Dear Future President,

        As Americans, we have the right to own guns. Some Americans are saying guns are the problem for the ongoing terrorism, but the availability is actually reducing terrorism. Studies show that gun ownership has doubled in the twentieth century, but the murder rate went down. Furthermore, only a fraction of guns are used for terrorism.  

        For example, the banning of guns would not keep them away from terrorists. There are about 300 million firearms in the U.S., so obtaining a gun would not be hard. Some people would sneak guns into the country or hide them, and these people are most likely the ones killing people. There are always people breaking the laws, so this new law would not be anyway effective. Law abiding citizens would follow the no gun rule, and as a result, they would have no way to defend themselves in times of trouble. 

         Having a gun is the easiest and most effective way to defend yourself. The National Rifle Association stated that 2.5 million people use firearms for self defense every year. If an intruder arrives somewhere, the police will not be able to be there right away. Guns can protect you from a distance away safely, and almost anyone can learn to use a gun correctly in the United States. Additionally, the handicap and elderly are helped greatly with the availability or guns for self defense. 

Sincerely, 

Eric Hughes

Bailey, David H. "Does Gun Control Encourage Crime?" The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, August 3, 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/david-h-bailey/does-gun-control-encourage-crime. 

Kopel, David B. "The Costs and Consequences of Gun Control." Cato Institute, Cato Institute, December 1, 2015, www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/costs-consequences-gun-control. 

Lott, John R. "Effects of Gun Control." Chicago Law School, University of Chicago Law School, November 3, 2016, www.largo.org/Lott.html.