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Parker Munson

Salt Lake Communit College

Criminal Justice 1010

April 22, 2021

In toda s orld there is much to discuss hen talking about Gun Rights Vs. Gun

Control. For man it is obvious hich side e should fall on but for others, like m self, there is

much research to be done and kno ledge to acquire to determine here to stand in this

controversial topic. The purpose of this paper is not to persuade nor is it to promote one side or

the other, but it is to simpl inform and encourage the reader to look at both sides of the

argument to help determine their position and stance in the ongoing discussion of Gun Rights

and Gun Control. Using a number of resources, I ill first discuss both sides of the argument b

introducing hat I believe to be the main driving factors for each topic. For Gun Rights this

includes the actual rights and la s our Nation has created to keep the American people safe. As

for Gun Control it entails the reasoning behind passed and current gun la s hich ensure safet

and order in our ever changing and advancing societ . Ultimatel , t o sides are and ill al a s

be presented but it is up to us to find a balance to achieve the ending result e all hope for, peace

and safet .
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The Constitution of the United States consists of America s national government and

fundamental la s, and it guarantees certain basic rights for its citi ens. It provides structure and

limits for the e ercise of government po ers. It includes the man amendments hich have been

adopted b the United States hich serve to ensure the protection and safet of the United States

and its people rather than dismiss or dismantle the la s that have been set. The Second

Amendment of the United States states A ell regulated Militia, being necessar to the securit

of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. (U.S Const.

Amend.2). This right allo s American Citi ens to bear and possess arms and as stated in the

amendment shall not be infringed upon or in other ords violated. One of the man purposes for

this right is to help limit government po er as stated above. Ultimatel this is the principle that

our government as founded upon, that e, the American people have the po er. The right to

bear arms gives us that po er to not onl protect ourselves from those ho seek to harm us, but

also gives us the abilit to defend ourselves from the government if necessar . This la is

fundamental to allo ing the people to feel safe and protected hether the choose to bear arms

or not. To take a a this right not onl ould be going against the ver purpose of the

Constitution b taking a a its meaning, but ould also be taking a a the freedoms e have

all been given hich have been promised from the beginning.

The right to bear arms has al a s been a privilege for the American citi ens and at times

as even a requirement b the government. Man earl American colonies had gun la s that

required that the heads of the households o ned guns ( omen included) and that all able-bodied

men enrolled in the militia and carried personal firearms. (Gun Control. Procon.) Although some

ma argue that this information is outdated and that e live in a different time, the main

objective remains the same, hich is to grant the right to bear arms hich provides protection for
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all American Citi ens against an harm that might come their a . As for man , the intentions

remain the same hen it comes to o ning a gun. Statistics sho that the main driving factors for

o ning and purchasing a gun are first, for the protection and second, for recreational purposes

hich include hunting and shooting (Gun Control. Procon.). There are and have al a s been

man organi ations that not onl e ist to provide instruction and opportunities to learn but also

e ist to help protect the Second Amendment, such as the NRA (The National Rifle Association).

The NRA has continuall fought for our civil rights and continues to promote and encourage the

U.S Citi ens to get involved and do the same (About-the-NRA). Gun o ners certainl are given

man resources and opportunities to help e pand their kno ledge and skills hich ultimatel

provides them ith the confidence the need to protect themselves. On the other hand there are

man ho seek to destro these organi ations for man different reasons, but e must al a s

remember there is a histor to all of the man rights e have as American people and e should

not let them be forgotten. For man believe that the orld ma advance but the foundation that

has been set b the founding fathers remains the same.

In contrast, there are man ho believe that ith this great privilege e have as

Americans to bear arms, there needs to be control and regulation. Although it might seem that

gun control is something ne that is brought to the table, gun la s and gun control have been

around since the 1900 s. In 1934 congress passed the countr s first major federal gun control

legislation, the National Firearms Act (NFA) (Gun-Control). This la required the registration of

certain firearms, imposed ta es on the sale and manufacture of firearms, and restricted the sale

and o nership of high-risk eapons such as machine guns and sa ed-off shotguns. The ne t

major piece of firearms legislation came in 1968 hen Congress passed the Gun Control Act in

response to the assassinations of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Senator Robert
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F. Kenned . The la ended mail-order sales of all firearms and ammunition and banned the sale

of guns to felons, fugitives from justice, illegal drug users, the mentall ill, and those

dishonorabl discharged from the armed forces (Gun-Control). Not onl since then have there

been several cases related to the Second Amendment and la s that regulate it ith the U.S.

Supreme Court, but there are man ongoing cases toda hich seek the same result. Some ma

ask then h is Gun Control such a controversial topic if there are and have al a s been so

man cases in hich Gun Control has been put into effect? Man scholars state that there is

no here else in the orld here gun control is more controversial than in the United States,

here gun possession is constitutionall protected but here murders (including mass murders)

committed ith guns are so e tremel common (Gun Control in the U.S). Statistics even back

this statement up b sho ing that the United States has b far the highest homicide-b -firearm

rate among all developed countries. In 2017 there as a record high number of 39,773

firearm-related deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) (Gun Control). Largel , the current public gun control debate in the United

States occurs after a major mass shooting. On December 10th, 2014 a Pe Research Center

surve found 52% of Americans believed the right to o n guns should be protected hile 46%

believed gun o nership should be controlled, a s itch from 1993 hen 34% anted gun rights

protected and 57% anted gun o nership control. Recentl a poll as taken in Februar of 2018

after the Februar 14th mass shooting at Marjor Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland,

Florida that sho ed that 66% of American voters supported stricter gun control (Gun-Control).

