for gun control argumentative essay

12 Gun Control Articles to Support Your Argumentative Essay

Gun control is a hot button issue, especially in the wake of so many recent, tragic mass shootings. It is also a polarizing issue, which means that it tends to divide people.

When you’re writing an argumentative essay , it generally doesn’t matter what side of an issue you take. What matters is that you take a side and support whichever position you choose.

In the case of the gun control issue, you could plausibly—and defensibly—take either side: strict regulation up to and including an outright ban on firearms or complete legalization of individual gun ownership.

Either way, you’re going to need strong evidence .

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With this in mind, I’ve sourced 12 gun control articles from online publications that illustrate both sides of the debate, plus two articles that can help you understand the background of the issue.

For each article, I’ve included the author’s basic point and why the article is a worthwhile resource , as well as citations for APA and MLA 7th and MLA 8th editions.

No matter what side you argue, this post will point you to some credible sources for your argumentative gun control essay.

6 Supporting Gun Control Articles

Pro-gun control article #1: Gun Control and the Constitution: Should We Amend the Second Amendment?

This article discusses what is perhaps the greatest source of contention in the entire debate: the Second Amendment’s wording.

The author quotes former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, who advocates changing the Second Amendment’s confusing language to clarify that it only applies to those serving in a militia.

Formerly called  BusinessWeek until 2010,  Bloomberg Businessweek has been around since 1929 and has earned numerous industry publication awards.

APA Citation Barrett, P. M. (2014, February 10). Gun control and the Constitution: Should we amend the Second Amendment?  Bloomberg Businessweek.  Retrieved from http://www . bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-02-20/gun-control-and-the-constitution-should-we-amend-the-second-amendment 7th Edition MLA Citation Barrett, Paul M. “Gun Control and the Constitution: Should We Amend the Second Amendment?” Bloomberg Businessweek . Bloomberg, 20 Feb. 2014. Web. 10 July 2016. 8th Edition MLA Citation Barrett, Paul M. “Gun Control and the Constitution: Should We Amend the Second Amendment?” Bloomberg Businessweek , 20 Feb. 2014, www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-02-20/gun-control-and-the-constitution-should-we-amend-the-second-amendment. Accessed 10 July 2016.

A quick note about citations. I’ve included both MLA 7th edition and MLA 8th edition , as well as APA, citations for each article that you can use if you decide to reference the source in your gun control essay.

Because the MLA 8th edition went into effect in early 2016, not all professors/schools will require the use of the new format. Check with your professor to see which edition he or she prefers.

The 8th edition of MLA also suggests that you include the URL in each entry. Including the date you accessed an online source is now optional. I’ve included both pieces of information in my examples.

(Again, check with your professor to see what he or she prefers.)

Pro-gun control article #2: It’s Time to Ban Guns. Yes, All of Them.

Bovy tackles the gun issue by arguing that the debate should not be about closing loopholes in gun control. She doesn’t argue that specific types of guns should be banned, but argues that all guns should be banned.

This article is published by New Republic,  which “…was founded in 1914 as a journal of opinion which seeks to meet the challenge of a new time” ( NewRepublic.com ). “Today, the New Republic is the voice of creative thinkers, united by a collective desire to challenge the status quo” ( NewRepublic.com ).

APA Citation Bovey, P. M. (2015, December 10). It’s time to ban guns. Yes, all of them.  New Republic. Retrieved from http://www.newrepublic.com/article/125498/its-time-ban-guns-yes-them 7th Edition MLA Citation Bovey, Phoebe, M. “It’s Time to Ban Guns. Yes, All of Them.” New Republic. New Republic, 10 Dec. 2015. Web. 10 July 2016. 8th Edition MLA Citation Bovey, Phoebe, M. “It’s Time to Ban Guns. Yes, All of Them.” New Republic , 10 Dec. 2015, newrepublic.com/article/125498/its-time-ban-guns-yes-them. Accessed 10 July 2016.

Pro-gun control article #3: Battleground America

This well-researched article was written in the aftermath of the Trayvon Martin shooting. It covers three main areas:

• An in-depth discussion of the meaning of existing gun laws and the Second Amendment.
• The difference between now and the time in which the Amendment was drafted.
• How the drastically increased killing power of modern firearms makes any reference to the laws crafted two centuries ago obsolete.

