Gun control has been a controversial topic of discussion throughout American history. There are two sides to this issue, American citizens should be able to bear arms under certain restrictions, and some say that there should be total restriction on American citizens being able to bear arms. Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. ...Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man. (Jefferson 236).
Gun control and violent crime are two of the most controversial and emotional topics in politics today. America's founding fathers, as well as a number of modern day scholars agree on two key points regarding these topics: First, the government is not legally responsible, nor can it guarantee, protection to individuals against violent crime; and second, the right of self-protection remains in the hands of the people.
Our legal system's failure to enforce current laws, due to prison over crowding, allows violent criminals to remain on the streets. Statistics prove that repeat offenders perpetrate a majority of violent crimes, and that enforcing current laws with mandatory sentencing can and will reduce the violence. Statistics also prove there are very serious consequences associated with increased gun restrictions as it allows violent criminals to choose victims without fear of retaliation by those victims. In the minds of many of today's most prominent criminologists, there is only one conclusion: enforcing current gun laws and easing gun restrictions for law-abiding citizens reduces violent crime rates.
America's founding fathers knew the government would be unable to protect the individual citizens against violent crime. The Second Amendment was written to ensure the...