Americans are 25 times more likely to die from gun homicide than people in other wealthy countries. Statistics like these have established one of the most fraught topics in American politics, gun control. Gun control refers to the set of laws or policies that regulate the possession or use of firearms by civilians. In the awakening of the school massacre in Parkland, Florida, the topic of gun control has resurfaced in the United States. As a result, Parkland students have become gun control advocates overnight and are taking action to create change. Meanwhile, most Democrats are pushing for tougher gun restrictions and some Republicans have sided with the National Rifle Association in resisting new gun laws. Because politicians are extremely divided on gun control, mainly because of the Second Amendment, gun violence has become an American ritual where calls for action occur but nothing ever changes. However, young high school students leading the …show more content…
According to John Locke, a philosopher, “... government exists by the consent of the people in order to protect the rights of the people and promote the public good…” (Tuckness). The right to safety, which is described as “life, liberty, and security of person” is one of the human rights that the government exists to protect (UDHR art. 3). Not to mention, the government has regulated potential dangers that can infringe on an individual’s right to safety in the past. For instance, the government “can regulate explosives and machine guns,” which are deadly enough to violate an individual’s safety (Carter). Therefore, the government is clearly obligated to protect citizens from violence. Thus, in order to ensure public safety through reducing gun violence, the US government must enforce strict gun control laws by regulating guns as heavily as cars and following Australian gun