Introduction
Have you ever wondered why human life is the most precious asset in the modern world? Even though the answer seems to be simple, not all people comprehend it. This misunderstanding results in wars, terrorist attacks, and other adverse events. Among them, murders and homicides are said to be the most dangerous phenomena because they mean that almost every citizen is under the threat of being killed. It is believed that this state of affairs is present because guns are available for many people. Now, firearms circulate among ordinary citizens, which is dangerous because these gun owners can harm others. Different kinds of weapons are used by criminals to kill others. Thus, the United States needs specific laws that would prevent some people from owning and using handguns since it will contribute to higher overall security and decrease the murder rate.
Defining the Problem
Even though depriving another person of life is considered the severest crime, both religiously and socially, these tragic events tend to happen. While it is believed that assault rifles, such as AK-47, are responsible for the adverse phenomena under consideration, the real state of affairs is different. According to Op-Ed, approximately 200 people are killed with assault rifles per year, while other guns, mostly handguns, resulting in 12,000 deaths annually. The situation becomes even more dangerous when one notices that in California, for example, “over 2.9 million handguns were purchased in the last 9 years” (Callcut et al. 5). Thus, it is necessary to understand why numerous people own handguns, with Saturday Night Specials being among them, and what possible consequences this ownership can have.
Even though firearms are usually associated with militaries and law enforcement officers, many ordinary people own guns for various reasons. Firstly, people buy firearms to protect themselves and their families against multiple threats. Many citizens believe that there can be situations when police cannot help them, and owning a handgun will be useful in this case. Recreational shooting is the second reason for the usual people to have and use firearms. It refers to both hobby and sports activity where guns are considered necessary pieces of equipment. Finally, hunting is another activity that makes numerous people buy, store, and use guns. There is no doubt that the people from the examples above have official permissions that allow them to own firearms, but it does not guarantee that these guns will be not misused. Thus, it is possible to state that many people today have firearms in hand, and they have reasons for it. However, many tragic events prove that these handguns can be used for harmful purposes.
The affordability of guns can result in many tragic events, and mass shootings are among them. It is sad to say that such cases happen relatively often in the United States and the whole world. According to official statistics, mass shootings at U.S. schools have occurred every year starting from 2000, while 2012 was exceptional because it witnessed as 42 people were killed by armed teenagers (Crews 77). It is proved that 75 percent of mass shootings were perpetrated without assault rifles, giving the responsibility to handguns (Op-Ed). In addition to that, unnecessary police shootings also contribute to a higher murder rate. According to Sherman, 986 fatal police shootings were reported nationally in 2015 (Sherman 421). Each of these cases should be considered individually, but an accepted tendency states that police officers shoot to kill armed criminals only. Thus, the examples above prove that the circulation of handguns among ordinary people inevitably leads to fatal outcomes, and specific measures are needed to resolve this state of affairs.
Offering a Solution
There is no doubt that the situations above need specific measures to be implemented. The easiest way is to limit access to handguns that are said to be responsible for many deaths. The research by Callcut et al. supports this idea by stating that banning open carry of unloaded handguns leads to “a significantly lower incident rate of both firearm-related fatalities and non-fatal hospitalizations” (Callcut et al. 1). Furthermore, Colarossi and McAlpine state that “laws designed to regulate who has firearms are more effective in reducing shootings than laws designed to control what types of guns are permitted” (Colarossi and McAlpine 3). It refers to the fact that lawmakers should pass bills that would tighten requirements for citizens to own handguns. For example, prospective firearm owners should prove that their mental health is in order. Furthermore, it is reasonable to not allow guns to people who have been convicted of violent misdemeanors. These simple decisions can be sufficient to reduce the murder rate in the United States.
Solution Analysis
The information above proves that specific actions can be taken to improve the situation with gun control and a murder rate. The proposed solutions address the given situation from different angles. On the one hand, it is proved that when handguns do not freely circulate among ordinary citizens, it results in a lower number of deaths. On the other hand, the offer to prevent particular people from owning handguns demonstrates that addressing the problem multifacetedly leads to better outcomes.
Opposing Views
Even though the information above seems to be convincing, many people tend to believe that these measures will not be sufficient. On the one hand, they are sure that appropriate laws will not prevent criminals from owning handguns and using them. On the other hand, some people mention that gun control laws will aggravate the situation because citizens will not be able to own firearms for self-protection. For example, Newman and Hartman stipulate that some organizations state that mass shootings demonstrate the need for more access to weapons, including handguns (Newman and Hartman 1528). However, all these opposing views can be denied by the statistical data referring to the Californian study. Furthermore, homicide rates are 15 percent lower in states with “gun laws requiring universal background checks for all gun sales” in comparison with states without such laws (Colarossi and McAlpine 5). Consequently, it is difficult to argue with the precise statistical information that proves that banning open carry of unloaded handguns and gun control laws can reduce the murder rate.
Conclusion
Numerous murders are a severe problem for the United States and the whole world. There is an opinion that it is so because many ordinary people have handguns in their hands. Furthermore, mass shootings and unnecessary police shootings that take many lives are considered tragic consequences of this gun affordability. This state of affairs means that it is necessary to take specific measures to solve the problem under consideration. It refers to both specific bans addressing handguns and bills that prevent some people from owning firearms in general. For example, people with mental disorders or previous criminal history should not be allowed to own firearms because there is a high possibility that these people can hurt others. The effectiveness of these solutions is supported by statistical information, and these data are so convincing that they deny all possible arguments that oppose the measures. Thus, it is proved that specific handgun control laws can contribute to a more secure society where the number of people killed with firearms will be significantly lower.
Works Cited
Callcut, Rachael A. “Banning Open Carry of Unloaded Handguns Decreases Firearm-Related Fatalities and Hospital Utilization.” Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open, vol. 3, no. 1, 2018, pp. 1-8.
Crews, Gordon A. Handbook of Research on Mass Shootings and Multiple Victim Violence. IGI Global, 2019.
Colarossi, Jessica, and Kat J. McAlpine. “The FBI and CDC Datasets Agree: Who Has Guns – not Which Guns – Linked to Murder Rates.”The Brink, 2019, Web.
Newman, Benjamin J., and Todd K. Hartman. “Mass Shootings and Public Support for Gun Control.” British Journal of Politic Science, vol. 49, no. 4, 2019, pp. 1527-1553.
Op-Ed. “Banning Assault Rifles Is not the Answer. Thinking It Will Be Could Halt Real Reform.”The Stanford Daily, 2019, Web.
Sherman, Lawrence W. “Reducing Fatal Police Shootings as System Crashes: Research, Theory, and Practice.” Annual Review of Criminology, vol. 1, 2018, pp. 421-449.