LePore is a frequent contributor to The New Yorker,  as well as many other national news magazines.

APA Citation LePore, J. (2012, April 23). Battleground America.  The New Yorker.  Retrieved from http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/04/23/battleground-america 7th Edition MLA Citation   LePore, Jill. “Battleground America.” The New Yorker . The New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2012. Web. 10 July 2016. 8th Edition MLA Citation LePore, Jill. “Battleground America.” The New Yorker , 23 Apr. 2012, www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/04/23/battleground-america. Accessed 10 July 2016.

Pro-gun control article #4: Why We Can’t Talk About Gun Control

Hamblin discusses one of the most problematic aspects of the gun control debate: the fact that it is so politicized.

Here, the author explains his opinion by framing it in his own experiences. He states that he lost his job when he published a column arguing that it’s possible to regulate guns without infringing on individuals’ rights.

Hamblin is a frequent contributor and senior editor at The   Atlantic .

APA Citation Hamblin, J. (2014, June 29). Why we can’t talk about gun control.  The Atlantic.  Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive /2014/06/how-to-interpret-the-second-amendment/373664 7th Edition MLA Citation   Hamblin, James. “Why We Can’t Talk About Gun Control.” The Atlantic . The Atlantic Monthly Group , 29 June 2014. Web. 10 July 2016. 8th Edition MLA Citation Hamblin, James. “Why We Can’t Talk About Gun Control.” The Atlantic , The Atlantic Monthly Group , 29 June 2014, www.theatlantic.com/politics /archive/2014/06/how-to-interpret-the-second-amendment/373664. Accessed 10 July 2016.

Pro-gun control article #5: California’s proposed gun laws won’t change our culture of violence, but they will make us safer

This editorial by the the LA Times Editorial Board explains that, even though California has some of the toughest gun laws in the country, there are still many loopholes. The editorial board argues that stricter regulations for purchasing guns and ammunition need to be in place to stop gun violence.

The Los Angeles Times is a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper that has been in publication for more than 134 years.

APA Citation Times Editorial Board. (2016, April 22). California’s proposed gun laws won’t change our culture of violence, but they will make us safer.  Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-adv-california-guns-20160422-story 7th Edition MLA Citation Times Editorial Board. “California’s Proposed Gun Laws Won’t Change Our Culture of Violence, but They Will Make Us Safer.” LATimes.com .  Los Angeles Times Media Group, 22 Apr. 2016. Web. 10 July 2016. 8th Edition MLA Citation   Times Editorial Board. “California’s Proposed Gun Laws Won’t Change Our Culture of Violence, but They Will Make Us Safer.”  Los Angeles Times,  Los Angeles Times Media Group, 22 Apr. 2016, www.latimes.com/opinion/ editorials/la-ed-adv-california-guns-20160422-story. Accessed 10 July 2016.

Pro-gun control article #6: 4 Pro-Gun Arguments We’re Sick of Hearing

Though you might not automatically think hard-hitting news when you think of Rolling Stone magazine, the author of this brief article succinctly sums up four common pro-gun arguments and explains why she doesn’t feel they’re effective.

Rolling Stone covers a variety of cultural, music, social, and political news and is a well-established magazine.

APA Citation Marcotte, A. (2015, October 1). 4 pro-gun arguments we’re sick of hearing.  Rolling Stone . Retrieved from http://www.rollingstone.com/ politics/news/4-pro-gun-arguments-were-sick-of-hearing-20151001 7th Edition MLA Citation Marcotte, Amanda. “4 Pro-Gun Arguments We’re Sick of Hearing.” Rolling Stone . Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2015. Web. 10 July 2016. 8th Edition MLA Citation Marcotte, Amanda. “4 Pro-Gun Arguments We’re Sick of Hearing.” Rolling Stone,  1 Oct. 2015, www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/4-pro-gun-arguments-were-sick-of-hearing-20151001. Accessed 10 July 2016.

Now that we’ve examined articles in favor of gun control, let’s take a look at a few articles that are against gun control.

