Gun Control is no Answer

A detailed Summary of Gun Control is no Answer

The Gun Control issue has sparked major controversy in America today. People who support gun control feel that guns are the reason for the soaring crime rate in our country. I disagree with the supporters of gun control. I feel that because of the black market, violent criminals being released from prison early, and the need to ensure personal safety, stricter gun control will have very little impact on violent crime in America.

I believe that gun control works in theory, but not in real life. Sure, there are many violent crimes where guns are used, but most of these guns are obtained illegally, because the gun control laws enfroced are not enough.

With the growing gun-related crime rate in the United States today, many bills have been proposed to control guns. The most popular of these bans is The Brady Bill. The bill focuses on semi-automatic handguns. People wishing to buy a handgun will have to answer a federal questionnaire. The person's background will be checked thoroughly for criminal records or records of past mental illness. The process should only take five days. This five day waiting period, or the "cooling off" period, is supposed to allow a person's temper to cool down. The Brady Bill claims that

Wright, James D. Taking Sides. Guilford Connecticut: The Dushkin Publishing

I think self defense is an important reason why we should not have gun control laws in the United States. A 1985 survey of convicted criminals by the U.S. Department of Justice showed that 34% reported that they had been scared off, shot at, or captured by an armed victim; 40% said they had decided to not commit a crime because they thought the victim was armed (Bender 153). This survey shows that handguns used for self-defense can actually reduce crime. If there were restrictions on handgun ownership, victims of crimes would be helpless. When a criminal carrying a gun breaks into a person's house, the only chance the victim would have of defending himself is if he owned some sort of firearm.

Petzal, David E. "Reveille." Field & Stream June 1994: 26-27

In the past, over 20,000 gun control bills have been passed through Congress, and crime is still running rampant through America's streets. The National Firearms Act of 1934 was the first federal gun law to be passed. This act imposed a two hundred-dollar excise tax on the sale of fully automatic weapons. The Gun Control Act of 1968 made it a requirement for all gun dealers to have a federal license. This same act also banned the sale of guns through the mail and the sale of guns to all people who have formerly been convicted of violent felonies. It also prohibited dealers from selling handguns out of state, and out-of-state residents from buying handguns (Bender 51). These have not eliminated gun-related crime either.

Brister, Bob. "SHOT Therapy." Field & Stream, May 1994, 82-84.

Simon, Jonathan. "The NRA Under Fire." Public Citizen, July/August 1989: 9.

Bender, David L. Gun Control. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1992.

people act on impulse. A person's temper can interfere with his/her ability to think clearly; he/she is angry, so a gun is bought to get revenge. I have no problem with the Brady Bill, because it has stopped crime, but not enough.

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Approximate Word count = 1849
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

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