gun control debate
On April 20, 1999 Eric Harris and Dylan Klebod opened fire on their high school in Littleton Colorado. Eric and Dylan entered the school at 11:19, shooting randomly, they killed the first two of their thirteen victims. Finding the cafeteria empty, they continued towards the library. Students saw the gunmen and a frenzy broke loose; screaming, running, panicking. Harris saw Cassie Bernall hiding under a table, he looked at her and fires a shot to her face killing her instantly. This continued for what seemed like hours, days even, but at 12:05 there were two final shots, one killing Eric and one killing Dylan. After it was all said and done, fifteen people were killed. (Time, Dec. 20, 1999) A recent spree of deadly school shootings like the Columbine massacre mentioned above has brought up debate on the issue of controlling guns. Many anti gun groups claim that banning handguns would substantially reduce violence because a majority of violent crimes are committed with handguns. Such a drastic step is not necessary, but something has to be done in order to reduce the violence. If strict laws dealing with background checks were widely enforced throughout the nation, then there would not be s
If any of the restrictions are violated, citizens can be subject to jail time or fines. In only six years, there has been a significant drop in the murder rate; one can only imagine what stricter laws could accomplish. Mentally unstable people are not allowed to purchase guns, but since mental health records are very difficult to check and often go completely unchecked, many mentally ill people still obtain guns. People who are experienced with guns know that a long gun is much deadlier at close range than a handgun. The American Civil Liberties Union would greatly protest this. The National Coalition to Ban Handguns says that most murderers are not criminals; they are "law-abiding citizens who might have stayed law-abiding if they had not possessed firearms" (Kates and Kleck 32). Guns will still be circulating in the United States and if criminals want a handgun, they will find a way to get one.
Common topics in this essay:
Brady Bill,
Kates Kleck,
Cassie Bernall,
David Mustard,
Tobacco Firearms,
According FBI's,
Bruno Leone,
Eric Dylan,
Liberties Union,
Lott Mustard,
gun control,
brady bill,
concealed weapons,
five day waiting,
law-abiding citizens,
waiting period,
day waiting,
background checks,
five day,
mental health,
health records,
mental health records,
mentally unstable people,
day waiting periods,
day waiting period,
|
Acceptance Essays