6 Opposing Gun Control Articles

Anti-gun control article #1: 5 arguments against gun control — and why they are all wrong

Published in the LA Times , this op-ed piece is written by Evan DeFilippis and Devin Hughes, who are the founders of the gun violence prevention site  Armed With Reason .

The authors argue that gun control laws don’t deter criminals and cannot prevent mass shootings.

APA Citation DeFillipis, E., & Hughes, D. (2016). 5 arguments against gun control—and why they are all wrong.  Los Angeles Times.  Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/ opinion/op-ed/la-oe-defilippis-hughes-gun-myths-debunked-20160708-snap-story 7th Edition MLA Citation DeFillipis, Evan and Devin Hughes “5 Arguments Against Gun Control—and Why They are All Wrong.” LATimes.com . Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2016. Web. 10 July 2016. 8th Edition MLA Citation DeFillipis, Evan and Devin Hughes “5 Arguments Against Gun Control—and Why They are All Wrong.” Los Angeles Times , 8 July 2016, www.latimes.com/ opinion/op-ed/la-oe-defilippis-hughes-gun-myths-debunked-20160708-snap-story. Accessed 10 July 2016.

Anti-gun control article #2: Gun control isn’t the answer

Wilson, an author of several books about crime and a teaching fellow at Pepperdine University, asks an interesting question: how could or would we ever get rid of the hundreds of millions of guns that already exist in the United States?

He takes the stance that banning firearms is pointless, that “the genie is out of the bottle.” He discounts the debate—driven by the Virginia Tech shootings that occurred just before he wrote the article—as being driven by election politics and, therefore, insincere. Though this source is a bit older, it still raises a valid question.

APA Citation Wilson, J. Q. (2007, April 20). Gun control isn’t the answer.  Los Angeles Times.  Retrieved from   http://www.latimes.com/la-oe-wilson20apr20-story.html 7th Edition MLA Citation Wilson, James Q. “Gun Control Isn’t the Answer.” LATimes.com . Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2007. Web. 10 July 2016. 8th Edition MLA Citation Wilson, James Q. “Gun Control Isn’t the Answer.” Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2007, www.latimes.com/la-oe-wilson20apr20-story.html. Accessed 10 July 2016.

Anti-gun control article #3: Why Gun Owners are Right to Fight Against Gun Control

Hardy argues that sweeping gun control legislation proposed by the anti-gun lobby leaves no room for compromise. He then does a U-turn and complains about the slippery-slope nature of bans on one kind of weapon, such as assault weapons or sniper rifles, leading slowly but surely to total prohibition.

Hardy fears that the gun control lobby is on a crusade to wipe out individual gun ownership altogether.

Hardy is an Arizona attorney and a Second Amendment scholar and writer.

APA Citation Hardy, D. T. (2013, July 18). Why gun owners are right to fight against gun control.  Reason.com.  Retrieved from http://www.reason.com/archives/ 2013/07/18/why-second-amendment-supporters-are-righ 7th Edition MLA Citation Hardy, David T. “Why Gun Owners are Right to Fight Against Gun Control.”  Reason.com . Reason Foundation, 18 July 2013. Web. 10 July 2016. 8th Edition MLA Citation Hardy, David T. “Why Gun Owners are Right to Fight Against Gun Control.”  Reason.com,  Reason Foundation, 18 July 2013, reason.com/ archives/2013/07/18/why-second-amendment-supporters-are-righ. Accessed 10 July 2016.

Anti-gun control article #4: ‘American Sniper’ widow: Gun control won’t protect us

This opinion piece discusses one woman’s experience with gun violence and why she believes gun control is not the answer.

Taya Kyle, the writer of this article, is also the author of American Wife: A Memoir of Love, War, Faith, and Renewal . The movie American Sniper was based on her late husband, Chris Kyle.

APA Citation Kyle, T. (2013, July 18). ‘American Sniper’ widow: Gun control won’t protect us.  CNN.  Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/07/opinions/taya-kyle-gun-control 7th Edition MLA Citation Kyle, Taya. “‘American Sniper’ Widow: Gun Control Won’t Protect Us.”  CNN.com.  Cable News Network, 18 July 2013. Web. 10 July 2016. 8th Edition MLA Citation   Kyle, Taya. “‘American Sniper’ Widow: Gun Control Won’t Protect Us.”  CNN , 18 July 2013, www.cnn.com/2016/01/07/opinions/taya-kyle-gun-control. Accessed 10 July 2016.

