Issue of gun control - Essay Example

Gun Control Debate Introduction Presently, the gun control debate is a contentious issue in Parma Ohio whose influence has resulted from a sequence of shooting in the region. With this, gun control advocates have intimated the need to take up stringent laws that would prevent the occurrence of such violent shootings in the present and in the future. On one hand, opponents to the move to relaxed approaches have also taken their stand to advocate for unrestricted gun ownership as a way of averting gun related violence. According to these proponents, the restriction on gun ownership is in contrast to the provisions under the Second Amendment under the US constitution. Ideally, the US constitution provides that citizens have an entitlement to gun ownership unless they execute this within the requirements of the law. However, many of the American population seem to have misinterpreted the law as they tend to own gun illegally making the debate to gain momentum. In essence, gun control does not necessarily mean the control of the sale of guns, but it also encompasses gun ownership control and motive and gun acquisitions. With this, this essay will delve on gun control debate in Parma, Ohio with a target on both sides of the debate by presenting data that would support or negate the argument. 2. Stating of the problem In America, gun related violence is one of the leading causes of bodily harm and fatalities in which many of the guns used in these crimes do not belong to the shooters. Ideally, the acquisition of these guns tends to be legal, but they end up falling in the hands of ill-motive individuals that avenge attacks on innocent civilians. On the other hand, proponents of the regulation of gun ownership argue that citizens should not own guns either legally or illegally because owning a gun is one of the contributors to gun related violence. In Parma, major calls are on the ban on the licensing of handguns and assault weapons while the obtaining of the other types of guns should be within law requirements. As a way of ensuring that the Ohio state’s curbs the gun violence menace, advocates for the debate have decried the need to have an arms registry that would help in accounting for the weapons used in committing crime. Additionally, gun shows are also potential areas that aid in flooding the population with unlicensed firearms. Ideally, gun acquisitions at gun stores tend to have intense requirements, but firearm shows do not have the same because their intention is making sales and not in safeguarding the population. Izadi of the National journal asserts that the problem also lies in the accessibility of firearm clips, which many argue that they are dangerous as having guns. This is because gun handlers that have high capacity clips tend to spray more bullets without having to stop to reload their weapons, which causes more damage. 3. Data that supports the debate A majority of those that commit gun related violence tend to be individuals that have had priors in crime that has led advocates on the restriction on gun ownership to influence the Ohio state to adopt the background check to be law. When passed, an individual that has a prior history of crime becomes non-illegible to obtaining a firearm because of the information obtained through the national registry. In the past, this measure was strict, but gradually became non-applied by firearm sellers because it attracted minimal profits within this trade. Ideally, many argue that conducting of background checks on a purchaser of a gun contravenes ones privacy and that it is also discriminating because of the stereotyping associated with past offenders. 3.1 National data According to the Survey by the National crime victimization, almost five hundred people became victim to gun related violence in 2011. On the same year, data by the FBI showed that sixty eight percent of American murders drew influence from firearms (Carter, 351). Additionally, forty-one percent of robbery crimes and twenty one percent of heightened assaults resulted from firearms. Ideally, the percentage of crimes influenced by violent gun usage have been fluctuating in a period of two decades meaning that it tends to be high in other years and lower in others. For instance, America registered a percentage of seventy-five in relation to violent gun crimes, which was lower as compared to the rate in 1993 (Cohn, 1). Contrary to the opinion of many, the percentages of gun violence in America are lower as compared to the rates witnessed in the past decades making this a desirable attribute. On the other hand, America has the most number of civilian firearms as compared to other developing nations, which also translated to high rates of homicide in comparison with other developed nations. 3.2 Local data in Ohio According to Davis of The Plain Dealer, at least one million people have lost their lives through gun violence between 2000 and 2010, which has made this a matter of public safety and health crisis in the region. A survey conducted by Cleveland University unearthed that almost one million people lost lives through gun violence, which was five times the number of casualties at the Vietnam War and was higher than the US casualties were during World War II. Many of those residing in Parma, Ohio view this as an epidemic that statutes in authority do not seem to consider as a serious problem affecting their society. Moreover, proponents of legal ownership as being a way of ensuring safer societies argue that the population’s accessibility to guns does not translate to violence, but instead influences a peaceful society. This year alone, the State of Ohio has witnessed more than ten gun related incidents reported with the implications being either fatal or non-fatal. According to Ziqmond from the Healthcare Business News, the war on gun control is no longer about gun ownership, but its entirely related to the mental capacities of the shooters. This means that it would not be easy to control gun usage by limiting purchasing ability because a significant number of the guns found at these crime scenes are legal firearms. On the contrary, the gun control issue in Cleveland is also unique as many activists blame the occurrence of gun violence on broken families and unbalanced states of minds that propel young minds to commit such offenses. In essence, a knife is a tool that causes intense harm, but its sale is not restrictive as compared to that of guns. Therefore, activists and leaders have intimated that guns are not to blame for gun related violence, but individuals are to blame. The National Rifle Association has also suggested that arming school officials with guns to counter gun related violence, which debaters argue is irrelevant. Many of those that commit gun offenses are young people that have a problem coping with their realities in that they use violence to cope with their societal problems. 