The Gun Control Debate

In the 1800s, the automatic firearms were introduced (Kleck. These are the guns which automatically reload and fire continuously as long their triggers are pressed which is contrary to how most of the handguns operate. After the banning of liquor in 1919, the organized crimes which led to massive shootings by the use of the automatic machine guns rose tremendously. The newly appointed president Roosevelt D. Franklin made the restrictions against the use of this ammunition his primary target (Swift. Currently, the federal law disallows specific persons from owning a firearm: mentally ill, criminals, illegal immigrants, and veterans who left the military with a dishonorable charge (Lund. The federal laws demand that gun dealers ought to be licensed to carry out background checks about the buyer through a database which is run by the FBI to check if the person is allowed to purchase the gun or not (Swanson, Jeffrey, et al.

Pp. However, the pre-existing system has various holes or shortcomings such as the incomplete listings of criminal cases in the database. Also, small-scale gun sellers are not required to carry out background check this leads to the inappropriate acquisition of the riffles. Some states permit people to carry guns in public, openly without a permit or license. The law enforcement officials have some regional and cultural divides regarding the gun laws. In general, the small-town chiefs and sheriffs oppose gun control while the big-city chiefs support the notion of regulating guns (PBS Newshour). The Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) approves the closing of gun show loopholes by strengthening the background check systems while reinstating the assault weapons ban. The MCCA disagrees with assault weapons but approves the strengthening of the background checks (PBS Newshour).

As a result of this, the rifles in possession aids in curbing the menace. It gives the citizens the power of self-defense and also of dissuading criminals from victimizing the residents. That is, armed citizens usually help in stopping mass shootings. However, the arguments in favor of gun control encircle the mass killings within the nation. Globally, the US is the leading nation with more gun ownership and also gun violence. More protections should be implemented to curb against the sale of machine guns to mentally ill people. However, the opponents of the formulation of more gun laws accuse the proponents of using an incident or tragedy to further a lost cause thus asserting that more laws would aid in preventing some future incidences of same magnitudes. As of 10th December 2014, research by Pew Center Survey reported that 52% of the American citizens believed that the right to own a rifle should be protected while the remaining 48% advocate for more control (Kleck.

After the shooting in Florida at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on 14th February 2018, 66% of the Americans supported stricter gun control laws (Sweeney). Using a cause to justify a formulation of a new law will not help in rectifying the situation in the future. Rosales. The Mentally Ill And Gun Laws In The US: Regulations And Current Situation.  The Gun Rights, 2017, https://thegunrights. com/mentally-ill-and-gun-laws/. Accessed 31 Mar 2018. Sweeney, Dan. Florida School Shooting At Stoneman Douglas High School - Sun Sentinel.  Sun-Sentinel. Com, 2018, http://www. sun-sentinel. org/sites/default/files/publications/se/6105/610502. html. Accessed 31 Mar 2018. After Declining For Decades, Homicides Surge In Cities Across The Country.  PBS Newshour, 2018, https://www.