Anti-gun control article #5: A Criminologist’s Case Against Gun Control

This article includes an interview with James Jacobs, director of the Center for Research in Crime and Justice at New York University School of Law. He is also a professor of constitutional law and the author of Can Gun Control Work?

In this article, Jacobs examines misunderstandings about gun control and examines the effectiveness of various gun control strategies.

APA Citation Davidson, J. (2015, December 1). A criminologist’s case against gun control.  Time.  Retrieved from http://www.time.com/4100408/a-criminologists-case-against-gun-control 7th Edition MLA Citation Davidson, Jacob. “‘A Criminologist’s Case Against Gun Control.”  Time.com. Time Inc., 1 Dec. 2015. Web. 10 July 2016. 8th Edition MLA Citation Davidson, Jacob. “‘A Criminologist’s Case Against Gun Control.”  Time , 1 Dec. 2015, time.com/4100408/a-criminologists-case-against-gun-control. Accessed 10 July 2016.

Anti-gun control article #6: How Gun Control Kills

The author gives examples of incidents of gun violence that were stopped by people carrying guns, arguing that had such people not been on the scene, the results would have been worse.

Hunter is an aide to conservative senator Rand Paul.

APA Citation Hunter, J. (2012, December 27). How gun control kills.  The American Conservative.  Retrieved from http://www.theamericanconservative.com/ articles/how-gun-control-kills 7th Edition MLA Citation Hunter, Jack. “How Gun Control Kills.” The American Conservative . Burr Media Group, 27 Dec. 2012. Web. 10 July 2016. 8th Edition MLA Citation Hunter, Jack. “How Gun Control Kills.” The American Conservative,  Burr Media Group, 27 Dec. 2012, www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/how-gun-control-kills. Accessed 10 July 2016.

2 Resources About the Gun Control Debate

If you’re looking for articles with more background on the subject, check out these two resources that provide an overview of gun control and a variety of discussions about the topic.

Resource #1:  Guns in America

In 2015–2016, the well-respected news source CNN aired a series of programming titled Guns in America . This resource contains both articles and videos about a wide array of gun-related topics, including town-hall meetings, an interview with President Obama, gun violence statistics, interviews with the NRA, a discussion of the gun industry, and segments about guns and police.

The articles and videos are too numerous to cite in this post, but I’ve included one sample to help illustrate how you might cite these resources.

APA Citation Simon, M., & Sanchez, R. (2015, December 4). U.S. gun violence: The story in charts and graphs.  CNN.  Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/ 04/us/gun-violence-graphics/index.html 7th Edition MLA Citation Simon, Mallory and Ray Sanchez. “U.S. Gun Violence: The Story in Charts and Graphs.” CNN.com.  Cable News Network,   4 Dec. 2015. Web. 10 July 2016. 8th Edition MLA Citation Simon, Mallory and Ray Sanchez. “U.S. Gun Violence: The Story in Charts and Graphs.” CNN , 4 Dec. 2015, cnn.com/2015/12/04/us/gun-violence-graphics/index.html. Accessed 10 July 2016.

Resource #2:  Gun Control Explained

This article, published by the The New York Times , provides broad definitions of gun control, includes arguments both for and against gun control, and even speculates as to why it’s so difficult to solve the debate.

APA Citation Perez-Pena, R. (2015, October 7). Gun control explained.  The New York Times.  Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/10/ 07/us/gun-control-explained.html?_r=0 7th Edition MLA Citation Perez-Pena, Richard. “Gun Control Explained.” NYTimes.com . The New York Times Company,   7 Oct. 2015. Web. 10 July 2016. 8th Edition MLA Citation Perez-Pena, Richard. “Gun Control Explained.” The New York Times , 7 Oct. 2015, nytimes.com/interactive/2015/10/07/us/gun-control-explained.html?_r=0. Accessed 10 July 2016.

