Argumentative Essay: Gun Control In Schools

Mikaela Rogers

Mrs. Hanson

IB Language and Literature

13 April 2018 School shootings and gun control

~

Stricter gun control is pointless. Gun control Is one of the nations most controversial topics, and has been even more so since the start of this year. Both sides have made relevant arguments. However, there’s not just one answer to this topic. Some sides will argue the fact that our schools need more security, or that background checks need to go deeper. In reality, we need to look into mental health background as well.

Nationwide, about 8 million deaths a year came back to being linked to mental illness. Whether it be depression, bipolar disorder, or any other illness. For example, Nikolas Cruz, the mass shooter responsible for

Heroin is illegal, is it not?”, this coming from a Washington County Deputy who has investigated a multitude of drug overdose cases. As we all know there is an opioid epidemic in this country. When an overdose occurs, and the death is the result, special detectives that deal with illicit drugs, do everything they can to try and trace it back to the dealer of the drugs. The dealer, if found, eventually is tried in federal court under the US Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, which carries a mandatory prison term of 20 years, and a maximum of life. This is called a Len bias case. Opioid overdoses contributed to 63,000 deaths in just 2016 alone. If you compare that statistic to the amount of deaths due to gun violence, 13,000 a year, there’s a dramatic difference between the two. When people talk about gun violence, they tend to blow it out of proportion, making it seem more pressing than it is. Gun violence is relevant. Not as relevant as 63,000 deaths from just opioid overdoses. Gun violence is important, but it’s not the more dominant of matters at hand. While gun violence is important, maybe more important is the issues of mental illness. While a more effective way of lowering the amount of mass shootings maybe to conduct deeper and more strenuous background checks on gun buyers, what is an effective way to address undiagnosed mental illness with the regards to gun

Unless, a firearm is purchased and gifted to a direct family member such as a son, daughter or sibling. The Gun Control Act of 1968, was passed in response to John F Kennedy‘s assassination. This act refuses certain people the privilege of obtaining a firearm. People such as criminals, fugitives, substance abusers and committed domestic violence criminals, are restricted, and rightfully so. So if domestic abusers and criminals cannot buy guns, then why can the mentally ill? The process of a background check is simple and quick. If you decide to purchase a gun, with an FFL( Federal Firearms License), you fill out a 4473 form (Firearms Transaction Record). After that form is filled out, the merchant selling the gun runs your information through NICS. The NICS is ran and maintained by the FBI. This takes them about 30 seconds. If there’s no incriminating evidence that would prohibit you from purchasing or owning a gun then you go ahead with the purchase. According to the FBI you cannot purchase a gun if you “were convicted of a crime that carried a sentence of more than a year, a fugitive( I.e. there’s a felony or misdemeanor warrant for your arrest), are an addict, are diagnosed mentally ill, which can include involuntarily committed, found not guilty by reason of insanity, or found unfit to stand trial, reside illegally in the US, are dishonorably discharged from the military, had a restraining order issued against