4. Field research methodology Multiple answer questions i)What is gun control and what does it entail? a) it is the control of the sale of guns to the community b) it entails the limitation to gun ownership and adoption of federal laws regarding the same ii) Do the proposed legislation on gun control breach the US constitution in any way? a) Yes, it is in breach of the second amendment in the US constitution that allows for gun ownership to private citizens b) No, they do not because most of the guns are contributors to the loss of innocent lives and not for protection iii) Are the existing gun control legislation effective or are they broad and non-influential? a) They are broad in that there are loopholes in the system that do not effect comprehensive background checks for those intending to purchase guns b) They are effective, but focus should also be on the mental states of those obtaining the firearms iv) Should the suggestions made at the national level apply within the Parma, Ohio region as a way of curbing gun-related violence? a) No the problem is unique in Ohio hence the solution should be different b) Yes, the debate is significant across the entire state v) Should people with prior convictions purchase guns as private citizens? a) No, they have the highest probability of committing gun crimes in the future b) Yes, because many of those that commit gun violence do not have prior convictions attached to them vi) Will the transformative legislation minimize the rate of gun violence once in place in the future? a) The proposed legislation would not change the rates of gun crimes because the rates of crime in the past was low and did not have influence from legislation b) Legislation would be influential in minimizing gun violence the loopholes in the low are the cause of the witnessed gun violence across America Discussions on the gun control debate Naymik of the Plain Dealer intimated that the sporadic attack on Sandy Hook Elementary School was the principal contributor to the debate on the need to curb gun related violence. This occurrence has facilitated activists to take up diverse approaches to increasing awareness and minimizing gun violence. A number of those interviewed intimated that gun ownership should not be the issue, but controlling human behavior should be the matter of concern. Ideally, an interview conducted on former gang members in Parma intimated that guns find their way to the streets through security guards that have no ethical obligation. Additionally, those that use guns for violence activities obtain them through stealing from relatives meaning that they do so without the knowledge of the gun owners. Additionally, guns find their way to the streets through backdoor sales that do not conduct background check on purchasers especially in gun shows. Therefore, those that have had prior involvement in gang and street violence insist that gun control should not dwell on gun ownership, but should rely on handling these individuals. Many insist that that conducting background checks on those intending to own a gun should be the prime focus while all these issues should come last. In essence, individuals that have had prior involvement in crime have a high likely hood that they would commit offenses in future when they encounter a gun. Therefore, individuals that have a history of crime should not obtain guns illegally if the fight against gun violence is to succeed. Others suggest that gun control is a matter that should be unique to each state and that the solution should not apply within a national concept. For instance, the approach for Parma, Ohio should have basis from handling the youths that idle around i9n the region and have time to engage in risky behaviors. Activists insist that gun ownership is most the problem that bedevils this region hence creating the need to take approaches to gun control in relation to the needs and causes presented. 5. Conclusion In my view, the debate presented by activists and proponents of the gun control debate are valid in that they bring the neglected side of the debate. This means that those that insist that gun control only concerns gun ownership do not have relevant information concerning this society issue. Therefore, the debate should shift from why guns are on the street to the reasons as to why people have reverted to inappropriate gun use. In comparison, America has more stringent laws regarding gun acquisition and ownership as compared to Switzerland and Germany, but the crime rates are higher in the US that in these two countries (Cukier & Victor 113). From this research, gun ownership should not have strict regulations because guns still end up in treats through unscrupulous means making it an ineffective way of controlling gun violence. With this, the Parma community in Ohio needs to apply approaches that are in tandem with the cause of these gun violence that include poor mental states and misguided judgment. For Ohio, venturing in the national debate over gun control would not be impactful for its population because this region has its unique problems and causes for gun violence. Ideally, meeting of these needs for the Ohio region would be through conducting research to ascertain relevant data that would help in combating the problem. Lastly, meeting the needs of the Ohio community in relation to gun violence is a matter of addressing the need of their specified community and should be within the national platforms as it would be ineffective. Works cited Carter, Gregg L. Gun Control in the United States: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2006. Internet resource. Cohn, D’Vera et al. Gun Homicide Rate Down 49% Since 1993 Peak: Public Unaware. Web 7 May 2013. Pg 1-10 Cukier, Wendy, and Victor W. Sidel. The Global Gun Epidemic: From Saturday Night Specials to Ak-47s. Westport, Conn. [u.a.: Praeger Security International, 2006. Print. Davis, Dave. Nearly 1 million Americans killed or wounded from guns from 2001 to 2010, CSU study finds. The Plain Dealer. Web 1 April 2013 Izadi, Elahi. The Gun Control Targets: States Where Laws Have Passed. National Journal. Web 4 April 2013 Naymik, Mark. Gun- Control debate should be refocused on places like Cleveland, not Sandy Hook. The Plain Dealer. Web 31 May 2013 Ziqmond, Jessica. A bad combination: Linking gun control, mental health bills questioned. Healthcare Business News. 27 Web 2013 Read More