Kayla Rich

Professor Gutaj

POLS 1100

22 April 2019

The number of gun related deaths have been slowly increasing year to year and just last

year the New York Times reported that the number of gun related deaths reached the highest it

has ever been in fifty years during the year 2018. These gun related deaths involve suicides,

homicides, mass shootings, and accidents. As I see these numbers climb it is impossible to not

wonder why it isn’t getting any better and why are the efforts to maintain a safe country so

controversial?

While there have always been reports of suicides, homicides, and accidents, most

recently our country has been rocked with news report after news report detailing a large mass

shooting or threats of one. These shootings have been occurring in schools, malls, movie

theaters, churches, outside grocery stores, and at concerts. We are living in a world now where it

isn’t enough to stay in good neighborhoods and good schools because the threat is all around us

and these events can happen at the drop of a hat. I think it is the events of these large shootings

that have really posed the debate against gun control because it is clearly something that affects

everybody.

In 1971, the second amendment was introduced and allowed the people of the country the

ability to bear arms. The purpose of this amendment at the time was to provide each state with

more militia power to protect their freedoms. Militias at this time were groups of men who have

formed together to protect their state and community. Another purpose for the creation of this
amendment was to protect citizens from an over powering government since it provided the

means for them to defend themselves if the government turned into a tyranny. As time has

progressed, the second amendment has been subject to a variety of interpretations which has

made it difficult for our country to take a clear stance on what is best for our world today.

The second amendment is what makes creating laws for gun control very tricky.

Legislatures can’t just change The Constitution and since the amendment was not written as

precisely as perhaps it should have, many different people have various interpretations of the

amendment. Some believe the amendment applies to only military, others believe it applies to all

citizens, some believe it is so far outdated that it doesn’t even apply to today’s world, and others

believe if we were to change an amendment it would open up a whole other doorway to have the

other amendments reconstructed and reviewed which could change the core of our country.

Currently in the United States an individual has to be at least eighteen years old in order

to purchase a firearm and ammunition. Those who have been previously convicted for a crime

and have served time in prison are not eligible to purchase any sort of firearm. In order to sell a

firearm arm you need to be at least twenty-one years old and local law enforcement must be

notified when a transaction is being conducted. There is a small background check conducted

before finalizing the transaction of a firearm to check for things like arrest history. A majority of

states require a permit to carry a firearm whereas many of them do not require a permit in order

to purchase a firearm. These rules do not completely apply to anyone who is selling a firearm

personally and not for business reasons. Which means if someone would like to sell a firearm

from their own collection online or at a yard sale they are able to without conducting a

background check or alerting authorities.

 The issue with these rules and regulations is that they are not always required and when

they are required, they are not always conducted thoroughly and held up to the best of their

ability. I understand that dealing with the revision or removal of an amendment is a very difficult

and complicated task but we have statistical evidence that makes it clear that if we do nothing

and continue to allow our country to live the way it is, these death tolls will only rise.

We already have part of the solution to this problem of gun violence. The laws that are in

place are beneficial when they are implemented but they need to be enforced more constantly

and consistently. Back ground checks should be applicable to any buying or selling a gun, no

matter if it is through a business or through something like KSL or craigslist. I think as a way to

make sure this happens it that an officer has to sign off on a firearm transaction. So even if you

are selling your firearm independently, you will need your local law enforcement to act as a

required third party to verify the documents and parties involved. The local law enforcement

facility will also be able to log the serial number of the gun with the owner so they have records

of everyone who owns a firearm and what firearm they own. Included with the background

check should be a psychological screening process as well. I think this would help decrease the

number of suicides that occur.

I believe everyone who wants to purchase a firearm should be required to complete a gun

safety course as well as the individuals living in the home where the gun will reside. These

courses should be general as well as include information specific to the firearm that is purchased.

I don’t think there needs to be a limit of how many firearms someone has but there should be a

process when it comes to purchasing mass amounts of ammunition all at once. I also do not

think there is a need for semi-automatic weapons. Hunters do not need semi-automatic rifles and
if you want to shoot one for sport there could be some available at shooting ranges but not for

personal purchase.

I think laws and policies can be made to clarify the second amendment because times are

different than they were then and our country needs to establish a safe space for everyone and

staying in this gray area is not helping anyone. We need politicians and representatives who care

about the safety and mindset of individuals before there is a tragic event. We have already had

too many premature deaths at the hands of individuals who should not have been trusted with a

firearm. I don’t think firearms need to be eliminated because ultimately it is people who make

the choice to commit a crime but we do need to be more careful in who we trust to hold such a

high responsibility.