Ultimatel proponents of more gun control often ant more la s to tr to prevent these mass

shootings and call for smarter gun la s, background checks, and more protections against the

mentall ill bu ing guns. As for toda there is a big push for stricter gun la s hich include a
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rule to stop ghost guns (firearms made from kits that include all the components need to make

a gun), a rule about stabili ing braces hich effectivel turns a pistol into a short-barreled rifle,

and stronger background checks and red flagging to help close the loopholes (Biden la s out

aggressive agenda on gun control). In the end there is much need for regulations and limitations

on our guns but it is up to us to decide hether these stricter gun la s ill ultimatel prevent

these mass shootings or hether the ill prevent us from protecting ourselves in the case of this

event.

In conclusion, e are and al a s ill be presented ith t o sides hen it comes to the

debate of Gun Rights Vs. Gun Control. In this paper both sides have been equall presented

hile being backed up b reliable facts and reports from credible sources in hope of a better

understanding of both sides. Although our opinions ma differ in the man different topics and

discussions, the desired result of this paper as to not to argue or persuade one side or the other

but rather help the reader determine here the stand hen it comes do n to it all. For some our

gun rights have been set and should not be altered in an shape or form and for others gun

control is the onl ans er to the debate. But for man e ma find ourselves caught bet een the

t o believing that there must be a balance hen it comes to protecting and controlling the

American people. I ould encourage all those ho ma find themselves in this situation to

educate ourselves and search for a better understanding about both sides. In the end, this topic

ill al a s be of great concern to our government and our societ and it is important for us to

remember the foundations and principles this great countr has been founded upon.
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S ce :

U.S Const. Amend.2

https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/interpretation/amendment-ii/interps/

99 (Links to an e ternal site.)

Gun Control. Procon.

https://gun-control.procon.org/histor -of-gun-control/

About-the-NRA.

https://home.nra.org/about-the-nra/

Gun-Control

https:// .gale.com/open-access/gun-control

Gun Control in the U.S

https:// .britannica.com/stor /gun-control-in-the-us

Biden-la s-out-aggressive-agenda-on-gun-control

https:// .usne s.com/ne s/politics/articles/2021-04-08/biden-la s-out-aggressive-ag

enda-on-gun-control (Links to an e ternal site.)

As for me this paper has certainl allo ed me to look at both sides hen it comes

to the debate of Gun Rights Vs. Gun Control. It is eas for us to quickl assume and

judge the opinion of others hen in realit it is us ho ma lack the kno ledge and

understanding. I personall believe that this topic is of great relevance and importance in

toda s societ . We are constantl being fed information and stories about both sides of

the spectrum and it often confuses us here to stand. For e ample, in man instances

guns have pla ed a huge role in saving american lives but on the other hand have

unfortunatel ended lives as ell. One of the main reasons this subject is so difficult for

us to discuss is mainl due to ho the media portra s each side. The media has al a s

been a contributing factor to the division e see in societ and the ill al a s take both

sides to the e treme. A great e ample of this is ith the politics of our countr . You re

either on one boat or the other, there s no in bet een. I strongl disagree ith this

opinion and hope that others feel the same.

As I did m research on this topic I found man great factors that each side

brought to the table. I personall believe in our constitution and the la s and rights that

our government has set but at the same time I believe that ith these freedoms comes

some government regulation. I am a strong believer in protecting our rights and freedoms

hich limits certain po er over others. Guns have and ill al a s be a great source of

protection and safet . As Americans e ant to feel safe in our o n homes and be

reassured that our safet is of top priorit . Taking a a guns and the right to o n them

ould do the opposite and it is not the ans er to the solution. On the other hand I do
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believe that certain la s and gun control is required in order to not onl protect

Americans inside their homes but out in public as ell. I believe that our s stem has its

imperfections and that there is much need for improvement. I think that there must be

certain la s that determine ho can sell and ho can bu guns. I believe that background

checks are a good a to s stematicall check and prevent those ho should not be

allo ed to possess a firearm to do so. Although the process seems over helming and

comple , i think that our government should look into different a s to improve

background checks and the process in hich guns are purchased and sold.

In the end I do believe there is a possibilit to satisf both sides but in order to do

so much cooperation and understanding is necessar . We must understand that the bad

ill al a s e ist and there ill al a s be those ho abuse their rights and freedoms

hose actions ill never fail to impact our societ . When it comes do n to it all it is up

to us to decide hether e control the abiding american citi ens or hether e control

the unla ful criminals ho seek to disrupt the peace and harmon of our great countr .