What is the Purpose of Government?

The U.S. Constitution answers this perfectly; "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity…" (U.S. Constitution, Preamble).

This introduction to the U.S. Constitution promises that the government will protect U.S. citizens and their natural born rights. However the government has acted by increasing gun control laws even without any new solutions coming out. In recent events the divide between the two opposing sides on whether America should enforce gun control laws.

The government should not induce more gun control laws; in doing so the government would be infringing upon the second amendment, the right upon the freedom to own guns for self defence, and in-turn would actually cause more violence through illegal firearms and with no viable solutions present.

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By imposing gun control laws the government is breaking their promise to protect U.S. citizens’ rights. The Bill of Rights explicitly states U.S. citizens’ unalienable rights, one of which is the right to bear arms. The Second Amendment of the US 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." Gun ownership in fact deters crime and gun control laws would only reduce gun ownership.

Gun ownership is an American tradition older than the country itself and is protected by the Second Amendment; more gun control laws would infringe upon the right to bear arms. This clearly states that Americans are born with the right to own guns, and the government cannot impede upon this right.

It’s common sense to believe that less guns would in effect mean less death.The reality is that gun ownership improves gun violence not gun laws. John R. Lott, Jr., PhD, author of More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws, stated, "States with the largest increases in gun ownership also have the largest drops in violent crimes... The effect on 'shall-issue' [concealed gun] laws on these crimes [where two or more people were killed] has been dramatic.

When states passed these laws, the number of multiple-victim shootings declined by 84 percent. Deaths from these shootings plummeted on average by 90 percent and injuries by 82 percent." According to the National Rifle Association (NRA), guns are used for self-defense 2.5 million times a year.

The police cannot protect everyone all of the time. This shows how states that added concealed guns laws have had lowered crimes drastically due to the increase of gun ownership. While gun ownership doubled in the twentieth century, the murder rate decreased. Criminals are afraid to commit any crime due to conceal and carry laws and an increase in gun ownership in many houses.

The increase of gun control in fact only increases violence and more viable solutions are accessible. Gun Control laws would just limit civilians on buying guns for self defence and only increase the illegal firearms for criminals as the illegal firearms are banned. Criminals don't obey the law…This reveals how without the fear of retaliation from victims who might be packing heat, criminals in possession of these weapons now have a much easier job. If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.

The solution to this problem is not to remove the guns the Founding Fathers put the Second Amendment, they had lived under the tyranny of King George and they wanted to make sure that the free people in this new country would never be subjugated again and have to live under tyranny. Even in places like France, where they have stricter gun laws, there are still mass shootings. People who are committing an illegal crime aren’t going to be discouraged from committing it because of the fact that another law says it’s illegal.

The right solution to this problem is more mental health institutes as this would help us with depression and suicide-related killings. In addition, many of the mass shooters have gone through mental issues and are not treated for it. In LA times they state "According to our research, at least 69% of the 185 public mass shootings that took place in the United States from 1900 through 2017 were carried out by people who had either been diagnosed with a mental disorder or demonstrated signs of serious mental illness prior to the attack." Clearly mental health issues are a strong correlation to gun- related deaths.

Data shows that risk for firearm violence varies substantially by age, race, gender, and geography, in patterns that are quite different for suicide and homicide. Through a public health approach, we have learned that violence is preventable across all of its forms. There is a bigger issue at hand- mental health issues- that the government is failing to solve with gun control; perhaps what the government needs to impose is stricter mental health regulations such as higher security at mental institutes of higher background checks in America.

The best example of a successful country in gun related murders is Switzerland as they haven't have a mass shooting or recent homicides in 26 years; yet there is not a single ban on any weapon. Switzerland has a ratio 0f 45.6 guns to a hundred people, the second most country with highest gun to people ratio! The difference however in Switzerland is that they enforce and regulate strict background checks on any gun holder.

To apply for a firearm permit you must first take a year-long hunter training program and pass a written and shooting test. Additionally, guns are banned to anyone who has been convicted of a felony, have committed any sexual assault, under a restraining order, and have driven drunk recently.

According to a Mar. 10, 2016 Lancet study, implementing federal universal background checks could reduce firearm deaths by a projected 56.9%; background checks for ammunition purchases could reduce deaths by a projected 80.7%; and gun identification requirements could reduce deaths by a projected 82.5%. Clearly these numbers have drastically dropped with strict background checks. With these strict laws on background checks mental ill are prohibited to purchase a gun. If it has worked in Switzerland, Sweden, and Finland, then why can't it work here?

Many people seem to think that banning guns will result in significantly reduced violence. It's common sense to believe more guns mean more deaths and the solution is taking all guns. However, the ban of guns will fail to solve violence problems as criminals already, and will continue to, obtain guns illegally.

The California Firearms Laws Summary states "that any person convicted of a felony has a lifetime prohibition from owning a firearm (Penal Code Section 29905)." Criminals clearly disregard laws, so even though it is illegal for a felon to own a firearm, felons still obtain and use guns illegally. Just because there is more gun laws does not mean criminals will follow them, therefore more gun control will not solve violence issues.

In fact, the situation would become worse as citizens will be disregarded of self defence while he criminals roam free with illegal firearms. As mentioned before, one main method to lower crimes in neighborhood is conceal and carry as it many could defend against criminals with illegal firearms.

Many opposers come argue that the conceal and carry ban is dangerous as they believed that crime would increase. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics surveyed inmates in federal and state prisons and have found that 60% of inmates a has purchased a gun illegally and the weapon has been present with them when the police have arrested them.

This means that criminals do already illegal conceal and carry and allowing laws on conceal and carry would only help as it armes the civilians to use for self defence. The government justified by saying that gun control will prove to be beneficial, reducing crime and violence. In reality, gun control fails to solve either of these issues.

In the recent events, the debate continues whether we should ban guns or have free right to own a gun. As a I argued against the ban of guns, I have believed that we need to enforce the gun laws; but not ban them. The second Amendment keeps the government in check for if they go tyranus against the common people.

Self defence is used in many cases and is our right to protect our lives when in danger. More gun control laws would does not decrease violence and crime but increased illegal weapons and lower right for self defence rights. Instead, two efficient solutions can function successfully in America.

The solutions include mental health and more mental institutes to treat patients that might be a threat in the future and enforce laws on purchasing the gun which includes strict background checks. It is time America bands together to stand up for our rights, to uphold our gun right, and offer new solutions to make America a safer place.

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