Реферат: Gun control

A.Pou

ESL67W

“…The right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shallnot be infringed.”

Article [II.] Amendments to the Constitution

Gun control

America is faced with a growingproblem of violence. Streets have become a battlefield where the people can bebeaten for a couple dollars, where women can be brutally attacked and raped.Every day criminals try to divide territories to sell their illegal drugs, andinnocent people are caught in the crossfire of drive-by shootings. We cannotignore the damage that these criminals are doing to our society, and strongactions must be taken to stop this from happening. However, the efforts by thegun control supporters to eliminate the legal ownership of firearms do notaddress the real problem, and simply disarm the innocent law-abiding citizenswho might need firearms for self-defense. There are three main reasons why guncontrol law should take firearms from hands of criminals, not law-abidingcitizens, first historically legal ownership of firearms in America, second ifCongress passes laws restricting ownership of firearms, as a result it willaffect law-abiding people only, third statistic shows that the people who gothrough legal process of obtaining permits do not want to break the law.           

First of all to understand thereasons of the gun control efforts, we must take a look at the history ofAmerica, and the role firearms have played in it. The second amendment of theConstitution of the United States makes firearm ownership legal in thiscountry; it says, “… The right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall notbe infringed”(1). Firearms in the new world were used initially forhunting, and for self-defense. However, when the colonists felt that the burdenof British oppression was too much for them, they picked up their personalfirearms and went to war. The founding fathers of the country understood thatan armed populace aided in fighting off oppression. They made the right to keepand bear arms a constitutionally guaranteed right. Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Noman shall ever be debarred the use of arms“(2).

Second, today Congress, claiming that they want to take guns out ofthe hands of criminals, has worked to pass legislation that would take the gunsout of the hands of law-abiding citizens instead. The point is the efforts ofgun control do not address the real problem of crime. Therefore, if congresspasses laws restricting ownership of firearms, as a result this will affectlaw-abiding people only. Criminals will continue to violate these laws, theywill continue to carry their firearms, and they will that commit a crime mucheasier when they know that their victims will be unarmed. Unarmed victims willhave small chance against an armed one. In many states, including Florida andTexas, citizens have stated that they want to keep their right to carryfirearms for self- defense. Since the late 1980's, Florida has been issuingconcealed weapons permits to law-abiding citizens, and these citizens have beencarrying their firearms to defend themselves against crime. The result is thatthe rate of violent crime has actually dropped in contrast to the nationalaverage. Previously, Florida had been leading the nation in this category, andthe citizens of that state have welcomed the change (3).

  Third, gun controlsupporters tried to claim that there would be bloodshed in the streets whenthese citizens were given the right to carry guns. They claimed that the citiesof Florida would become the Wild West city with shootouts on every streetcorner, and duels over simple disagreements. These gun control supporters werewrong. More than 200,000 concealed carry permits have been issued so far, withonly 36 of these permits revoked for improper use of a firearm (4).This statistic shows that the people who go through legal process of obtainingpermits do not want to break the law. The people who do intend to break the lawwill carry their guns whether or not the law allows them to do so. Today,criminals often carry illegal weapons, such as sawed-off shotguns, machineguns; ignore the current laws that make these weapons illegal. When they arecaught, the courts usually dismiss these weapons charges; prosecute for themore serious charges, like murder, that are being committed with the weapons.The gun control supporters say that the gun is demon itself, rather than dealwith the criminals. This is the main flaw in their argument. The gun controlsupporters claim that possession of a gun can turn average citizens intobloodthirsty maniacs. This theory falls apart under close analysis. If legalpossession of a firearm caused this sort of attitude, then why are crime rateshighest in areas such as New York City and Washington, D.C., which have strictgun control laws? Why are crimes rates dropping in state such as Florida whereprivate ownership of firearms is encouraged?

In conclusion, three main reasonswhy gun control law should take firearms from hands of criminals, notlaw-abiding citizens are first historically legal ownership of firearms inAmerica, second if Congress passes laws restricting ownership of firearms, as aresult it will affect law-abiding people only, third statistic shows that thepeople who go through legal process of obtaining permits do not want to breakthe law. Legal ownership of a gun does not cause crime, the same time, thelaws, which make it illegal to own firearms, do little to prevent criminalsfrom getting guns. These laws only restrict people who respect the law, thepeople who would only use firearms for legal purposes. Criminals have fear thatthey can be the victims themselves, when people have the rights to own firearmsand defend themselves and their families. The government must look at theproblem of reducing crime in America realistically, and develop laws that wouldbe effective. Gun control laws are neither realistic, nor effective in reducingcrime. Therefore, the lawmakers should direct their efforts toward controllingcrime, not controlling legal ownership of firearms.


<span Arial",«sans-serif»">Works Cited

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Article [II.] Amendments to the Constitutionwww.house.gov/Constitution/Amend.html


 Florida State Laws. http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Crime_Statistics/index.asp

 

Thomas Jefferson. Virginia Constitution.1776.

 

Virginia Constitution http://www.harbornet.com/rights/virginia.txt

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