15 November 2016

Dear President Trump:

People say that guns kill people; this is false. People kill people, and if they don’t have access to guns, they will assuredly use something else. Cain didn’t need a gun when he murdered Able. Gun control laws have become a pressing matter of controversy in America. Some people believe in the complete eradication of guns, while others support retaining firearms in our homes and loosening gun laws as well. Though some people believe guns are the primary source of violence in our country, they also are needed to aid in self-defense, and to preserve our second amendment rights.

A major concern with gun control laws is that criminals will illegally gain access to guns, break into homes of law abiding citizens, and take advantage of those who obey the law. Criminals are criminals. Criminals disregard the law. Criminals will get their hands on a gun. So if criminals will acquire guns illegally anyway, so there’s no point in even trying to regulate gun sales, right? This mindset further generates the idea that guns are monstrous.

A criminal could quite possibly steal a gun from someone who obtained it legally and use it against them, leaving them defenseless, leaving them powerless, and leaving them hopeless. While this is an understandable worry, with a weapon like a gun, responsibility is a huge concern. People should be keeping their guns under lock and key, or simply concealing them in their homes. The government can only do so much and the people need to be willing to do their part to keep guns safe and used appropriately. All citizens purchasing a firearm should undergo background checking and pass a mental exam in an attempt to make sure that a gun is going to a responsible individual who understands the seriousness of owning a gun. A common statistic is that guns are one of the leading causes of homicide, suicide, can result in accidental child death, and can end a domestic dispute. Though this may fall under the category of responsibility, it also is a matter of mental stability.

If guns are regulated more carefully, homicidal and suicidal people will not be able to get their hands on them. Improving safety features on guns will make it increasingly difficult for curious children to misuse them. In the case of a domestic dispute, a man (or woman) who is the owner of a firearm would have most likely failed the mental stability test required to get a gun and subsequently not have obtained access to one in the first place. These mental and criminal background checks, as well as a mental stability tests, are not an invasion of privacy because individuals buying a gun should be willing to undergo these simple checks. The last thing America needs is another unhinged individual with a gun.

There are several statistics out there stating how children try and experimenting with their parent’s gun and end up shooting themselves. They are left either wounded or fatally injured. If we put more safety features on guns, these children could still be alive! Children in America have reportedly been nine times more likely to die of a gun-related incident than children in other advanced countries. Children are taught to play with guns when adults give them water guns, BB guns, foam dart guns, and other toys. Part of gun control should include safety, in which child-proof locks are in place. We already lock up our medicine, why are guns any different? Bishops in America support the sale of guns, but want to make it safer and raise awareness of what dangerous weapons guns are.

Those who possess firearms need controlling; they need more control than they have now, but by no means should they be taken away. They are a fundamental form of protection and safety in American homes. Guns are not harmful, it’s the people who use them. By placing restrictions on guns, we can limit the sale to those who are mentally stable and make it to where purchasing a gun illegally is more difficult to come by. The American people warrant the unalienable right to bear arms.

Sincerely,

Sabrina

Bibliography

Clarke, Kevin, and James Martin. "A history of violence: Gun control in America." America, 18 July 2016, p. 31+. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/MagazinesDetailsPage/MagazinesDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=true&displayGroupName=Magazines&currPage=&scanId=&query=&source=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&u=lafa43079&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CA460324799&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=true. Accessed 10 Nov. 2016.

Gun Control. 2016. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=true&displayGroupName=Reference&currPage=&scanId=&query=&source=&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=GALE%7C00000000LVWY&u=lafa43079&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CPC3010999212&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=. Accessed 10 Nov. 2016.

"Should More Gun Control Laws Be Enacted?" ProCon.org, 28 June 2016, gun-control.procon.org/. Accessed 10 Nov. 2016.