Exercise #1. Gun Control

       The Controversy of Gun Control       

"Gun control has been a popular issue that boils whenever acts of gun violence occur. There has been countless numbers of citizens and lawmakers that have been debating this issue of gun control for more than a century, and there is not a definitive decision. Guns, weapon technology, gun ownership and even gun control laws can have unexpected consequences. The creation of a national gun registry would create privacy issues, and the use of outdated or unclear gun control laws can result in the loss of life. Unfortunately  a perfect gun control solution hasn't been created. There is not a way to know if gun control will make the nation safer or more dangerous until we try. If America cannot adopt strong gun control laws, maybe we can adopt safer ways to use their guns." 

http://openreader.org/the-controversy-of-gun-control/

For centuries, there has been arguments on both sides of the topic. There are people who believe there should be strict laws, but U.S citizens should be able to own guns if they desire. There are also people who completely disagree with this, and do not believe U.S citizens should own or obtain a gun unless they are part of government or military. The main argument and question has been- which side will cause a greater good to the country? Will future laws demolish the violence and murder, or will it increase? Will people be able to protect themselves and their families, or will it begin unnecessary issues? The debate on gun control will continue to be thrown back and forth between ideas until a decision is made. Overall, there is no way to foresee the outcome until the United States government actually takes action and makes an ultimate decision.

Statistics on Gun Ownership
- 40% of all US homes have guns
- 81% of Americans say that gun control will be an important issue in determining which   Congressional candidate to vote for. 
- 91% of Americans say that there should be at least minor restrictions on gun ownership;
- 57% of Americans say that there should be major restrictions or a ban.

Proponents of gun control -

• Do not believe that state and federal gun control acts do enough, and gun rights advocates believe that the laws sometimes go too far.
• Believe that stronger laws can prevent the loss of life occurring. (Even people who are proponents of gun control agree there are some people that should not be permitted to own a firearm).
• Currently, gun control laws prevent criminals, mentally ill individuals and children from owning guns. But there have been times where children and deranged people have acquired weapons and used them to commit massive crimes. 
• "Law reviews from the 1970s cite America's high rate of gun-relate crimes compared to other industrial countries as a driving factor begin gun control legislation. Statistics like this prompted New York to successfully reduce its crime rates by putting gun control law into action."
• These groups believe that enforcing guns will help people protect themselves.
• Proponents believe that creating subtle laws, but allowing citizens to carry guns will make a safer and more comfortable place. 
• Gun massacres most often use legal weapons: According to Mother Jones, of the more than 70 mass shootings in the United States in the last 30 years, about three-quarters of the guns used were obtained legally by the killers. Pro-gun control advocates believe tougher gun laws could have potentially prevented these crimes.
• Gun control laws protect children and families: Moms Demand Action, a grassroots group founded in response to the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, believes guns in America are creating a public health crisis that is attacking children, citing statistics that show nearly eight American children are shot and killed every day. The group says stronger laws are the answer to protecting children.
• Background checks will help keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have them: Americans for Responsible Solutions, supported by former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her astronaut husband Mark Kelly, advocates for background checks to prevent criminals, domestic abusers, and seriously mentally ill people from buying guns. The group says laws requiring background checks have prevented the purchase of guns by nearly 2 million people who should not have had them.

Opponents of gun control -

• This group argues that Americans ultimately have the right to bear arms.
• Laws would prevent people from defending themselves and a persons property lawfully.
• Opponents support and understand the rights of recreational use, sport shooters and hunters.
• Opponents often cite the Second Amendment. ("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 main argument opponents make is that "the right to own and use weapons is an undeniable personal freedom guaranteed by the Constitution.
• These groups of people feel that if strict gun laws are enforced, school shootings and mass murders will continue and increase.
• These people believe only specific groups of people should be allowed to obtain a firearm.
• “Self-defense is a fundamental right,” says the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action. The group points out that the right to bear arms for self-defense is protected in all states as well as the U.S. Constitution. Handgun restriction laws have been struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Violent crime goes down when more people legally carry guns: Right-to-carry laws have been on the rise in the U.S. since the early 1990s. At the same time, violent crime rates have decreased. The number of privately owned guns has risen by about 100 million. According to the NRA, “Through 2010, the nation’s murder rate has decreased 52 percent to a 47-year low, and the total violent crime rate has decreased 48 percent to a 37-year low.”
  
• Widely supported gun bans don’t deter crime: The Federal Assault Weapons ban, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1994, expired and has not had enough support to be renewed. The NRA argues that research shows “assault weapons,” or those certain semi-automatic guns designated in the ban, “have never been used in more than a small percentage of firearm-related violent crime.”

Video below published on Dec 15, 2014

"Two years after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School -- and for the first time in more than 20 years -- a majority of Americans support gun rights over gun control. Judy Woodruff talks to Carroll Doherty of the Pew Research Center and Joseph de Avila of The Wall Street Journal about shifting U.S. opinions on guns and safety." -PBS News Hour.

The news report in this video states that because of the Sandy Hook shooting, many people have decided to support gun control. Many people in the United States (especially families of the children that attended that school) see the potential danger that can continue if the government doesn't pass a law for stricter gun control. A mother of a son who died during the Sandy Hook shooting is said to be suing the gun company that the killers weapon was from. Many of her acquaintances and listeners see the the danger and agree with her decisions. Because of the amount of public school shootings that have occurred, many parents see first hand how children were in danger, and do not want it to be one of their own. So overall, the public support for gun control has increased since the Sandy Hook shooting.

On the other hand, there has been stories on how the Sandy Hook shooting was in fact a fake, and never actually happened. There have been countless amounts of videos and articles proving the falseness of the act even happening. Some videos include police dash cam footage, which show no children ever exiting the school. There are also pictures and links to Facebook pages that were made called "Donations for Sandy Hook shooting" prior to the shooting even happening. Many people also believe that the U.S government staged the Sandy Hook shooting in order to pass the limit of gun control. Many believe that the government wants to remove the option of citizens owning firearms because they are afraid it will give people too much power.

Ultimately, is the government trying to make a better place for the U.S citizens, or are they beginning to feel threatened and want to obtain all the power? The answer will never officially be found because the government only tells us what they want to tell us. The gun control law can change tomorrow, in a month, or in a few years. In the end, no one knows what the future holds. In the meantime, we just have to sit and wait.

Sources-

http://openreader.org/the-controversy-of-gun-control/

http://www.ontheissues.org/background_gun_control.htm

http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/gun-control-pros-and-cons/2014/09/28/id/597212/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpatEfWj3is