Putting it All Together

You can cite these or any of thousands of other gun control articles to buttress your argument. (Read 5 Best Resources to Help With Writing a Research Paper if you need assistance researching more scholarly sources.)

Whichever side of the issue you take, make sure to mention the source, cite it properly (in-text and in your Works Cited or References list), and format direct quotations, summaries, and paraphrases per MLA 7th edition , MLA 8th edition , or APA  guidelines.

If you copy the APA or MLA citations I created above, be sure to update the accessed date (10 July 2016) to the date that you accessed the article.

Keep in mind that there will be very, very few sources (including the ones I used above) that are totally objective. Most writers—and most websites—will be catering to an audience. For a fuller list of issues on both sides of the debate, check out these Top Pro & Con Arguments on gun control.

Your job is to filter out the bias and see what value a given person’s argument really has. Some of the most rabid commentators on both sides of the issue actually make good points—you just have to get past all the screaming.

Once you’re ready to start writing, check out these sample essays on gun control for some ideas on how to put your paper together.

If you need help with writing your essay, read How to Write a Research Paper: a Step-by-Step Guide . Need help with overall formatting according to the style guide you’re using? Give these resources a try:

• APA:  The Stress-Free Guide to APA Essay Format
• MLA (both editions): Formatting a Research Paper (from The MLA Style Center)

When you’re finished drafting your argument, don’t forget to have an editor proofread your essay for you.

Psst... 98% of Kibin users report better grades! Get inspiration from over 500,000 example essays .

About the Author

Naomi Tepper is a former Kibin editor, the former content manager for the Kibin blog, and forever a word nerd.

• argumentative essays
• gun control

Gun Control Argumentative Essay: 160 Topics + How-to Guide [2024]

After the recent heartbreaking mass shootings, the gun control debate has reached its boiling point.

Do we need stricter gun control laws ? Should everyone get a weapon to oppose crime? Or should guns be banned overall? You have the opportunity to air your opinion in a gun control argumentative essay.

Below, you’ll find everything you need to write a great paper in no time. Check weighty arguments, catchy gun control essay titles, and the latest sources on the subject.

Don’t forget to check our writing service . With it, you can get your gun control essay done just in a few hours.

🔝 Top 10 Gun Control Essay Titles

💥 take a stand in the gun control debate.

• 👍 Pro Gun Control Essay Topics

👎 Against Gun Control Essay Topics

⚡ gun violence essay titles, ⚖️ gun laws essay topics to explore, 🔫 gun control controversial topics for a research paper, 🔰 pros and cons of gun control, ✍️ 5 steps in writing a gun control essay.

• 🤔 Frequent Questions
• Does gun ownership deter crime?
• Ethics of owning guns for sport.
• Gun control laws and suicide rate.
• Do weapons bring a sense of safety?
• Guns and domestic abuse protection.
• Do gun control laws reduce gun deaths?
• Gun control laws and government tyranny.
• Are gun control laws invasion of privacy?
• Should high-capacity magazines be banned?
• Gun control as a way to reduce the crime rate.

Did you know that 33 people are killed with guns every day in America? This is one of the numbers you can use in your essay on gun control. Are you ready to learn more reasons both for and against gun control? Here they are, in a nutshell:

Have you chosen which side you’re on? Great! Now you already have solid background knowledge on the issue.

The information above will help you write an outstanding essay on gun control. Moreover, you can easily proofread it using Grammarly and avoid common grammar mistakes.

👀 150 Catchy Gun Control Topics

Do you want to know the next step toward your A+ gun control essay? It’s a catchy title that expresses your standpoint and grabs your readers’ interest.

Here are some examples.

👍 Pro-Gun Control Essay Topics

Arms possession is a right enshrined in the US constitution. Yet, more and more people voice their concerns about owning firearms. Mass shootings, suicides, and abuse are among the top arguments for stricter laws. Here, we’ve collected plenty of insightful pro-gun control topics for you to explore.

