Dear President,

The viewpoints and opinions on gun rights are a constant issue in our country. It is one of the major debates that causes debates among everyone, because almost everyone has an opinion on an issue as big as this. As President, I ask that this situation is not taken lightly, and that the problems people will have firearms be dealt with through their concerns, and by simply throwing away the rights of an American citizen.

This does not mean that the American public's view does not change on gun issues, but has remained a fairly even sided debate the past 10 to 15 years. The people are split between the rights to own guns, or wanting more gun control. I am sure that you are more knowledgeable on the subject then I am, but I hope that you do your duty as President of our country to protect our rights to our firearms. My whole family has lived around firearms all our lives, and are nothing to be afraid of when used properly. Because of this, I don’t understand why some want an increase in gun control. When our current president acknowledges that, “There are some steps we could take not to eliminate every one of these mass shootings, but to improve the odds that they don't happen as frequently,” this shows that gun control will not solve the problem. However, almost half of the American public would prefer gun control over rights, according to findings from the Pew Research Center. There is a consistent rise in the amount of people supporting firearm rights, but it is still not enough. Gun rights need to be protected, and not taken from those who are are legally entitled to and deserving of those rights.

I am often asked what I believe should be done to prevent in our beloved country, if gun control is not the answer. I am often asked why those who want restrictions on guns. For one, violent crime rates are statistically higher in states with stricter gun laws, because a smaller percentage of households in those states will have firearms to defend themselves. Self defense is a major reason to protect gun rights, as it will often be the chance between life and death if a situation escalates before emergency services would arrive. However, self defense aside, I think the answer can be deciphered in a comparison to other crimes. If a man leaves a bar with too much to drink, and hits a car at a 100 mph, killing the occupants of the other car, how is the situation handled? Obviously the man committed a crime, but do we also ban his make and model of truck because it can go fast enough to kill? Obviously we do not, because this is absurd. The police throw the man with the DUI in jail. Still, I am asked how, when compared to gun violence, this would stop crimes from happening. Well just as police do their best with pulling over suspicious vehicles and breathalyzing drivers, firearm owners can go through more severe background checks. I love my firearm rights, and would not mind an extra background check, because I know that I have nothing to worry about. The only downside to this solution would be if it is over restricted, and thus will need checks and balances, like everything our government is built upon. While nothing will provide a perfect solution, additional background checks are favored by 86% of Americans, according to Gallup. In a country as diverse in every aspect as America is, I believe that is the best compromise for this country’s citizens, and the one that citizens need. As President, I just ask that you provide the solution this country asks you for. The solution that acknowledges that the blame cannot be put on the object, but on those who do not have the responsibility to wield it. Make America safer, but with the freedom to get ourselves out of trouble. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Benjamin K.

Works Cited

"Gun Control Versus Gun Rights." Laws. Laws.com, n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.

Newport, Frank. "American Public Opinion and Guns." Gallup. Gallup Poll, 4 Dec. 2015. Web. 1 Nov. 2016.

“Gun Rights Vs. Gun Control.” Pew Research Center: U.S. Politics and Policy. Pew Research Center, 26 Aug. 2016. Web. 1 Nov. 2016.