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Gun Control and Violence in The United States

Ryan Crosby
Montgomery College- Germantown Campus
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Gun Control and Violence in The United States

Every year in the United States, hundreds of families suffer from the loss of their loved

ones due to guns. The United States has many cases of gun violence across the nation. The

government has been working for years to try and strengthen gun control laws, however, many

people believe it is a violation of their second amendment right to restrict guns. The second

amendment of the United States Constitution 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

(U.S. Gun Laws, 2008). Gun control laws do not take away a persons right; they restrict a

persons right which is legal. Gun violence takes the lives of people every day. There is the huge

controversy of background checks. The Brady Handgun Violence Act was passed in 1993 and

established the National Criminal Background Check System that gun dealers are required to use

before selling to a customer (U.S. Gun Laws, 2008). This prevents criminals from being able to

obtain guns, however, there are still ways that criminals can obtain guns without undergoing a

background check. Not only can adults, who are not supposed to own a gun, but children can

obtain guns easily through illegal distribution. As a result from people obtaining guns who

should not have access to them, violence is created. Mass shootings, suicides, homicides, gang

violence, armed robbery, and more violent acts all occur from guns. My view on gun control and

violence has most definitely evolved and grown over the course of the semester. Our nation

should implement stricter gun control laws to limit, and hopefully prevent, further acts of

violence caused from firearms.

Gun control laws limit what people can do with guns. These laws range from certain age

limits to buy guns to what type of bullets are legal. Gun control laws vary by state; however,

there are some federal gun control laws. Both federal and state laws are put into place for the
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greater good of the nation. People need to be protected. Access to guns are too easy, and people

with bad intentions can purchase a firearm. The National Criminal Background Check System

was put into place to limit the number of firearms sold to people who should not own them.

These background checks have blocked 2.4 million gun sales in 20 years (Gross, 2016). That is

2.4 million people that would have been out on the street that should not be owing a gun such as

criminals, domestic abusers, the mentally ill, and more. Unfortunately, the second amendment is

abused all across the nation. High powered firearms, such as automatic rifles, are still out on the

market for civilians to purchase. Automatic firearms are military grade weapons and are

unnecessary to be owned by civilians. In 1994, The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement

Act was passed. This law banned the manufacture, use, possession, and import of 19 different

assault weapons. Many assault weapons are used in mass shootings so this law was a big step for

gun control; however, it expired in 2004 (U.S. Gun Laws, 2008). When assault rifles filled the

streets of California, a bill was passed that banned the assault rifles in 1990 (Calhoune, 2004).

By 2010, Californias gun death rate had been reduced by 56% (Calhoune, 2004). During this

time, the rest of the countrys death rate only declined by 29% (Calhoune, 2004). This law should

be implemented not only in California but throughout the nation. In addition, in 1976, the D.C.

City Council banned residents from owning handguns (U.S. Gun Laws, 2008). Later, in June

of 2008, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the D.C. handgun ban was unconstitutional

and overturned the law (U.S. Gun Laws, 2008). Gun control laws are too lenient and must be

strengthened.

Guns can be easily obtained by anyone through the so called, gun loophole. When

purchasing a gun, the dealer is required to go through several steps. Dealers must perform

universal criminal background checks on firearm purchasers, maintain records of all gun sales,
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allow the records to be available to law enforcement, and report the theft or loss of a firearm

from their inventory (Universal Background Checks). This is to ensure that a criminal or anyone

else who should not have access to a gun is not trying to obtain one. In addition, if a crime was

committed, there would be records of the buyer. The most dangerous gap in federal firearms laws

today is the private sale loophole (Universal Background Checks). Federal law requires licensed

firearm dealers to perform background checks; however, federal law does not require unlicensed

dealers to perform background checks. This means that not only can people buy guns without

any record from private dealers and gun shows, but criminals, who are legally not allowed to

own guns, can purchase firearms as well. Federal law does not require unlicensed sellers to go

through the steps to sell a gun, yet the Gun Control Act of 1968 states that people involved in the

business of firearms must be licensed. Unfortunately, private dealers are classified as exercising

a hobby, not as a business, and do not need to follow these procedures (Universal Background

Checks). Around 40 percent of all firearms transferred in the U.S. are transferred by unlicensed

individuals (Universal Background Checks). Gun control laws need to expand these background

checks to anyone who sells firearms.

Gun violence today is occurring more and more frequently. Mass shootings, homicides,

gang violence, and more gun related violence occur all across the nation. In 2014 alone, there

were 33,599 deaths resulting from firearms. Of those 33,599 deaths, 21,334 of the deaths were

suicides. Furthermore, in 2014 there were 586 unintentional gun deaths (Alpers, Rossetti, &

Salinas, 2016). Guns are life threatening devices that kill people every day. Whether the death is

a homicide, suicide, or accident, guns take lives. Mass shootings occur frequently in todays

modern society. In June of 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina, a hate-filled man went on a

rampage and killed nine people in a historic African American church (DeBrabander, 2015). The
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following month, in Lafayette, Louisiana, a gunman fired off 20 rounds in a movie theatre full of

innocent people, killing two and injuring nine (DeBrabander, 2015). Earlier that month, in Waco,

Texas, a gun fight broke out among two biker gangs outside a shopping center full of civilians.

Families took their children, ran for cover, and in the end, the war zone left nine people dead and

18 injured (DeBrabander, 2015). Unfortunately, not only adults are being killed by guns, but

children as well. Back in 2012, the Sandy Hooks Elementary School located in Newtown,

Connecticut, had a shooting incident. A man armed with an assault rifle and a handgun shot and

killed 20 first grade students and teachers (DeBrabander, 2015). These violent acts are the result

from limited gun control. Our country desperately needs stronger laws for guns.

My view on gun control and violence has grown stronger after researching in depth this

past semester. Gun violence is a major problem in the United States and must be stopped. By

strengthening gun control laws, gun violence can be prevented. Universal background checks can

be expanded to all gun dealers, automatic weapons can be banned from civilian use, mass

shootings can be limited if not prevented, and the amount of deaths caused by guns will decrease

overall. Stronger gun control is the answer to stopping the gun violence that surrounds us.
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Works Cited:

Alpers P., Rossetti A., & Salinas D. (2016). United States Gun Facts, Figures and the Law.

Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney. Retrieved from

http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/united-states

DebraBander, F. (2015). Our armed society. MasterFile Premier, 213 (6). Retrieved from

http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.montgomerycollege.idm.oclc.org/eds/detail/detail?sid=8a14963a-

98c0-49d5-acdf-

3a4655c20ff1%40sessionmgr4007&vid=10&hid=112&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU

mc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=109288699&db=f5h

Universal background checks (2016). Law to prevent gun violence. Retrieved from

http://smartgunlaws.org/gun-laws/policy-areas/background-checks/universal-background-

checks/

U.S. gun laws: A history (2008). Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?

storyId=91942478

Calhoune, D. (2014). Decreasing the Supply of and Demand for Guns: Oaklands Youth

Advocacy Project. Journal of Urban Health, Vol. 91, p72-83.

http://hx6zp3nx8k.search.serialssolutions.com.montgomerycollege.idm.oclc.org/?

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%20of%20and%20Demand%20for%20Guns%3A%20Oakland%27s%20Youth

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Gross, D. (2016, February). Why gun violence cant be our new normal [Video File]. Retrieved

from:

https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gross_why_gun_violence_can_t_be_our_new_normal#t-

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