Gun Control
Throughout America there is the constant debate concerning the second
amendment or the right to bare arms. One day an innocent kid walking home from school
gets shot in a drive by shooting is he just a victim of circumstance or could this of been
easily prevented. There are lobbyist for the private ownership of guns and lobbyist for
legislation to ban personal possession of guns for good. In this paper I hope that just
maybe I can persuade you to think differently on a topic that’s stirring up the nation.
First you must look at the obvious problem first and foremost crime. 85% of all
violent crimes are committed with handguns(Mosley,104). Some say that yes if these
criminals are criminals simple legislation isn’t going to prevent them from getting
handguns. I think this couldn’t be more wrong in actuality lots of crimes are committed
with guns that kids have taken from their parents. Every day you hear in the news kids
killing kids weather it’s a school shooting or gangs and the easy availability of guns is
just promoting the cause. If we pass legislation to get rid of these god like life takers then
the kids can’t get to them. If you look at it thought it is a trickling down process. If guns
aren’t as easily distributed to shops only a few shops would be permitted to carry them.
Then of those few shops only under special circumstances could they sell them to some
adults then only a fraction of the kids who had access to guns in the home before this
legislation took affect remain. We need to at least cripple this wide spread epidemic.
An additional element that remains is one of the most sad of all accidents.
Fact every year over 600 people are killed by handguns on accident(Heney,116). Let me
set the mood for you for this true story. Christmas Eve at the Crowell household mother
Crowell just finishing the decorations on the tree while Mr.Crowell trys to get the lights
working by the time guests arrive. The youngest child Brian walks over to his friend
Matt’s house to play until guests arrive. Unsupervised, Brian's friend Matt took him to his
Mother's bedroom so he could show him her gun. The revolver, unlocked and hidden in a
dresser drawer under her clothes, was kept in the house as an extra measure of protection.
Matt knew there were bullets in the gun, but he didn't know the right way to unload the
piece. After shaking it a few times, he was able to remove five of the six rounds.
Assuming the weapon was completely empty, Matt began squeezing the trigger. On the
third pull, the overlooked round went off, and Brian was hit. The 35 friends and relatives
present for Christmas Eve dinner wound up in the emergency room praying for Brian's
life. He died on the operating table. On one side there are several opinions one being that
the gun isn’t the problem its the neglect and lack of supervision the parents of young
Brian displayed. Actually no I am sorry but the mere fact that there was gun in the house
is neglect in its purest form. What if lets say it was locked up in a case and then in a safe
plus it wasn’t loaded and the bullets weren’t even in the same area as the fire arm. Well
if the point of the gun is self defense by the time you open up the safe (with several
attempts because you don’t remember a combination that you never use)unlock the
case(where your hand can barley stay still with the knowledge of your death around the
corner.) struggle with the bullets(that seem to jump out your hand from your nerves) I’d
hate to brake it to you but your dead! Nothing could have prevented such a horrendous
occurrence would be that the gun was never purchased was never brought home and was
never allowed to be a intricle tool in not only the destruction of one little boys fragile life
but the lives of all the people that loved him and cared about him. They will not be the
same ever again not because of the unmindful actions of Matt but the only visible
criminal the room that fateful day....a gun!
Finally the last point I will focus on in my paper is the concept of self-defense.
Everyday people are killed by handguns that were exercised for self-defense. Think about
it you are in a fight that seems like it will give no end, your opponent is twice as big you.
The only words your beaten half deaf ears can hear are the words I am going to kill you.
Now consider the next bit of information you have an advantage a gun. Would you use it?
Thousands decide yes and that’s why 89.9% of all domestic arguments that end in
violence hand guns are used(Campbell,201). Well maybe some people just can’t handle
the responsibility of guns. You must realize we can’t say yes to some and no to others it
doesn’t work like that. We must go in one direction and keep it. Who are we to say who
can posses an object capable of taking someone’s life and who isn’t. Also what if
someone I sane today and goes crazy tomorrow there are just too many possibilities.
In conclusion I would like to restate the war over the issue of gun control is still
a long one. It will be many years down the road before we see any changes. After reading
this paper do me one favor think and seriously. Ask yourself one question, Is it worth it?
Is a few rounds of target practice worth the deaths of the kids at Columbine Highschool?
Are a pair of deer antlers on your wall worth little Mike’s dad going through life never
being able to take his son to his first baseball game or teaching to shaves? Is having a gun
around the house for your protection worth all those broken hearts and shattered dreams
when you haven’t even asked yourself if you are ready to take a man’s life when the time
comes. Sit think to yourself and when you realize nothing is worth it. The Lord givth and
the Lord taketh there is no reason for us to get involved in this cycle. Life is all we have
why destroy it.