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This paper was written when I was younger, so it may have broken citations, grammatical errors, or even incorrect information. It may also include information or arguments I now disagree with.
Guns are one of many sensitive topics in the United States because they have a unique history and culture compared to other first-world nations. Many believe that gun violence, violence defined as any injury from firearms, both deaths and non-deaths, and suicide and homicide, is a problem and needs to be curbed. On the other hand, many pro-gun advocates believe that the right to bear arms is more important and outweighs these negative externalities. Its history with guns is even more confusing when you take into account the nation’s history with them, considering the fact that they are an explicate right within the United States Constitution and a major part of US Philosophy.
Despite the controversy, most Americans agree with some gun regulations, some more or less effective in tackling gun violence. I see myself as a “Gun Reformer” rather than pro-gun or anti-gun. I outline some of these arguments below against the pro-gun opposition, although this doesn’t necessarily mean anti-gun is correct. My position is that guns and gun ownership should not be a right but be treated more like smartphones, vehicles, houses, and other items and property that aren’t constitutionally protected but are vital in today’s society.
There are 74,728-100,720 Americans injured by firearms annually, or 204-275 per day, more than Britain’s not injured, but murdered by sharp objects semi-annually. Around 31,347-39,773 of those injuries result in death. About 3,616 of the Americans shot are children ages 0-15. This is a disappointing statistic when compared to other first-world nations. Traditionally, the standard Republican answer to solving this issue is to make firearms easier to obtain so people can protect themselves, however, this has never happened with any studies or stats. According to the Gifford’s Law Center, states with high gun violence tend to have fewer gun restrictions and vice versa. From these studies and numbers, it is safe to conclude that the higher gun ownership, the higher the rates of homicide and suicide are. Expanding access to firearms would likely harm people more than help them.