revision gun control

Gun Control is the Answer: A Research Proposal

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Gun Control is the Answer: A Research Proposal

Section 1: What is the topic?

The topic for this project is "Gun Control is the Answer". Currently, the number of gun-related homicides and mass shootings are on the rise in the US. One example is the Virginia mass shooting that took place in 2007 after which advocates supported the use of more guns in learning institutions (Siebel, 2008). However, having guns in learning institutions does more harm than good to the students in the event of a surprise attack because the victims cannot use these guns (Schuppe, 2016). For that reason, Gun control is the solution because fewer guns mean fewer deaths. In fact, if the number of guns is reduced, the number of suicide cases arising from such deaths will reduce significantly (Nuwer, 2018).

Section 2: What is the controversy?

The primary argument brought forth by supporters of gun control is that more guns translate to more violence. In fact, guns increase the risk of violence in campuses where the risk factors are gun theft, surprise attacks, mental issues, drugs and alcohol (Siebel, 2008). If guns were to be introduced in campuses which are safe environments, then these lethal weapons will contribute to the unsafety and unprecedented violence in the learning institutions (Schuppe, 2016). Secondly, guns are useless in the event of a surprise attack because people are not physically or mentally prepared to handle them. Thirdly, fewer guns will reduce the number of gun-related suicides that are on the rise as well as the constant conflicts between police and civilians. For instance, in Australia, the banning of guns has led to a reduction in suicide cases by 80% (Nuwer, 2018). Most importantly, proponents of gun regulation argue that guns are not here to save people because the owner of a gun has 4.5 times probability of dying from the same gun just like the owner of a vehicle is likely to die out of a car accident (Branstetter, 2015).

However, opponents of gun control are of the opinion that more guns translate to less violence. First of all, critics of gun control argue that regulation does not deter further incidences of gun-related violence just the same way driving around neighborhoods in police cars does not prevent crime (Goral, 2012). Secondly, critics argue that gun control takes away the defense mechanisms of the victims in the event of a surprise shooting. In fact, bad guys who have evil intentions will still get hold of the guns and when this happens, then citizens cannot protect themselves. For that reason, the citizens will be rendered helpless if the gun control laws and barriers that limit the use of concealed handguns are enacted (Goral, 2012). Most importantly, opponents of guns control argue that carrying a gun is a provision under the second amendment of the Constitution that allows individuals to bear arms (Gregory, Wilson, Park, & Jenkins, 2018). For that reason, gun control infringes on the rights of the citizens to carry these arms as mandated by the Constitution.

Section 3: Thesis statement

Fewer guns result in less crime. Thus, gun control is the answer to the increased gun-related violence because regulating the use of firearms reduces homicides and suicides in society.

References Branstetter, G. (2015, March 31). Why we should ban guns on college campuses. Retrieved from The Daily Dot: https://www.dailydot.com/via/banning-guns-college-campuses-elliot-rodger/ Goral, T. (2012, April). Guns on Campus. University Business, pp. 42-44. Gregory, S., Wilson, C., Park, A., & Jenkins, A. (2018, April 2). What We Can Do to Stop It. Time, pp. 32-35. Nuwer, R. (2018, April 18). What if all guns disappeared? . Retrieved from BBC : http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180417-what-would-happen-if-all-guns-disappeared Schuppe, J. (2016, October 25). More Guns on Campuses Won't Make People Safer, Researchers Say. Retrieved from NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/more-guns-campuses-won-t-make-people-safer-researchers-say-n671911 Siebel, B. J. (2008). The Case Against Guns on Campus. Civil Rights law Journal, 18(2), 319-337.