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American Studies Question: Gun Control
Being a democracy, America has experienced several contradicting views on different
social, economic, and political aspects. Politics plays a vital role in bridging or propagating
division among the American people on specific critical issues. Gun control is one of the critical
issues that politics has significantly influenced over the years and continues to influence even in
recent times (Miller 272). Firearms form a pivotal part of American history and identity.
However, in recent years, guns have been a controversial topic for Americans, with more people
calling for reforms in gun control policies. It is important to note that the country already has gun
control policies in place. However, a section of the citizenry still finds these regulations
ineffective in protecting American communities against the rising rate of gun violence and
crimes (Miller 272). Therefore, this faction of Americans calls for more stringent gun control
laws. In a typical democracy, there is always an opposing view, which in this case consists of
Americans who are against more rigorous gun control laws and find the existing laws sufficient
or even too strict for the American people.
In looking at the gun control issue in America, it is essential to highlight the history and
current state of gun control in America. The first significant gun control measure implemented in
the U.S was the National Firearms Act enacted in 1934 (ATF, “National Firearms Act” para1).
This law sought to impose taxes on firearms and bring about the registration requirement of
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firearms. It is crucial to note that this law was driven by the rise in mafia crime, with the St.
Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929 being a pivotal event (ATF, “National Firearms Act” para 2).
Similarly, after several high-profile assassinations where guns were used as murder weapons,
such as those of President John Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, the Gun Control Act of
1968 was enacted (ATF, “Gun Control Act” para 2). This law provided for implementing more
strict licensing laws in the firearms industry, setting up categories for punishable firearms
offenses and prohibiting unfit people from owning firearms. Within the Gun Control Act was the
Firearms Owner's Protection Act, which prohibited the federal government from keeping records
of firearms dealers (ATF, “Gun Control Act” para 3). The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention
and NICS Improvement Act also sought to facilitate background checks for individuals seeking
to own firearms. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022 is the most recent legislation in
Gun Control, striving to make schools and communities safe from gun violence (ATF, "Gun
Control Act," para 3).
Despite the existence of gun control laws, incidents of gun violence and misuse of
firearms have been on the rise in recent times. An article by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun
Violence Solutions (para 1) reports that, on average, one American dies every eleven minutes by
firearms, and many more get injured, with approximately 200 people visiting the hospital for
gun-related injuries every day. Mass shootings have recently become a major security concern
that threatens the stability of American communities. Spitzer (1) writes about Stephen Paddock, a
mass shooter who killed 58 people and injured 850 people on an outdoor shooting spree in
Nevada in 2017. Investigations on the incident led to the recovery of approximately 25 firearms
from the shooter's homes, highlighting just how easy it is for an individual to access guns that
they could use to arm Americans despite the existing laws. In the past decade, there has also been
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an increase in the number of recorded school shooting deaths, which increases the need for more
stringent measures on gun control (Spitzer 114). It is the responsibility of the government and the
public at large to protect the vulnerable in society; a country that can not effectively protect its
children from gun violence raises some serious questions about its future.
A call for more strict measures against gun control policies seeks to close down loopholes
that exist in the Gun Control Act, which facilitates the increase in the number of unqualified
people having access to firearms. Until the passing of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in
2022, the gun show loophole allowed unlicensed dealers to sell and exchange firearms at shows
and flea markets without performing proper background checks on the purchasers (Spitzer 226).
This loophole enabled people who could not pass background checks to own guns they could use
for illegal activities. Although the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act broadened the definition of
a gun dealer, the loophole still exists for the private sale of firearms. For example, selling a gun
from a personal collection does not require the unlicensed seller to conduct a background check
on the buyer, who might not meet the threshold of owning a firearm. Additionally, there is the
straw purchase loophole that criminals have increasingly used to obtain firearms to commit
crimes using individuals who meet the requirements for gun ownership as proxies (NRA-ILA
para 1). Notably, the current laws mainly target sellers and manufacturers, leaving out buyers. A
federal firearm license for buyers would go a long way in closing the existing loopholes that
facilitate illegitimate firearm ownership.
The National Rifle Association has been at the forefront of opposing gun reforms that
seek to implement strict gun control laws. The NRA has funded and endorsed political candidates
who share the same position on gun control to influence policy formulation (Spitzer 151). One of
the significant reasons that opposers to more strict gun laws give is that hindrances to bearing
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arms are a violation of their Second Amendment rights. This take often gives rise to the
interpretation debate of the Second Amendment. However, Supreme Court rulings have been
relatively consistent with using the Second Amendment to defend less strict gun control laws by
stating that it is not unlimited and that other laws could be implemented to restrict the bearing of
arms (Spitzer 49). Therefore, enacting more strict laws does not infringe on Second Amendment
rights. Another argument against strict gun control policies is the need for self-protection,
especially with more criminals having access to illegal firearms (NRA-ILA para 3). While this
may be a legitimate reason to make firearms more accessible to civilians, research links gun
possession to escalated incidents where individuals have a higher risk of getting harmed.
Based on the research highlighted throughout this paper, there is a need for more stringent
laws on gun control. Following the history of gun law in America, it is notable that most policies
were enacted after a series of unfortunate incidents and increased gun violence and crime. The
policies made it possible to minimize the loss of American lives for some time; however,
regulatory policy reforms are needed with the recent increase in incidents. Spitzer (10) quotes
remarks made by President Biden on the rise in the number of deaths of school-aged children,
surpassing that of active police officers and military personnel, which show the unfortunate
consequences of the shortcomings of the current gun control laws. This and the high rate of
fatalities linked to gun violence and crimes should be enough motivation to formulate and enact
stricter gun control laws.
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Works Cited
ATF. “Gun Control Act.” Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, 2022,
www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/gun-control-act.
ATF. “National Firearms Act.” Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, 2020,
www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/national-firearms-act.
John Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. “Firearm Violence in the United States.”
Center for Gun Violence Solutions, publichealth.jhu.edu/center-for-gun-violence-
solutions/research-reports/firearm-violence-in-the-united-states.
Miller, Steven V. “What Americans Think About Gun Control: Evidence From the General
Social Survey, 1972–2016.” Social Science Quarterly, vol. 100, no. 1, Nov. 2018, pp.
272–88. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.12555.
NRA-ILA. “Background Checks | NICS.” NRA-ILA, www.nraila.org/get-the-facts/background-
checks-nics.
Spitzer, Robert J. The Politics of Gun Control. 9th ed., Routledge, 2024,
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003401766.
