In the recent years, it is evident that gun violence had significantly increased in different countries. Many cases related to young and children involvement in violence were caught. It’s been a major question, whether gun laws are strict and what all measures could be taken to minimise such incidence (Webster and Vernick, 2013). As more life is impacted on day to day basis, more concern had increased on how people could save their life, when guns are increasingly used. It’s quite shameful to mention that each day one can hear about gun violence impacting people either in their country or other parts of the world.
Till today, gun control remains a major issue for the security agencies in the USA. It is claimed that various innocent live, and many moans in America (Braga, Hureau and Papachristos, 2014). Similarly, many people are left crippled due to the result of increase in gun violence and crime. The issues exist in the ownership and issuance of unlicensed firearms within America. For the purpose of decreasing the gun crime rate, it is significant that government should take the initiative for controlling the distribution of gun and try to illegalize its tenure with no exclusion in any condition (Lewis, 2015). Therefore, gun violence could be explained by the use of a firearm for causing harm. This term also describes the fundamental misuse of weapons (Stopping gun violence , 2016). Therefore, it could be broadly interpreted as the class of violence and crime, which is committed to using firearms that might not include actions of law enforcement practices, self-defence, and sports. This also entails that the use of firearms on international grounds which may lead in killing, injury or threat to individuals (Spitzer, 2015). This is very common among the young people and children which creates a hindrance for the public.The thesis statement of this essay is increasing in gun violence in America.
Due to lack of gun laws, this had lead towards the growth in the gun and ammunition availability in America. This statement is true for different reasons. There are very less or either no regulations imposed on the sale of ammunitions (Kellner, 2015). For the unknown public, there seem to be certain types of regulations impose to supervise the gun industry. There are even certain guidelines, which needs to be followed by the persons while purchasing firearms, but still few loopholes exist in this process (Desmond, Papachristos and Kirk, 2016). Presently, there are no restrictions on buying guns or either ammunition in the private purchasing. It implies, if someone wants to sell their gun, ammunition clips or ammunition, there will be no paperwork done or there are no regulatory agency that reports about the sale of a gun. There are few cities in America, where no such case of gun violence is registered, but in various other jurisdictions, these issues are growing at alarming rate. Currently, in America, there are no federal laws that could address about ammunition sale, through the private channels (Miller and Azrael, 2015). In many American states, the Gun sales laws are not applicable to gun dealers, who hold a valid license.
America is considered as a weapon culture country since they had declared their independence. Even after many years, the gun ownership is increasing, and it’s true that many lives were saved due to the gun (Grinshteyn and Hemenway, 2016). Americans hold legal permission to buy a handgun at 21 years of age along with rifle at 18 years, just by undergoing a background check by the authorised licensed dealer. Now, in the 21st century, a debate is going on to tighten the firearms regulations after the incidence of Sandy Hook School shooting take place in Connecticut in the year 2012 (McGinty and Barry, 2014). In this incidence, Adam Lanza, who was the 20 years old kill her mother, 28 elementary students, five members of staff, and himself. At one side of the gun debate, people argue that all the firearms need to be strictly banned to be used at the federal level (Kelly, 2013). They even mentioned banning on the purchase of the gun, as they believe that guns might go in wrong hands.
These gun control activist also believes that the guns are not required in the civilised society of America (Homsher, 2015). On the other side, pro-gun activist argues that guns are necessary for the purpose of self-defence from the dangerous criminals, hunting games, and it’s even part of American culture. Along with this, these activist think that it’s the divine right of people to own as well as carry the firearm because it’s explicitly mentioned in the second amendment of the constitution (Berdal and Suhrke,2013). Pro-gun activist even suggested that issues are not related to guns, and if gun control is tightened it wouldn’t be a practical step.
As per Thom Patterson from CNN Wire, in 2012 Police arrested James Holmes, who was the suspect in setting off two devices as well as spraying the theatre with the bullets taken from AR-15, 40-caliber handguns, and a 12-gauge shotgun (Fox and DeLateur, 2013). Police even mentioned in this case that Holmes had purchased these guns through the gun shop located in local metro and even purchased around 6000 ammunition with the help of online transactions.
These incidences depict, how easy it’s for people to buy ammunitions as well as high capacity ammunition data in America (Webster and Vernick, 2013). The question is what if there is a necessary need to mention about all the transactions, which increase 500 rounds? There is no guarantee that this step might stop the shooting, but at the same time, it might give police with a time to investigate about the shooters. The next question is what all rights are violated in such cases? The answer to this question is that there are no logical reasons for citizens to attain this gun power (Kellner, 2015). This issue is not entirely inclined towards the second amendment, rather due to lack of concrete regulations associated with high capacity ammunition information, ammunition, who are the main contributor behind all these incidences.
The initial statement is that, if the guns, ammunition magazines, and ammunition are monitored and regulated in a better way, there can be a decrease in gun violence. The arms availability, as well as ammunition, exist at the base of any position for minimising the gun violence. If the people can get guns quite quickly, then people will purchase it (Homsher, 2015). If there are no ways to track the person, who had bought the gun clearly, then there will be no way to understand, whether the criminal was mentally unstable or not. The issues in buying the ammunition and guns need to address by the government. It is important that universal standards for buying the guns in America should be imposed.
The United States President and Congress should immediately pass the laws, which make their country safer, while simultaneously they should protect the gun owner’s right (Fox and DeLateur, 2013). Currently, the mass shooting incidences had initiated gun debate and gun control. Gun violence is the sensitive matter for many people, as there are many incidences already happened in recent time (Berdal and Suhrke, 2013). In many urban areas of America, Hispanics, as well as African Americans, are the primary victim of gun crimes. Though these incidences fail to get media coverage, nor American talk about it. That’s how these incidences are going in the country; it’s not a crisis till it happens in our neighbourhood. It can be concluded that till gun violence is not seen as the national issue, the solution to this problem wouldn’t be found.
Possible solutions :-
Government of USA can play a crucial role in reducing the gun violence that is increesing at alarming rate. Effective policies can be formulated under which serios punishments can be set for people involved in the cases of gun violence. It is assertive that government should take significant initives for enforcing the law and policies that are formed for reducing the cases of gun violence (Spitzer, 2015). Second solution is ban can be imposed on assault weapons including gun and other dangerous weapons (Grinshteyn and Hemenway,2016).
It will assist in reducing number of gun violence cases in the state and peaceful environment can be created for individuals living in USA. Third solution is to make people aware about gangers involved in gun violence cases and advertisements can be given on radio, television, newspapers for making people aware. People can be requirested in this advertisements for staying away from dangerous weapons as they can cause serious threats for their lives (Berdal and Suhrke, 2013). In addition to this councelling sessions can be organized for people who are previously involved in gun violences cases. It will support in reducing the risk and criminal offences in state by making changes in attitude of criminal minded people
REFERENCES
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- Fox, J.A. and DeLateur, M.J., 2013. Mass shootings in America: moving beyond Newtown. Homicide Studies. p.108.
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- Homsher, D., 2015. Women and guns: Politics and the culture of firearms in America. Routledge.
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- McGinty and Barry, C.L., 2014. News media framing of serious mental illness and gun violence in the United States, 1997-2012. American journal of public health. 104(3). pp.406-413.
- Miller, M. and Azrael, D., 2015. Firearms and suicide in US cities. Injury prevention. 21(e1). pp.e116-e119.
- Spitzer, R.J., 2015. Politics of gun control. Routledge.
- Webster, D.W. and Vernick, J.S. eds., 2013. Reducing gun violence in America: informing policy with evidence and analysis. JHU Press.
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