Holschuh 1
Holschuh 2
Clayton Holschuh
Susan Graham
English 121
24 February 2019
Gun Control
Gun control is one of the most contentious topics in America at this point in time. Whether it’s the total ban of firearms or simple steps to prevent mass terrors involving firearms. With the uprising of mass shootings, what is the best move?
From 1966 to 2012, 292 mass shootings occurred worldwide. This isn’t even close to what it is in 2019. The number today would be somewhere close to 350 mass shootings. Many laws and bills have been passed to try and prevent these kinds of things from happening but have had very little success.
One of the first, and best, gun regulations was the concealed carry permit. It prohibits citizens to conceal a handgun without a permit. Shootings went down by 8% in the first 10 years of effect. Many Americans have benefited from this. The “Collegiate Times” gives accurate information such as “the open carry laws…have a 30 percent lower homicide rate, as well as a 46 percent lower robbery rate.”. There was also a study by Florida State Criminologist who found that there was approximately 2.5 million people that use firearms for self-defense every year.
In July of 2009, a man entered a convenience store and shot and wounded the clerk. He also shot at several other people in the store before being shot by a CCW license holder. After the incident had taken place, police concluded that the perpetrator had run out of bullets and was reloading when shot. The man saved 8 lives that day all because he took the initiative of carrying a gun for protection. This was just one of many incidents when a gun saved lives.
While many people want to ban guns, it is our second amendment right. The second amendment states “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” (The Bill of Rights). We all know that democrats would never give up their first amendment rights, so why should republicans have to give up their right to bear arms?
Even if the total ban of guns did come, it would be total and utter chaos. There not a chance that republicans would give up their guns. They would go down swinging. There would be countless casualties on both sides of the spectrum.
Why would hardened criminals stop there? They wouldn’t! The average cost to make an unregistered AR-15 is $630. An unregistered gun is a gun that doesn’t have a serial number. Which means that it can be traced back to the shooter or owner. Let’s be honest, a smart criminal wouldn’t buy or use a registered gun. So even if there was a total ban of guns, real killers wouldn’t stop.
What if one of those killers decided...
