Argumentative Essay: Put A Cap In Gun Control

Nicholas Kornasiewicz

Ms. Revenaugh

English 9, Period 6

10 December 15

Put a “Cap” in Gun Control

On April 20, 1999, two heavily-armed teenagers calmly walked into their High School in Littleton, Colorado killing thirteen people and wounding more than twenty. The Columbine High School incident drew national and worldwide attention. Leading to widespread discussion over gun control and the prevention of school violence. With unstable characters like this jumping through ineffective background checks, and acquiring illegal firearms, nobody is safe. While we believe that our little village of Whitehouse, Ohio is far removed from any of this, the truth is that we are not. That is what the horrified families of the young victims in Newtown,

According to “Gun Control,” these “High-Risk” folk are purchasing firearms because of the flawed system (“Gun Control”). People opposed to gun control argue that taking guns from the citizens does not prevent criminals from getting their hands on guns, as they will just get them illegally anyways. People who oppose gun licensing, mandatory waiting periods and background checks argue that the “normal” gun owners must and do these things, not the criminals. They also argue that criminals are less likely to commit crimes if they think their victims may be armed. Notably, another viable source of information is Bitto, Dana, and Elisa Juliano’s report on the Aurora, Colorado movie theater shooting in 2012. James E. Holmes was a 24-year-old man allegedly affected by mental illness who stormed into a packed movie theater with guns a blazing. In 2015, a jury found Holmes guilty of the crimes and sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole (Bitto, Dana, and Juliano). The flawed background check system has failed, as unstable characters continue to get their hands on guns anyways, as the incidents at Sandy Hook, Aurora and many more have proven. Many have fallen victim to gun wielding maniacs who bypassed the background checks. High-risk firearms are those considered more likely to be misused than ordinary firearms (Zimring). Furthermore, the gun-show loophole

According to “Stronger Gun Control Laws Will Save Lives,” all of the weapons we own are far from keeping us safe. Guns are used to kill more than 30,000 Americans each year and injure approximately 70,000. Guns are also used to commit nearly 400,000 crimes each year. The rate of firearm violence in America far exceeds that of other industrialized nations, where gun ownership is strictly regulated. Although many people own guns for self-protection, studies have repeatedly shown that keeping a gun in the home increases the risk of gun-related death or injury to a person living in the house. According to “Stronger Gun Control Laws Will Save Lives,” a gun kept in the home is more likely to be involved in an accidental shooting, domestic assault or a suicide attempt than it would to be used to injure or kill an intruder in self-defense (Burbick). In addition, no evidence exists to support the claim that society would be safer if more people carried concealed guns in public. Evidence shows that concealed carry laws may actually increase crime. Also, common sense tells us that putting more guns into more hands does not make anyone safer, it merely increases the odds that everyday disputes will escalate into deadly encounters (Gun Ownership with Stricter Controls Could Reduce Gun Violence).