Gun; a weapon consisting of a metal tube, with mechanical attachments, from which projectiles are shot by the force of an explosive; a piece of ordnance. Guns show no bias, so why should our society show one? We as people have made guns in to what they are now, we are to blame, not the gun. We as people use guns, whether it be good or bad, we are to blame, not the gun. “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” The problem is very clear, guns do not relate to crime, but crime can relate to guns. Crime is caused by criminals, not by civilians. Gun crimes are caused by criminals, not by civilians.
Legitimacy; the state or quality of being legitimate. This definition holds the key in locking the doors shut from the criminal world. It has also proven throughout history that criminals have successfully found other means of getting what they search for. Supply and Demand, if someone wants it, then someone has it for sale. By banning guns you are removing a law abiding citizen's right to defend themselves with arguably one of the most successful means. You want to remove guns from our homes, so criminals are the only ones who have them. You want us not to use our guns in an act of self-defense, so criminals get the first draw.You justify a ban on guns by saying they are dangerous weapons, well with that said you would have to ban swords, knives, bats, rocks, whips, sling shots, Mike Tyson's teeth, and Jackie Chan's hands. A gun is only dangerous if the person handling the gun is looking to inflict harm on others. No criminal, no crime.
Do people kill others with guns? Yes, people do use guns to harm others, but this is only a means of which a person intenting to inflict harm on another achieves his goal. There is a saying that states, “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” We often forget that it takes someone to pull the trigger of a gun for it to be used, it can't kill a person on its own. The United States Navy defines Deadly Force as, "the force that a person uses causing, or that a person knows or should know would create a substantial risk of causing, death or serious bodily harm.". Never in their definition does one see "gun" mentioned. Society has taken what a gun is out of context. A gun is a weapon, anything can be turned into a weapon. Frying pans, beer bottles, knives and weapons such as the prisoners "shank" kill people. Society would find the ability to ban devices which could be used to harm others (weapons) impossible. In prison systems, inmates do not have the means to obtain a gun to kill others. However, with a little enginuity they obtain other weapons such as home made knives or "shanks" to acheive the same goal. So if bad people want to harm others, what are the ordinary joes going to do about defending themselves? Everyone has the right to self defense, and the government wants to take one of our potential defenses away. Its not right.
Many people think that banning fire arms in the United States will be a solution to the high crime rate in the United States. This assumption is completely false. Look at some other substances that are also “prohibited” from being used. Marijuana for example is on of these substances. It is Illegal to use, sell, or carry marijuana in most parts of the United States, but it is still fairly easy to get a hold of. Most people can walk less than a block and find someone selling the drug. The fact that it is illegal does not deter people from using the drug. The fact is that if the demand for a product is high enough, there will always be market to buy them.
A historical example of how banning items doesn’t work was the prohibition of alcohol from 1920 to 1933. During this time any time of drink that contained alcohol was banned from the market. Did this stop people from distributing and buying alcoholic beverages? The answer is no, people began to make it themselves and sell it themselves. Cities such as Chicago became notoriously known for disobeying the prohibition laws. Many of Chicago's most notorious gangsters, including Al Capone and his enemy Bugs Moran, made millions of dollars through illegal alcohol sales. By the end of the decade Capone controlled all 10,000 speakeasies, which were places that sold alcohol, in Chicago and ruled the bootlegging business from Canada to Florida. Along with many other crimes, which included theft and murder, were directly connected to criminal activities in Chicago and elsewhere in violation of prohibition.
While banning may sound like a good idea, it is also taking away the rights of many Americans. When this country was established the founding fathers believed that the U.S. was the land of opportunity and freedoms. They would not have created the second amendment if they believed it was a bad idea. Everyone has the right to defend himself and his or her property. Taking away personal fire arms are just inhibiting people from defending themselves.
It was stated in class that the only thing worse than a criminal with a gun is a untrained civilian attempting to use a gun. I agree that an untrained person attempting to use a gun can be unsafe and lethal. There are people all over the world that argue that guns are one of the worse inventions of man, but truth is that guns don’t kill people, stupid people kill people. However I think that if there was an increase in regulations and education, usage of guns will be safer and will have a more positive affect in today’s community. Truth is, despite whatever regulations are established that the government put into affect that will allow people to legally own a gun, people will find a way around a system
The majority of gun related crimes that takes place in the community are done with illegally attained weapons. Look at the usage of marijuana. It is an illegal substance that has been banned in most places in the United States due to the fact that we as a society think its a "gateway drug". If a person is caught with marijuana on their person, depending on the amount, can go to jail, pay a large fine, etc. But even with all the consequences people still go out and buy from the local dealers. Why? Why do people use this product even if it is illegal? The answer is because they can and it's easy to obtain. People like to smoke the herb and they do not care about the consequences and so far the government has done very little on controlling the usage of it. Now if it so easy to flood the streets with illegal drugs, such as marijuana, what will be the difference between that and guns. The government ruling with an iron fist against the sale and usage of marijuana, but still the drug seems to trickle through the fingers and get into the hands of everyday people. So what going to be the difference between that and guns? If a person wants one badly enough, he/she is going to get it no matter what. So if bad people will still be able to get guns, what are the ordinary Joes going to do about themselves. If someone holds you up in an alley, your not going to be able to defend yourself with a shoe. Everyone has the right to self defense, and the government wants to take one of our potential defenses away. Its not right.
So it is inevitable that people who desire to acquire a gun will find a way to do so, legally or illegally. So as more and more guns are available to the people of the community, the more opportunities that those people should be given to be educated. People who choose to own guns doesn’t necessarily have to possess the intent to shoot and hurt others, but they could want to take part in recreational shooting, hunting, competition, gun collection, or just home safety. All in which the owner of the firearm needs to have some kind of basic knowledge of weaponry. They will need to be educated in the following: Safe firearm handling, firearm parts and operation, ammunition and its function, how to select, clean, and store a firearm, and lastly how to properly and accurately fire a weapon. I think that if those issued guns are required to attain those skills, they won’t be such a risk and danger to the community. Guns in the skilled and trained gives a sense of security and protection, but guns in the hands of the irresponsible and the reckless are a risk. We should try to instill the desirable morals and ethics into the students of today’s high schools, so that by the time they are old enough to be eligible to acquire a gun, they will already have the right mind set.
In my opinion we should absolutely educate are youths about guns and gun safety. Youths and Parents alike should both be educated on the possible disasters which could occur, if guns are misused or treated as toys. If someone wants to own a gun, they should implement a firearms safety and usage class, where people can be properly educated about the risks of not knowing how to use a hand gun. Most accidents with guns happen because kids don't know how to handle them correctly. Maybe some good sound laws can promote better safety and decrease crime without conflicting with hunters and collectors.
After analyzing the facts of guns usage, looking back at our history, and using those facts in order to reach a solution which still permits us our rights and also keeps in mind the safety and security of our society we have taken the first steps in to keeping a gun safe community. By doing so we have assured gun enthusiasts that with the correct education and training they can defend themselves properly, instead of being caught dead with a shoe.