Gun Control Argumentative Essay

“Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both” (Franklin: “Ben Franklin Quotes”). The issue of whether to get rid of gun control laws or to have stricter laws has been a highly debated topic for years. There should be no more gun control laws because they do not decrease murder rates, they violate the Second Amendment of the Constitution, and humans need guns for self-defense. Copious amounts of people strongly believe that guns will get rid of the highest murder rates, or in the least, decrease them. However, that is seemingly false. Gun control laws do not decrease the murder rates or in other words: getting rid of guns does not get rid of violence (“Gun control: five reasons

Only one amendment has been repealed in the Constitution and that is not getting rid of the right to bear arms. “The Second Amendment clearly recognizes the inalienable natural right to self-defense. Lawmakers ay outlaw certain types of weapons, but they may not disarm the citizenry” (Phillips). When a right is inalienable, it cannot be taken away, not even by the government. Countless multitudes of people strongly fear that the government will take over their very lives. Someone has said, “You give an inch and the government could take a mile” (“Gun Control: Five reasons…”). Or, “People fear gun control would be the first step towards the people’s rights being removed little by little” (“Gun Control: Five reasons…”). Clearly, if the government took away the citizens inalienable rights to bear arms, then they can certainly take away other inalienable rights, such as life, liberty, and property. It is said that, “The Founders understood that the right to own and bear arms is a fundamental and as essential to maintaining liberty as are the rights of free speech, free press, freedom of religion and the other protections against government encroachments on liberty delineated in the Bill of Rights” (“Should more gun control laws…”). Some people believe that “The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm

“A Pew foundation report found that 79% of male gun owners and 80% of female gun owners said owning a gun made them feel safer and 64% of people living in a home in which someone else owns a gun felt safer” (“Should more gun control laws…”). Many times owning a gun can prove to be quite helpful and may even save your life or the lives of others. Wayne LaPierre says, “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun” (“Should more gun control laws…”). Nelson Lund says, “many gun control laws interfere with the ability of law abiding citizens to defend themselves against violent criminals” (“Should more gun control laws…”). Additionally, Lund says, “the right to self-defense and to the means of defending oneself is a basic natural right that grows out of the right of life” (“Should more gun control laws…”). According to the National Rifle Association, guns are used for self-defense 2.5 million times a year. The police cannot protect everyone all of the time (“Should more gun control laws…”). If guns were outlawed, then law abiding citizens would not be able to protect themselves. “Criminals would continue finding ways to illegally acquire guns while robbing and attacking law-abiding citizens who suddenly have no means of self-defense” (“Gun control: Five reasons…”). John R. Lott had something similar to say, “the problem with such gun control laws is