The issue over gun control is the bases for many heated debates in the American society today. As stated by G Kleck (2001), "Gun prohibition can be defined for present purposes as any gun control measure that would preclude legal ownership or possession of guns, or of handguns, by almost all of the civilian population" (p. 130). Therefore, gun control laws are any kind of laws made by the government that try to restrict the legal ownership of guns. Many people believe that gun control laws are necessary to reduce violence, yet others believe that gun control only steals the guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens. However, some believe that gun control laws are necessary to an extent, but the problem is finding out exactly what that extent is.
             People who support gun control laws tend to argue that guns need to be taken off the streets for several reasons. One obvious reason is that guns are frequently used as murder weapons. Another reason as shown by Mark Duggan (2003) is that guns are the most commonly used method in suicides (p. 47). The last major reason is that guns have been known to cause accidental deaths among people who are inexperienced in using firearms. The last idea is particularly aimed toward children. It is obvious that people supporting gun control fear guns and believe they are harmful, but the question still remains as to whether these accusations made toward guns are valid or not.
             Throughout the past few decades, many incidents have occurred that back the idea that guns are especially used as murder weapons. For example, an incident occurred in Louisville, Kentucky involving an employee from a printing plant. "On September 14 [Joseph T. Wesbecker] entered company offices with an AK-47 and fired for thirty minutes, murdering seven coworkers and wounding thirteen before killing himself. He had purchased his guns legally" (DeConde, 2001, p. 240). Incidents such as this he...