Gun control needed amidst frenzy to buy guns
April 22, 2009
If you’ve watched, read, or listened to the news in the last few months you’ve probably heard that recently in the United States gun sales have reached an all-time high––and that consequently, murder rates, too, are at an all-time high, with over 50 people slaughtered by guns in the month of March alone.
It’s become clear that something is definitely wrong.
Despite this sudden craze for United States citizens to buy guns and kill each other, the government has done little––if anything––to help the situation. Consequently, more and more people are taking this problem into their own hands by purchasing guns to defend themselves against a potential gun massacre.
Do you see the problem here? No? Well, let’s think: People are getting killed by guns. Buying more guns to shoot more people so that you don’t get shot is ridiculous. Can’t we see that the guns and lack of gun control laws are the problem?
Instead of the government focusing all of its attention on the economy, it needs to be devoting at least some of its time to implementing laws making it harder to purchase and use guns––especially guns of military caliber––which have obviously been used for destructive purposes against innocent people.
The National Rifle Association (NRA) should also be blamed for this recent outbreak of killing sprees, due to its staunch opposition to any gun control law––even if it is logical––and convincing law-abiding gun carriers that the government will take away all guns if any gun control law is put into place.
To solve this problem, the government needs to make a compromise. People––though it pains me to say this––should still be able to have guns.
But in order for people to continue to be able to bear arms, guns shouldn’t be nearly as readily available as they are today; we need to control what guns people are allowed to purchase and who is purchasing them.
No matter how the government decides to handle this situation, they had better act quickly, or else more gun massacres will occur and more citizens will purchase guns, thus perpetuating this downward spiral.
Jon Pachkofsky • Dec 20, 2012 at 11:01 pm
Every time their is a concern about a ban on guns gun sales go up.
People who shouldn’t have guns but do, is another reason that people arm themselves.
Weapons are not the problem it’s the people who have them that shouldn’t!
Guns, knives, baseball bats, lead pipes, etc don’t do the thinking for the person using them.
Ryan E Marshall • Nov 27, 2009 at 3:54 pm
If we could un invent guns then yes murders would go down significantly. Can we do that, obviously no. So let’s look at this logically and not ideologically. If guns were made illegal would it stop people from owning and using them to commit crimes, absolutely not. Would it create a black market for them that criminals would profit from and thus kill each other over, absolutely yes. So while the situation is not ideal, making them illegal will not solve the problem and most definitely will create new ones of equal or greater consequence. So why make guns illegal. The same reason that drugs are illegal, an idealogical view point that our society ie government has to stand on some kind of moral high ground despite it’s effectiveness or consequences. I would also like to point out that Florida State University criminologists estimated that guns are used in legal self defense an average of 2.5 million times a year. Compared to 570,00 gun crimes committed in 1995 when they were at their highest level of that decade. So roughly 1 in 5 incidents where a gun was used was it used to commit a crime. Base point is that gun control is illogical, ineffective, and a complete over estimation of what legislation can accomplish.
Bryan P. Kowalczyk • Sep 5, 2009 at 10:44 am
Unless they changed the law, they still do comprehensive criminal check before being able to purchase a gun. There is still a wait period, and there is still a ban on automatic weapons. I don’t think there are long lines of law abiding citizens buying guns so they can go on a shooting spree! People have the right to self-defense of their home, property, family, and self. There are sufficient regulations in place already–the government does not need to get more involved–except to take the criminals off the streets–PERMANENTLY!
Ryan Quinlivan • May 2, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Really? “Instead of the government focusing all of its attention on the economy, it needs to be devoting at least some of its time to implementing laws making it harder to purchase and use guns” I think you just needed something to write an article on if you think that more attention should be paid to gun control than the economy. When was the last time you had a problem with guns? Now, good luck with your student loans for college, not to mention your prospects of getting a job in four years.
Drew Frenz • Apr 22, 2009 at 10:46 pm
I’m having trouble finding recent data, but according to the DOJ gun crime in 2005 was at the lowest level since 1973. I doubt there’s been THAT much of a spike since then.
The sale of basic firearms to citizens without significant criminal records is required by the constitution, for the purpose of keeping power with the people and as a final “safety valve” against totalitarian government in case our checks and balances system someday fails. If you think that’s so unlikely, take a look at IndyMedia Twin Cities’ film Terrorizing Dissent. Alternatively, just take a look at the history of pretty much every other country in the globe- the less power held by the people, the more easily they are taken advantage of. Power comes in three forms, all equally important. One of those forms is the Big Stick.