Versus – Should there be stricter gun control?

Versus - Should there be stricter gun control?

Clare Brennan, Staff Reporter

Yes

     Ratified over 200 years ago by slaveholders before we even had electricity, the 2nd amendment that gives American citizens the right to bear arms is now outdated and simply allows violence to continuously grow. The Bill of Rights was created to be changed and adjusted as needed. What the United States desperately needs now is increased gun control.

     It’s true that guns may not be the leading cause of death. They don’t kill as many people as certain natural diseases, but they most certainly have devastating effects on our country. Anyone who watches the news or listens to the radio has heard of the countless injuries and lives lost to these weapons, whether it be in school shootings, gang violence, accidents, etc. According to The Daily Caller, there have been 2,349 shooting victims between Jan. 1 2015 and Oct. 6 2015 in Chicago alone. That means that on average, someone was shot every 2.8 hours. Guns have clearly had detrimental impacts on not only this city but this country as a whole and it is an issue that cannot be ignored. We can’t let the fact that there are other horrors in the world that kill more people to be justification for ignoring this horror that destroys lives on a daily basis.

     Many argue that the solution is to arm all citizens with guns. That way, a shooter can be stopped before having a chance to do much damage. That may have been true in 1791. But with the advanced weapons that exist today, a person can fire at an open crowd and kill dozens before being taken down. There is no way violence will decrease if we all carry such deadly weapons, especially considering the amount of people that don’t know how to handle them. The damage that could be done if everyone was given the power to so easily take away a human life is unimaginable.

     Gun violence has also taken a toll on our country’s economy. U.S. lifetime medical costs for gunshot injuries total an estimated $2.3 billion. That’s without considering costs of the criminal justice system, security precautions, and more – all covered by taxpayers. There are so many important things that money could pay for if we only had stronger gun control, especially considering the dire state the economy is in right now.

     Some who stand by the 2nd amendment argue that criminals will get their hands on a gun no matter what the law says, leaving the “good guys” unarmed and vulnerable. While nothing can stop all criminals, harsher laws – including background checks and mandatory waiting periods – will undoubtedly make it harder and even give them time to rethink their decisions.

     The undeniable truth is that laws in place today are far from sufficient. The United States needs to keep its people safe and curb its incredible amount of violence. It is crucial that we take the first step towards this by creating stricter gun control laws.