The Issue Dominates Gun Ownership In America

GUN OWNERSHIP IN AMERICA
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Gun Violence in America
Gun ownership in America debate is always heated, and it is not likely to end soon. Statistics show that each year approximately 33,000 Americans die from gun violence CITATION Mon171 \l 1033 (Chalabi, 2017). The issue dominates airwaves every time there has been a mass shooting anywhere in the country but gradually quells over time. The United States is an outlier compared to other developed nations when it comes to gun deaths, and clearly, it is a thorny issue to Americans. There are several reasons why Americans have not made any meaningful progress on the issue of guns even with the ever-increasing gun violence in the country.
First, gun ownership in America is a constitutional right. The second amendment reads in part’ 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’ (“The Constitution of the United States," Amendment 2). This has been the haven for proponents of gun ownership in America, citing that it is their constitutional right to own a gun. The framers of the constitution included this clause to protect the public from probable oppression by their government. It is the reason why some Americans vehemently call for gun ownership.
Secondly, pro-gun ownership camp has cited that disarming the citizens does not necessarily mean disarming the bad guys. They also cite that banning guns is like banning drugs, it does not necessarily take them away from the bad people, and gun violence would continue CITATION Ger18 \l 1033 (Lopez, 2018). They have also cited that having a gun is a great equalizer for protection against an assailant with a gun or defense. While it may be true guns are for primary protection, often they have not been used for the same purpose because of varied reasons. First, the assailant probably anticipates that the victim has a gun and therefore structures his/her attack in a way the victim will be defenseless. Very few if any mass shooting occurrences that have been stopped by a ‘good guy with a gun.’ Thirdly, this argument is oblivious to the fact that most gun-related deaths are homicides which are heightened by the availability of guns. Additionally, most gun deaths are suicides, and most people choose guns for suicide because of its ease of availability and utility CITATION Bro17 \l 1033 (Brown, 2017). Taking more guns from the people is likely to reduce suicide and homicide cases.
On the other hand, the anti-gun ownership camp cites increased gun violence as the primary reason why gun ownership should be at least regulated. There have been several dreadful mass shootings in schools and public places that have happened on American soil in the last decade. The Sandy Hook Elementary mass shooting, Orlando nightclub shooting, Las Vegas shooting, Parklands School shooting in Florida among many others that were not ...