Church 1
Gun Control
Gun control is not a simple topic to discuss. If you talk with people about this subject some will say gun control is a crime issue and others will say it is a rights issue. For me, gun control is more than that; it’s an educational issue, safety issue, and a political issue. No matter where you stand on gun control you are either on the side of more gun control or less gun control. I agree that not all individuals can handle a gun safely and some choose to use them inappropriately. But I take the stand that a gun is neither bad or good, it becomes one or the other depending on who and why it is being used. I feel that society benefits from guns in the hands of responsible people and any attempt to keep guns away from these people does more harm than good.
Let’s start with a definition of a “responsible person”. This definition is based on information from the Federal Gun Control Act of 1968. This person must be law-abiding, with no felony record. Also, the must not be mentally ill, must not abuse alcohol or drugs, must not have renounced U.S. citizenship, must be in the U.S. legally, and must not have been dishonorably discharged from the military. If a person meets these basic requirements, it shows that they possess what it takes to be responsible enough to own a gun.
According to the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), "recreation and personal use is the most common reason for owning a firearm" (“Gun Control”). Shooting a gun is something a family can do together and this time spent with each other will help build relationships. With proper supervision anyone can be taught gun safety and how to properly use a gun. Learning this information increases personal responsibility and builds self-confidence. These are two areas in society today that could use improvement. So the time spent building relationships and self-confidence can only be beneficial to society.
Protection is another major reason about half of all Americans own a gun (Lester 30). Throughout history, violence in some form has always been present. And criminals have, and will always, prey on the unprepared. Many laws have been passed to protect us, but the violence has not stopped. This proves that clearly you can’t change human behavior by passing laws. Because society has not changed, people must still defend themselves from criminals. More often than not the victim has to defend themselves from a larger and stronger attacker. In this situation they do not have the physical ability to defend themselves, but they deserve to feel safe. Carrying a gun, or having a gun in your home, is the most effective tool for self-defense.
There are many practical reasons to own a gun. Hunting, competitive and recreational sports are some of the most popular. In some parts of the country, hunting is an important source of food. There are even whole villages that don’t have access to grocery stores, and rely completely on the animals they hunt for food. Farmers also...
