SYDNEY ANDERSON

For many years, gun control laws have become a major debate for many Americans, leaving them conflicted on whether to support or rule against it. While some people are in favor of gun control, believing it restricts killings, others are against it, thinking guns are a form of safety and protection.

Gun control regulations violate an individual’s right to self-defense, while also infringing on their right to safety. Nelson Lund, professor at George Mason University of Law states, “The right to self-defense and to the means of defending oneself is a basic natural right that grows out of the right to life.” Charley Reese, a former member of the NRA asserts, “If you believe in the right to life, then you must believe in the right to have the means to defend that life.” Through the second amendment, citizens were given a reason to defend themselves, providing them with a sense of liberty. The second amendment protects individuals’ right to self-defense, which means it should be used for safety precautions.

How can someone feel safe without protection?

When speaking about gun regulation, many people believe it violates the second amendment. However, the purpose of the second amendment was to protect the right of militias to own guns, as opposed to human rights on guns. Michael Walkman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice, informed people that in the second amendment, there is nothing posted about an individual right to bear arms. This was not mentioned when the second amendment was drafted, discussed, or even ratified. Between 1876 and 1939, the US Supreme Court refused to rule in favor of human rights to own guns.

Not all people use gun control as a way of inflicting harm upon others, as hunters use guns for food. Without the employment of guns, hunters would not be able to provide for their families. Hunting is a way hunters express themselves, a signal of their freedom.

There are other weapons hunters can use during hunting, instead of guns. Guns are not the best option and will  provide harm to the animals. Mark Quinn, a hunter who supports gun control states, “As hunters, we don’t need assault style rifles with automatic-like actions and large magazines to hunt wild game, and we’re fine waiting for however long it takes to buy a gun, if that helps keep guns away from people who shouldn’t have them. In fact, over the last 40 years many more modern firearm hunters have switched to bow and muzzleloader hunting because it allows them to spend more time afield, and hunters love to spend time afield.”

Many people believe that guns are the reason for violence, but it is the people behind them doing the action. By restricting guns, the violence will not stop. Gun regulation laws do not prevent the crime from occuring. Even with gun regulations, criminals will still find a way to steal, kill, or inflict harm onto another individual.

Even with the presence of a gun, it escalates conflict into becoming more violent. Armed individuals are less likely to prevent crimes and are more inclined to produce dangerous shootings, like mass killings. Between 1982 and 2012, not one of the 62 mass shootings was prevented by an armed individual.  With more gun control regulations, there will be a decrease in the number of killings. According to Britannica ProCon.org, 572,357 people died because of gun violence between 1999 and 2016. In those 17 years, there were 336,579 suicides with 58.8% taking their own lives with a gun. Regarding suicides and homicides, guns were the prominent reasons for deaths (51.8% of suicides and 67.7% of homicides).

Although many individuals are against gun control, it is the safest option for the citizens. Anti gun controllers believe that gun regulation will not prevent killings; however, less guns will decrease the amount of killings. Another claim is that hunters need guns for food, but they can use bowhunting as a better and safer alternative. Stephen King, an American author states, “‘How many have to die before we will give up these dangerous toys?”

If guns are not being regulated, how will innocent lives stop being taken?

Works Cited

“Pros & Cons – PROCON.ORG.” Gun Control, 7 Aug. 2020, https://gun-control.procon.org/. 

Quinn, Mark. “I’m a Hunter, and i Support Gun Control.” The Seattle Times, The Seattle Times Company, 6 Apr. 2018,