Dear Future President,

Gun control is an important topic that has become embedded into the history of our country. The topic still comes up quite frequently today, like in the media or in the presidential election. Talking about gun control can be very challenging because the two sides of the issue are extremely different. Pro gun control is the first side of the issue and they oppose the use of guns by anyone other than police or military. The latter is pro gun rights and they believe in the right to have ownership of guns and they oppose heavy legislation that restricts this right. I side with this opinion: citizens of the United States should have the right to bear arms.

When talking about gun control, the two sides of the topic may be different, but there are shared values between the two; both sides want safety and protection. Yet, they envision this completely different… One side feels protected in the absence of guns while the other feels protected in the presence of guns. Due to recent coverage in the media, guns are typically associated with death and violence, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the majority of voters in the United States were in opposition to gun ownership. But, is this their own opinion? Or is this what they are drilled to believe?

According to data published by the National Journal, half of the top 10 states with the lowest gun-death rates have less-restrictive gun laws. Has the media covered this? No. If we as a society have the mindset that guns only contribute to mass shootings and only contribute to police on black deaths, then we will get nowhere. Guns don’t contribute to mass shootings and guns don’t contribute to police on black deaths, people do. That’s why laws like The Brady Act, which requires federal background checks on firearm purchases in the US, have been passed to help ensure that guns are placed in the right hands and not the hands that contribute to violence.

The Second Amendment’s original purpose isn’t much different than it’s purpose today. In 1791, when it was adopted along with the Bill of Rights into the Constitution, citizens used guns for protection and to perform civic duties. Today, guns are also used for protection. But, they are not only used for protection now, people use guns to feed their families. Think of a hunter, a hunter who relies on a gun to help put food on the table for his family. Imagine that a law is put into place where he can no longer have a gun. There are societies in the world that still rely on the use of guns, or weapons, for survival. The second guns are taken away is the second you threaten someone’s livelihood.

Sincerely,

Cam K