The President of The United States of America

The White House

Washington D.C.

Dear Mr./Mrs. President

After the assassination of JFK in 1963, it brought what is now the modern argument of gun control. It isn’t hard to notice the argument of gun control constantly fluctuating over time on high gun control or low gun control. The laws passed in 2013 after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting caused a ricochet throughout the gun owner community. The liberals are on the side of heavy gun control and conservatives support the rights of American citizen to possess and use firearms. Since then, the gun control craze has been at a high with constant back and forth of what to put into effect next in the big circle of laws. The American gun control laws are an irrelevance in an already broken system.

Gun control laws do not deter crime, but rather gun ownership deters crime. Guns are the most effective way possible as a means of self-defense. As stated by conservativesunited.com, “If someone is breaking into your house, calling 911 will probably not save you.” This is true! If someone is coming to attack you unexpectedly, the chances of a 911 call being able to save you is extremely thin. A gun is the only way to protect yourself from a safe distance away. It is even found in a Nov. 26 study during 2013 that between 1980 and 2009, “Assault weapons bans did not significantly affect murder rates at the state level” and that “states with restrictions on the carrying of concealed weapons had higher gun-related murders.” The murder rate has actually decreased as the gun ownership has doubled. Violent crimes in the United States have fallen 22% in the last ten year according to research done by conservativesunited.com. When the assault weapon ban expired, so did crime rates. At that point, people had a means of self-defense and it struck fear in criminals because at that point, the chances of a person having a firearm was higher than it was in the past.

The Second Amendment of the U. S. Constitution reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Guns are needed as a way of self-defense from threats which range on a wide scale. It has been in effect prior to the establishment of country and the Constitution. By establishing more gun control laws, it deters the Second Amendment and infringe the right to bear arms. Within Columbia et al. v. Heller, a court case on June 26, 2008, it was stated that “The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that firearm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.” The right to bear arms is a fundamental right like that of free speech, free press, freedom of religion, and overall, the protection of liberty. Any alteration of such rights, is an alteration of the protection of liberty. By doing so, we are being restricted rights which, as stated in the Constitution and Bill of Rights, the government cannot do so and it is subject to change at a necessary time. Referring back to the previous paragraph, by having the right to bear arms, a person with a concealed weapon can easily stop an armed gunman in a situation if need be. If a person is restricted their right to have an authorized concealed carry, in an event where a firearm is needed, there is no possible way to defend oneself or others. People are being denied a sense of safety and national security. Police cannot protect everyone at a time. It is inevitable to protect everyone and by having the right to bear arms, it allows for help towards police and society to do what needs to be done at a needed time (in self-defense) when officials have no ability to do so.

Through the implementation of gun laws, not only does it penalize hunters and sportsmen, it also doesn't keep the guns out of the hands of criminals. Gun laws are mostly proposed towards long guns which is extremely unneeded seeing that if one were to search through murder records, they would find that only 3% of all murders is a rifle. Law abiding citizens, who go through background checks, who legally abide the law and express their right to bear arms, are being restricted a right and they aren’t even criminals. Criminals, regardless of the law or not, will find a way to reach a weapon. It is inevitable because whether it “makes it more difficult to obtain a weapon” or not, a criminal will find a way if they so choose to. In the United States, there is an estimated 300 million firearms and for one to say, “Gun bans will stop criminals from obtaining a gun” is saying a false statement because with the amount of guns floating throughout the country, it allows for a criminal to obtain a gun one way or another.

As understood Mr./Mrs. President, enabling any gun law is a restriction of rights, an obstruction of national security, and an obstruction of liberty in the country. Something must be done about this because the system is broken. Rather than attempting to add laws, if you want gun control, your must go back and fix the system you have. Step back and figure out what is going on, study the statistics, and figure out what works. The current gun control laws are irrelevant and before gun control laws are put in place, when it should be control of mental health instead, the system must be fixed.

Sincerely ,

A concerned citizen