decrease gun related crimes, homicide, and suicides. Color, race or a mental disability are not the sole deciding factors on whether or not an individual is eligible to procure a weapon regardless (Eddlem, 39). It appears unconstitutional to deny someone the opportunity to purchase a gun based on his/her mental status, but in a broader spectrum it is not safe for that particular individual or others if he/she possess a gun, which requires a great skill to safely operate. Individuals with prior criminal records are definitely excluded from being able to legally purchase a weapon. The law also needs to be stricter when it comes to gun related crimes. Prior to purchasing any type of weapon it needs to be mandatory for individuals to take a safety course with the objective to learn proper handling, storing, and firing the particular weapon they intend to purchase. All gun owners also need to be responsible and properly train every capable person residing at the residence where the gun is kept.
It is a tragedy that children are no longer safe while they attend school; it is also equally horrific and tragic for innocent children and adults attending church to lose their lives. It is not because the law has changed or the mentally disabled all of sudden decide to go on a rampage conducting massacres and killing innocent people around the United States. It is not because weapons are easier to purchase than before; overall, people who commit crimes against humanity have lost respect and the value of life.
In closing, it has been proven throughout history that making it harder and/or conducting more extensive back ground checks on individuals who intend to buy firearms is not going to stop crime. However, it does not need to be any easier either and if the life of an innocent person is preserved then it counts as an improvement. Currently, there is a rule that mandates disability organizations to report individual’s mental status to the Federal Bureau Investigation and prohibits them from purchasing firearms. This rule needs to continue to be in effect, however, mental disabilities need to be carefully study and define in order to eliminate the chances of becoming a discrimination issue. The majority of Individuals purchasing firearms legally and criminals possessing easy access to unsecure weapons by their irresponsible owners are the ones responsible for previous and most recent massacres around the globe. Crimes are not going to stop! However, the government has to reaffirm its laws and consider establishing a more thorough back ground check to prevent individuals with criminal records and mentally ill from acquiring weapons. Equally important, authorities and gun owners need to enforce weapons storage, security, and safety. It is neither the gun nor the knife that commits the crime but rather the individual with a criminal mind and easy access to firearms.
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“Deadliest U.S. mass shootings, 1984-2016.” Latimes, http://timelines.latimes. com/ deadliest- shooting-rampages/. Accessed 4 April 2017.
Eddlem, Thomas R. “The Racist Origin of America’s Gun Control Laws.” The New American 22 Sept 2014: pp. 35-39.
John, Lott. “Murder and Homicide Rates Before and After Gun Bans.” Crimeresearch,
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