Argumentative Essay On Gun Control

With the recent surge in mass shootings and gun-related deaths, gun control has once again become a focal point of discussion. The debate over gun control has been a contentious issue in American politics for decades. Gun control is a highly complex and emotional issue, with advocates on both sides fiercely arguing their position. Some argue that gun control is necessary to reduce the number of gun-related deaths and improve public safety, while others argue that it infringes upon their Second Amendment rights. However, when all evidence and empirical data is taken into account, it is well within reason to conclude that gun control is an ineffective measure that doesn’t suppress gun violence in America.

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Gun control advocates typically are referring to rifles when using the term “assault weapon” such as the previously mentioned AR-15 or AK-47. W.S. Lewis highlights a key flaw in an outright ban of semi-automatic rifles or “assault weapons” as they are generally referred to, stating “First, the AR-15 is a modular firearm that can be configured to fire a variety of ammunitions, including small-caliber handgun ammunition. Second, many non-assault weapons fire the same 5.56mm and .223-caliber ammunition as the typical AR-15. If the concern is the power of the ammunition, it would make more sense to target the ammunition, not the gun. However, this wouldn't affect "assault weapons" such as the infamous AK-47, which fires slower ammunition, but it would affect some sporting rifles… This would also raise the question of whether popular hunting ammunition should also be banned.” (Lewis). Lewis highlights that assault weapons, such as the AR-15, can be configured to a variety of ammunition. This shows that the “assault weapons” that gun control advocates demonize are often firing the same ammunition as handguns and other non-assault weapons, making it unreasonable to simply target assault weapons. He also states that targeting the ammunition instead of the weapon wouldn’t have an affect on some rifles such as the AK-47, while it would affect common hunting rifles, displaying the senselessness of targeting the ammunition as well. Furthermore, Lewis goes on to cite a study about the lethality of handguns compared to semi-automatic rifles “Third, according to a 2018 study by Brigham and Women's Hospital, a gunshot wound from a handgun is just as likely as a gunshot wound from a semi-automatic rifle to be fatal in the close quarters of a typical mass shooting.” (Lewis). He cites a study from Brighan and Women’s Hospital that shows the