Gun Violence Argumentative Essay

Violence existed in America even before its birth. The French and Indian war sparked the American Revolution. After our country’s triumph in that battle, we fought our own in the American Civil War. Millions of soldiers were brutally murdered from an assortment of weapons such as cannons and bows and arrows. Though these have taken countless lives, guns still take the most. Guns have slaughtered and killed humans in each of these wars, and now, they have bled into our everyday society. Most homicides involving guns are from pistols and handguns. Disturbed individuals are getting access to these weapons, and powerless citizens are being slaughtered. The government is in a position to stop this madness, and the solution is to make the criteria for purchasing guns stricter, and add challenging gun laws.
Making guns harder to purchase will result in fewer violent deaths.Every year, an average of more than 100,000 people are shot in America, and every day, around 289 people are gunned down. according to The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. If guns weren’t so easily available to these murderers, these numbers would go down. In fact, states that have already implemented

the stricter background check have already seen a prominent difference. Washington D.C. and nineteen other states already require background checks for all of their handgun sales. Forty-seven percent fewer women are shot to death by intimate partners, Fifty-three percent fewer law enforcement officers are shot and killed in the line of duty, Forty-seven percent fewer firearm suicides take place, and there is forty-eight percent less gun trafficking occurs in cities in these states than others nationwide. If this tactic has worked for all of these environments, there is no doubt that stricter background checks will greatly reduce the amount of gun violence all around the country. An incredible amount of lives would be saved, but when guns are accessible, the consequences are terrible. Two teenage boys had opened fire on their Colorado high school, killing twelve students and a teacher. That’s thirteen families who had to mourn the untimely death of a loved one. Twelve pairs of parents who sobbed uncontrollably when they had learned of the deplorable news. Now, perhaps this would have never happened if guns were more difficult to acquire. If these two boys had to work for this weapon, they most likely would have given up, and thirteen people might have still been alive at this moment; spending time with family or friends, and living life. In order to prevent terrible situations like this, gun control has got to be stricter.
Too many guns are falling into the wrong hands, which is why we need to make gun control more stern. Seung-Hui Cho, the shooter in the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007, had been declared mentally ill by a judge in 2005. Around two years later, Cho savagely slaughtered 32 people. Though he had been identified as mentally ill, Cho had gone through a background check and been cleared. Seung-Hui Cho was disturbed, yet he was still able to get his hands on a gun. If this man was able to get a weapon like this, many more criminals can as well. Countless innocents would die, all due to the negligence of the government and gun dealers. Also, there is a major loophole in the system of gun buying that the government isn’t trying to solve. According to Everytown, a movement of Americans working together to end gun violence, a person would be able to buy a gun online or at a private gun show without a background check; no questions asked. 1/10 people who buy a gun from a private gun show or online, happen to be criminals. Sixty-two percent of sellers would be willing to sell guns to those who can’t pass background checks. So many gun sales are taking place without background checks, which enables wrongdoers to get access to guns. This endangers members of our society, and makes the entire gun problem much more complicated. Not only do we have to handle the legal background checks, but we also have to deal with ones conducted by private gun dealers and shops. This is also allowing people with mental issues to get their hands on guns, To rectify the failing background check in place, we must make the entire system stricter.
Stricter gun control laws are needed to protect women from stalkers or domestic abusers. The National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence reports that if a gun is present at a domestic dispute, than the chances of the woman getting murdered increase by 500%. If domestic abusers were not able to get guns, than the percentage of women being killed would go down significantly. After these domestic arguments, the woman would be able to get help instead of being shot and killed. Unfortunately, a lot of these troublemakers in question get away unscathed. According to Everytown for Gun Safety, thirty-one states do not ban convicted misdemeanor stalkers from owning guns, and forty-one states do not force proven domestic abusers from relinquishing guns they may already own. This means that when the stalker/domestic abuser gets out of prison, they will be able to get guns and possibly endanger the life of a citizen. The fact that dangerous people are being allowed to possess such a dangerous object is unacceptable. So that the innocent citizens of America are not murdered by stalkers or domestic abusers, gun control laws must be stricter
The opposition believes that the owning of guns is supported by the second amendment, and that making the process to get one harder will be against the constitution. This is what the second amendment 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,” Though many gun enthusiasts argue that this proves that gun control is unconstitutional, they often fail to recognize some key elements. The word “well-regulated” means well-controlled, which would mean stricter gun control laws would actually complement the constitution. The amendment also mentions a militia, which does not apply today, as we have one of the strongest military forces in the world. The environment this amendment was written in, and the environment we are living in today, are completely different. According to the National Constitution Center, the Founding generation was used to thinking of the soldiers as continuously oppressing their citizens. The Boston Massacre was a prime example of this. When the tension between the colonists and the British began rising, the British took away the Colonists’ guns to prevent an armed revolt. The Founding Fathers wanted to prevent that, so they put that in the constitution. Now, as we and our military have evolved, we don’t need as many guns as we once might’ve. Making the process to get guns would in no way interfere with the second amendment, so stronger gun laws should be implemented.
Stricter gun control can make a major difference if executed correctly.

With proven results showing a major improvement in fewer deaths, the answer is a no-brainer. Now that guns are more easily accessible for criminals, many innocents are being killed brutally. If there is no gun control, than more maniacs will get access to powerful weapons. These disturbed individuals getting access to these guns, and countless citizens are being murdered. With all of these brutal deaths, it’s a surprise that this progressive step hasn’t been taken yet. How many more innocent lives will be slaughtered before we will do anything about it? How many more families will have to grieve the absence of a loved one? In order to halt this level of violence destroying our country, stricter gun control must be put in

place.