• Pro-gun radicalism and American fears. Guns and fear often go hand in hand. Studies suggest that gun owners are more prone to phobias and distrust. The topic requires showing the irrational essence of gun ownership.
• Being pro-gun equals being anti-women. Firearms make domestic violence a lot more likely to end in death. Prohibiting gun access for abusers could save women’s lives.
• Why background checks don’t always work. Background checks are essential. Yet, they don’t always prevent ineligible individuals from acquiring a firearm. This “why we need gun control” essay shines a light on the procedure’s flaws.
• The economic burden of firearms. This topic concerns the costs linked to gun-related injuries and deaths. These preventable expenditures strain the US economy. You can underline the necessity of gun control to alleviate the problem.
• Gun control to protect schools from firearms. Schools are at the heart of the anti-gun movement. Meanwhile, gun control plays a vital role in preserving safety in educational facilities. An essay could communicate the intricate connection between the two.
• Kids are not ok: pediatric gun-related injuries and deaths. Children often become victims of gun violence. The number of pediatric firearm-related injuries and deaths is disproportionate. Should parents remove all guns from their households to protect their kids?
• Rising gun deaths: a call for action. The high firearm-related death rate is a notorious problem. In the United States, the number is consistently above average. In this gun control argumentative essay, it becomes a reason for stricter gun policies.
• Reducing firearm ownership is not decreasing civil liberties. The topic handles primary gun control opponents’ counterarguments. The key reasoning is that gun ownership is not a universal human right. In this essay, you can explore the notion of civil liberties.
• Suicide and the availability of guns. Gun control topics are rarely concerned with suicide. It’s an essential yet underexplored and part of it. You can show how stricter gun control would help reduce suicide rates.
• More guns, more shootings: understanding gun control. This topic requires exploring the link between firearms and shootings. You can use gun ownership and mass shooting rates to prove your point. In this pro-gun control essay, statistical information is instrumental.
• Gun control as an answer to violent murders.
• Do firearm restrictions harm democracy?
• The perverseness of being pro-life and pro-gun.
• Do guns in households cause more accidental deaths?
• Why are some people scared of stricter gun control?
• Debunking “guns for self-defense” myths.
• Gun control’s positive impact on hospitalization rates.
• Does better gun control improve life quality?
• Firearms and suicidal behavior: another case for restrictions.
• What fears drive opponents of gun laws?
• Do firearms restrictions increase the value of life?
• Do gun laws reduce societal costs?
• Restricting the carry of firearms for societal benefit.
• Does pro-gun activism favor domestic abusers?
• Firearms: used far less for defense than for attacks.
• More guns – more violence
• Stop the wrong people from getting guns
• Revision of the Second Amendment to prevent human tragedies
• The Second Amendment and gun control can co-exist
• The thin line between self-defense and deadly force

Stricter laws can’t solve every problem. In cases such as prostitution and drug use, they are even detrimental. But does this reasoning also apply to gun control? Find it out by discussing its disadvantages with one of the following engaging prompts:

