Report to President on Gun Control Legislation

Report to President on Gun Control Legislation According to the second amendment of the U.S. Constitution, it has been guaranteed to the people, a right to keep and bear arms and such rights shall not be infringed. The result is that generally there is a heated debate regarding the gun-control legislation. While there are many who want to increase the regulation of firearms, many people oppose such regulation. For example, the article appearing in USA Today, titles as â€Å"Next, Comprehensive Reform of Gun Laws† the introduction of strict gun-control legislation by the Senate has been applauded and the benefits that can be derived by such reform legislation as well as the need for more such laws has been highlighted (USA Today 475). However, the detrimental effect of gun control legislation has also been equally highlighted in the media and also the way such legislation has an impact on the crime rate as well as the safety of the citizens (Gottlieb). In the present report, the arguments made by both sides have been evalua ted and an attempt has been made to provide a critical assessment of the need for gun-control legislation. As mentioned above, the persons who are in favor of the introduction of more gun-control laws claim that the laws that require waiting period as well as the background check of the persons who are willing to hold firearms can help in keeping these firearms away from the reach of criminals. The premise behind this argument shows that the laws that impose a ban on certain types of guns and ammunitions will result in keeping the streets safer because these weapons will not be available to easily. In this way, it is implied that such laws will prevent the criminals from accessing guns and it will also discourage the use of highly dangerous anti-personnel weapons. At the same time, this argument also believes that with the introduction of more such laws, the judicial system will also be in a better position to process the crimes related with guns and at the same time, it will ensure licensing and training for the owners of these guns. Therefore, it can be implied that more such laws shoul d be enacted because it will allow the legal system to work more efficiently and ensure the basic regulatory policies. However there are many who do not agree with this argument. According to these persons, it has been amply supported by statistics that in case of the States where gun control laws have been passed that require waiting period for purchasing guns, the rate of crime has in fact increased. This data is very significant because every time new gun-control legislation is introduced, the rate of violent crime increases instead of going down. Therefore, the opponents of gun control legislation argue that nobody wants an increase in violent crime. Moreover, it is also pointed out that as a result of the gun-control legislation, the streets have become safer for the criminals only while the danger for the victims increase because the victims are not in a position to protect themselves. It is also argued in this regard that it is the fundamental right of a person to protect himself and his family. Keeping in mind the significance of this right, it can be argued that more gun-control legislation should not be introduced in America. However, it needs to be noted in this regard that the introduction of more gun control legislation can be considered as the most significant step that can be taken in order to bring down firearm related crime. By imposing such laws that require waitlist, training, registration and a ban on dangerous weapons, it can be expected that the cities will become safer. The objections raised by the opponents of gun control legislation appeared to be insufficient due to the reason that they rely on the statistical evidence and there is always a chance that such evidence may not be accurate. At the same time, this argument is also based on the assertion that there is always a chance that the sale of guns in black market will increase. However the basis of the belief of the supporters of gun control legislation lies in disarming the criminals and making it difficult for the criminals to purchase guns. While the death of a victim is always unfortunate however the blame cannot be placed on gun-con trol legislation. The purpose of such legislation is to protect the victims. Although it is a way to protect oneself and the family to purchase a gun but it is not the only way. There are several other solutions available instead of using lethal force and the solutions are much more effective. Moreover, statistical data is often used by the opponents of gun control legislation in their support. However, it appears to be highly improbable that the increase in rates of crime is somehow related with firearms waitlist. If gun-control laws were not there, it will be very easy for everyone to have a gun, even if such person was a criminal record. However with the help of gun control legislation, the number of guns that are present on the streets can be reduced. If the number of guns present industries is reduced, the sale of guns in the black market will also decrease. It cannot be denied that it is the main responsibility of the government and protect the fundamental rights of the citizens but at the same time, it is also the responsibility of the government to introduce new laws so that the safety and well-being of the citizens can be ensured. The same is true in case of the area of gun control. The citizens are significantly impacted by the laws that are connected by the government in this regard and it is hoped that the laws will work in the best interests of the citizens. As a result, the citizens are at the core of the issue or the social side of this debate. As the laws in the country are enacted through the vote of the people, as a result, the society plays a significant role in the debate related with gun-control. The question that is generally asked in this debate is if owning the guns can be considered as a significant social reason behind the rate of homicide and suicide in America. This question lies at the base of the debate going on regarding gun control and at the same time, it also provides a significant reason behind the enactment of gun control legislation. Apart from taking the guns away from the common citizens, we reviewed to ensure their safety, there is another reason behind the enactment of gun control legislation. This reason is to prevent the guns from reaching the hands of criminals. But generally, the criminals do not face any barriers in acquiring deadly firearms although there are several laws that prevent the ownership of these weapons. There are certain laws that prohibit that any person was being accused or convicted of a deadly crime which carries a sentence of more than one year is prevented from possessing a gun. However, these laws have not proved to be very effective. It needs to be noted in this regard that the debate related with gun-control has three aspects, social, political and criminal. There is a significant relationship between the three. For example the criminal aspect of gun control has resulted in considerable social strife and as a result, political action has to be taken. The combined effect of these three aspects working jointly is to promote or prevent the introduction of gun control legislation as these laws significantly impact each and every person, regardless of the position taken by such a person (Cavett). Due to the fact that a large number of groups are involved in the issue of gun control, it is likely that the debate that is going on in this case is not going to fade very soon. However it is almost certain that significant changes have to be introduced in the present policy related with the possession of firearms. Some of the questions that can be asked in this regard is if the gun-control legislation is going to help or h urt the citizens to which they are trying to protect. Similarly another question that can be asked in this regard is if the enactment of these laws take away any of the fundamental rights enjoyed by the citizens. All these questions have to be considered carefully while dealing with this question. A much has been suffered by the nation at the hands of the dangerous people who have used terms in order to comment various acts of violence. Although most of the gun owners are law abiding and responsible and guns are used by them safely (Lund 127). However, the issue of gun control is a very complex issue. Therefore it becomes important that well founded, truthful statistics as well as scientific research is used to deal with the issue and find the basic causes behind the misuse of our arms and also crimes that are committed with the help of guns (Nocera). It will be very helpful for society if the general public as well as the main source of information of the public, media, adopts a critical skepticism and a responsible approach towards the claims made by the parties on both sides of this debate. In the end, it can be said that after considering the arguments forwarded by both sides regarding the issue of gun control, and examining the stands and weaknesses of the arguments from both sides in order to deeply analyze the competing views, it appears that the arguments in favor of the introduction of more gun-control legislation are in a better position as compared to the arguments that are given against the introduction of such legislation (Berzon). The arguments made by the supporters of gun control legislation have been significantly successful in explaining the benefits that can be provided by the introduction of more gun-control laws (Cullen). At the same time, the supporters of gun control legislation also provides solutions and the solutions are delivered clearly and concisely (Whitehead 13). On the other hand, the opponents of gun control legislation generally rely too heavily on unsupported statistics. In the absence of supportive evidence, it can be believed that the a rguments made by the opponents of gun control legislation do not hold much weight. At the same time, the assumption that is generally made by the opponents of such laws that the introduction of these laws will result in an increase in the sale of guns in black market is also not supported by facts. However, both the opponents as well as the supporters of gun control legislation want to protect the lives of innocent citizens and reduce the crime rate. However the solution lies in the introduction of more gun-control legislation.