In some countries, citizens are allowed to keep a gun in their home. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
Argumentative Essay Gun Control
The gun debate is very popular with the media in certain countries, especially the USA. The right to bear arms is written into the constitution of a country and there will always be people who believe that it is in the best interest of communities and the country to have an armed population. Others will claim that it adds to gun crime and deaths.
One of the main arguments against citizens being able to keep a gun in their home is the control of the sale of such arms to the population. Some people still consider it to be too easy to purchase a firearm over the counter, even with identification and background checks which are now common. Another point commonly voiced is that if a homeowner keeps a gun at home, it may be used against them in the event of a break-in or similar event, therefore making the incident potentially even more dangerous than if the owner of the property was unarmed.
On the other hand, various experts have shown that the presence of guns is a deterrent and that how easy it is to purchase firearms has no real connection with the level of gun crime. As they explain, criminals do not generally buy their guns at the local firearms store – they obtain them illegally - and, therefore, no amount of legislation to tighten gun sales would prevent them from being armed. However, more stringent procedures would make it more difficult for ordinary citizens to arm themselves. Is this fair? It seems somewhat illogical and does not focus on the problem; armed criminals and not ordinary citizens with guns.
I believe that if the constitution allows you to be armed, then it is your decision to make. Given the choice, I would rather have a firearm in my home, just in case, rather than find myself face-to-face with an armed intruder and being defenseless. The police can rarely stop crime against homeowners – they are usually only called and arrive after the event.
How would you answer this essay question about gun control?
Discussion Points on Gun Control
Even politicians who view gun violence as a public health crisis can't agree on what to do about firearms.
The strongest arguments in favor of gun control center on "the need to address wider problems." Waiting periods, comprehensive research-based background checks, denying guns to persons with a history of mental illness or domestic abuse are all proposed ideas with strong support from legislators and advocates alike.
Social scientists say that identifying the social groups driving shootings will be key in developing strategies that reduce violence effectively.
All existing guns in the country could be registered with a central database to ensure their owners have legal access. That includes public gun ranges and military complexes too. Once that is achieved, all future guns will require an access card, hopefully limiting illegal weapons and those who would use them for nefarious purposes.
But would more gun control work?
Political candidates and lawmakers are quick to promise their constituents that they'll do everything in their power to reduce crime, including the nomination of judges with strict sentences for firearm use.
What these individuals don't realize is that most crimes involving firearms arise from felons who already possess illegal weapons. In essence, any new laws would not impact criminals having unlawful possession of a firearm.