PRO GUN CONTROL: REDUCING GUN DEATHS
March 30, 2021
The purpose of gun control laws is to reduce the number of deaths that are caused by guns. While there are many ways someone can be put into a situation where they can be injured by a gun, most can agree that it comes down to the wrong people getting their hands on a firearm. Millions believe that by establishing gun control laws the number of deaths related to guns will decrease.
One detail that many pro-gun controlists support, as well as even anti-gun controlists, is more thorough background checks. As easy as it is purchasing a gun in the United States, many can agree that people with criminal backgrounds should have their right to have ownership of a firearm revoked or restricted.
A sensitive issue that we face today is the fact that millions of people facing mental health challenges can get their hands on a gun. Anyone can be facing a wide range of mental illnesses and it can be hard to spot. So with easy access to guns in America, one impulsive decision could be the cause for a mass shooting. With one gun you can end many lives or just one with a planned out suicide. With countless families who have been afflicted by these situations, many believe it is time to pass more strict gun control laws. By doing this, others speculate it will discourage people from buying guns for harm by making the process difficult.
Another law pro-gun control activists believe will help with mass shootings and suicides are by having a wait time to buy a gun. It is essentially what is called a “cool-off” where it gives individuals time to think about an impulsive decision or be able to get help. By establishing this law, an abundance of people believe this will help lower the deaths caused by guns.
I think America has a serious problem with guns. Individuals convicted of domestic abuse, child abuse, violent crimes, etc. are still able to purchase firearms through loopholes. I feel like having no regulation is an irresponsible decision for the government. Six-year-olds should not have to practice active shooter drills in their schools because the country has failed to provide them a sense of security. Gun control or at least some sort of regulation to close loopholes could stop unnecessary gun deaths. — Lily Creller
“I believe there should be background checks for each and every person that wants to acquire a firearm. My reasoning for this is because a lot of past shooters, especially school shooters, were mentally unstable. If a background check is passed, we’ll know if someone is stable enough to purchase a firearm or not. I also think they should be renewed every two years if they want to possess a firearm. This way, it could lower mass shootings by a significant margin,” CCA student Alexandra Baty expressed.