Handgun control essay
...in today’s America. But this much has been decided, "in the 1938 Supreme Court trial they ruled that gun control laws do not violate the Second Amendment"(Gun Violence..). This being established that the government is not going to take away the right to own guns. They can how ever restrict how people get guns hand who can obtain guns. Although handguns can be used in self-defense, guns cause far more harm in the hands of people than anything else. Having a handgun for self-defense is fine as long as the person knows all the ins and outs about using a gun. My father had to get a gun for a short period of time, because as a judge his life was threatened by a man he put away. In cases like this where there is a clear need to have a gun to protect one’s life a person should be granted the right to have a gun. Handguns can be used in self defense though more often than not they end up being used for less nobler means. The harm that guns inflict is tremendous and should not be ignored. As noted by Gun violence in America," Each year gun violence takes the lives of over 30,000 Americans. There are 90,000 non-fatally injured, and 10 people 19 years old or younger die everyday from guns." These statistics are not getting any better and will not unless some changes are made. As the facts show guns are being used in far more tragic means than intended. A gun in the home is "22 times more likely to shoot a member of the household or friend than to shoot in self-defense"(Gun violence). Guns are obviously dangerous in the hands of inexperienced people, let alone in the hands of a killer. Of all the deaths do to guns "40% are homicides…"(Firearms) that means that the person bought the gun with the plan to kill someone with it. The deadliness of guns can not be denied nor should fixing the problem go untended. Guns can help defend your life yet, they are talking more lives than they are saving. Strict handgun laws work in other countries to lower deaths do to guns. One of the best examples of strict handgun control working is in Canada, "in 1996 handguns were used to murder 106 people in Canada where as in the U.S. 9,260 people were"(Firearms). That is an astounding difference, Canada is must be doing something right. This is what is making the difference there, all Canadians must have a license to buy or own rifles and shotguns. They are required to pass the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course. When applying for a firearms license you are required to have their past and or present spouse or common law partner sign the application. Canada limits possession of handguns to collectors, target shooters, and those who can demonstrate a need of a gun to protect their lives. In addition to the license, every gun in the County must have a certificate of registration. Having to pass a safety course makes sense, we have to go to driving school, pass a written, and behind the wheel test just to drive. Just as driving a car can become a deadly weapon, a gun is a deadly weapon which we do not put the same emphasis on knowing how to use. As noted by Smith, "You have to be an excellent shot to shoot someone with a handgun"(31) all the more reason to make sure those that have handguns can use them properly. It is a good idea to have a second party that knows you be some what of a reference as to whether you should have a gun. Just with job application references they give the application reviewer an idea of what kind of person you are. In this case if you are the type of person that should be owning a handgun. Having every gun registered is just a good idea so if that weapon is used in a crime the police have a reference as to who owns that make of gun. Just as we make drivers register their cars. Now some my say that it is unfair to compare other countries success with gun control with the U.S., that there are different economical and social circumstances not taken into account. However there has been studies done which took these circumstances into account which still yielded the same results. This study "examines the effect of handgun ownership on homicide rates in to cities similar in every respect but one: their handgun control laws. One city, Vancouver, British Colombia, has very strict handgun ownership laws, ...