Gun Control

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorCollege, Undergraduate October 2001

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There are a lot of arguments in the United States of America. Especially gun control has been a serious problem. Guns have two sides that are positive and negative. I would like to describe problems of concerning guns and gun control laws.

Today, we often hear how dangerous guns are: that if you have one in your home, you are more likely to be murdered. We hear claims that the mere presence of guns makes people act violently. Most murders are not committed by previously law-abiding citizens but going berserk, or because a gun was handy during a moment of uncontrollable rage: suddenly "blow away"� their spouse, friend, neighbor, acquaintance, or all four.

However firearms in the hand of law-abiding citizens actually reduce the violent crime rate. The scientific date conclusively show that, when confronted by an armed robber, the safest response is to use your own firearm for self-defense, and that the most dangerous response is to comply with the robber.

Long time ago, the founders of the United States saw fit to guarantee every citizen the constitutional and inalienable right to keep and bear arms. The fact that the freedom we so cherish in the United States was won with firearms. The American Revolution was ignited when the British army marched to Concord to confiscate the American colonialists' weapons.

Studies conducted at both the local and national level indicate the overwhelming majority of murders are committed by people with previous criminal records. Democratic homicides as well are preceded by a long history of violence. The crime of passion homicide is much more the exception rather than the rule. In 1998, firearms were used in 65% of homicide, and 52% of homicides were committed with a handgun. Although still unacceptably high, the U.S. homicide rate reached a 30...