Gun Violence Sean Bechet Ms.

Jones 28 March 2014

Bechet 2 Sean Bechet Ms. Jones English IV-3A 28 March 2014 Gun Violence One prevailing question that arises on a moment by moment basis is what is the solution to solving gun violence? Many would agree that there is no one resolution to curing that destructive issue. Gun violence is defined as a category of violence and crime committed with the use of a firearm. Violence through the use of firearms is one of the most brutal and vicious causes of death in the United States. Although the same can be said of Gun violence in the world, the incidence is far lower when compared to the United States. Basically, gun violence has been the predominant medium in annihilating human life since its invention. That type of violence ranges from the demise of human life through acts of genocide, wars, and the general public, mainly as acts of control, selfishness, and greed. Gun violence is especially prevalent among gang members, drug dealers and users, along with others who are trigger happy just for the twisted fun of it; that is, to make themselves feel powerful. Even those who are armed to serve and protect (law enforcement) have been involved in sinister acts of gun violence. Many argue that gun control is the key to solving violence, while others argue that gun control is an infringement of their constitutional rights to bear arms. The answer to the argument has to do with compromise based on gun control through tough government regulation vital to decreasing violent firearm assaults. One means of decreasing gun control is to legalize and enforce intricate background checks for criminal history of potential buyers. This law would make it harder to buy, own, and carry a firearm. This is not to say that it is necessary to keep guns away from everyone, just those

Bechet 3 with questionable background and those wanting guns for the sole use of misusing them. Background checks are promising because a high fraction of murderers already have criminal records. For example; in one study in Illinois, 71% of those convicted of homicide had previous arrest, and 42% had prior felony conviction (Stray 2). To deny the privilege of purchasing a weapon would no doubt help the process of deterring criminal acts with the use of a fire arm. One group of advocates supporting this law is the Mayors Working Together to keep guns out of Illegal Hands (Mayors 2). This support and advocacy is a logical place to start the deterrent of crime through government regulation. Along with performing background checks on individuals seeking to purchase firearms and total and complete denial of those with criminal backgrounds, requiring background checks for mental illness would help decrease violent gun injuries and murders. Discreet but effective psychological test would unveil abnormal tendencies, including anger issues, depression, psychopathic, sociopathic and other mental markers (Stray 1). Requiring access to certain medical/criminal records would also reveal the necessity to deny. The purchase of firearms which would ultimately reduce acts of violence worth noting, is that those known to have had forms of mental illness have not only been responsible for homicides, but have been known to commit suicides with the use of firearms (Carroll ). Senator Gabby Gifford, who was injured from a gunshot wound argued before the Senate that the goal and responsibility of the government is to regulate gun control by keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people like criminals, terrorist, and the mentally ill (Gifford 72). This type of regulation would no doubt help in the fight against gun violence. In addition to performing background checks to avoid selling firearms to those with criminal backgrounds and those who have or exhibit tendencies of mental illness, limiting the

Bechet 4 availability of military style weapons and the forbiddance of video games that support gun violence are also strong regulations that limit like savagery (Stray 3). The limitation of military style weapons to ordinary citizens with clean background records could help solve problems with gun violence in that it would not be accessible to the general public. Those type weapons have been responsible for mass murders through drive-by shootings and the like. Theft could be one way of getting that type weaponry on the streets and into the wrong hands. Also, to forbid the sales of violent video games would help in crime prevention. Many crimes like the Columbine killings were believed to increase the desensitizing of killing through the means of gun violence. To control these sales of assault weapons and sales of violent videos glamorizing the use of military style weapons would minimize barbarity- All effective methods of gun control. Gun Violence is rampant in the United States. It is seen as a rising epidemic of death and injury. Many innocent lives have been lost as a result of firearm misuse. Those who have committed the wicked acts of violence on victims have often been those who have criminal backgrounds, mental illness, and total and complete disregard for human life. Much of that disregard is suggested to be from firearm availability and plain desensitization associated with repeated exposure to ruthless video games and like. Many proponents of gun control are organizing coalitions to lessen and ultimately eliminate gun violence. It is agreed that there is no one resolution to the problem, but a variety of ideas, forums and legislations is the starting point. The objective is not to violate mans right to bear arms, but to keep the weapons out of the hands of unstable citizens. Other creative measures like stiffer sentences for illegal possession buy back campaigns and the like, will add to the success of gun control and the reduction of crime through the use of firearms.

Bechet 5 Works Cited Carroll, Michael J. Police Chief Magazine View Article. Police Chief Magazine View Article. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2104. Giffords, Gabrielle D., Mark E. Kelly, and Jeffrey Zaslow. Gabby: A Story of Courage, Love, and Resilience. New York: Scribner, 2021. Print. Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Mayors Against Illegal Guns. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2014 Stray, Jonathan. The Atlantic. The Atlantic. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2104.

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