• Gun control laws: a waste of taxpayers’ money. Firearm restrictions have economic consequences. Additional gun control measures are not free— they require more monetary resources. Besides, stricter gun control deprives many citizens of firearm-related jobs.
• Firearm regulations deny the right to self-defense . Self-defense is a constitutional right granted by the Founding Fathers. When an attacker is armed, defensive gun use remains the only option. Gun control diminishes the capacity of citizens to protect themselves.
• Guns don’t breed crime—society does. Crime is a colossal social challenge. It is vital to direct resources for crime prevention and management. Yet, gun control is not the ultimate solution to this problem.
• Gun control laws are not fruitful. One of the purposes of gun control is to curb the gun violence epidemic. Yet, whether it works or not is debatable. This “is greater gun control a great idea” essay demonstrates gun control’s ineffectiveness.
• Gun control: limiting citizens’ freedoms. Gun control is not only fruitless, but it’s also unconstitutional. The right to possess and carry guns is civil liberty. Firearm restrictions violate the essence of the country’s constitution.
• Gun ownership increases the sense of security. Besides, firearms perform an important psychological function. They give their owners a sense of safety, bringing emotional comfort. Gun control takes away the knowledge that one can protect oneself.
• Firearms black market: a bigger problem. Gun control will not prevent determined individuals from obtaining firearms. Restricting access to legal guns could prompt people to buy weapons from black markets.
• Knives, hardware, and vehicles are lethal weapons, too. Firearms are only a small part of a criminal’s arsenal. For instance, they frequently use cars as deadly weapons. Firearm control can’t always prevent those determined to harm someone from doing it.
• Eliminating guns: an oversimplified approach. Gun control proponents often oversimplify the problem. Access to firearms is not the root cause of gun-related deaths and violence. The phenomenon has multiple origins that you could examine.
• Disarming Americans kills their national identity. Guns are deeply ingrained in American culture and national identity. The right to bear them has a profound symbolic notion. This “against gun control” essay covers the meaning of firearms in American nationhood.
• Gun control hinders African American emancipation.
• How does gun control incite government tyranny?
• Gun control doesn’t prevent violent behavior.
• The racist history behind firearm restrictions.
• The Second Amendment: the cornerstone of gun rights.
• Firearms as an answer to domestic violence.
• Would gun control make the country safer?
• Firearm ownership: gaining control over life.
• Gun control and the demise of democracy.
• The empowering role of firearms .
• Gun control as a method of disabling citizens.
• What’s your position on the statement: “Assault is not a weapon but a behavior”?
• Why gun control laws should be scrapped.
• Is there a link between firearm ownership and crime?
• Banning guns means more black markets.
• Gun control is not the answer – education is
• Gun culture propaganda starts with cartoons
• Mass media is to blame: murder is an easy route to fame
• Gun control: why not ban everything that poses a potential threat?
• Criminals don’t obey gun control laws

Firearm violence has developed into a significant human rights issue. It affects our right to life and health. Not only that, but it can also limit our access to education. Gun violence disrupts school processes and endangers student safety. An essay on this issue gives you many different directions to explore.

• Firearm violence as a racial equity challenge. Studies have shown that some ethnicities are more likely to experience gun violence than others. African Americans, in particular, are affected by the issue. Your essay can investigate how firearm violence reflects and aggravates discrimination.
• The relationship between mental health and mass shootings. Mental illness is the prime suspect as the root of gun violence. Researchers often consider it a determiner for mass shootings. For this topic, it’s vital to analyze literature regarding the correlation.
• Preventing and responding to firearm-related deaths. Each year, thousands of US citizens die due to gun violence. As the rate of firearm death rises, the issue becomes exponentially troubling. Decreasing the gun-related mortality rate is a topic of high priority.
• The socio-economic roots of firearm violence . Gun violence has pronounced socio-economic causes. Low income and life in a deprived neighborhood are among the most significant risk factors. Examining how certain circumstances prompt gun violence is instrumental in alleviating the issue.
• Long-term psychological effects of gun violence. Survivors and witnesses of gun violence experience grave psychological consequences, including PTSD and depression. Your essay can present gun violence as an extremely traumatic event.
• The contagion effect in mass shootings. The contagion effect describes the spread of behavior. You can use it to explain the epidemic of gun violence. The topic requires you to look into the phenomenon.
• Intimate partner violence: the role of firearms. The severity of intimate partner violence is related to how accessible guns are to abusers. Many domestic homicides involve the use of weapons. This gun ownership essay prompts to explain how firearms contribute to the phenomenon.
• Mass shootings and weapon availability. This topic prompts you to investigate the mass shootings aspect of gun violence. In particular, it’s concerned with the link between gun accessibility and mass murder. You could use quotes and statistics regarding gun laws to establish the connection.
• Gun violence: A poignant human rights issue. Firearm violence causes psychological, social, and financial harm. Its victims suffer from long-term consequences in the form of mental disorders. It’s unwise to overestimate the issue’s global burden.
• Gun violence against women and girls. Firearms violence negatively impacts the life quality of women. Women and girls frequently become victims of gun attacks. Here, you could discuss how deep-seated misogyny contributes to the problem.

• The global burden of guns.
• Firearms violence: A community health problem.
• The reasons behind gun violence in the United States .
• A gender profile of firearm violence .
• School shootings: portrayal in media.
• What are the economic consequences of firearm violence?
• Preventing gun violence in vulnerable neighborhoods.
• The role of toxic masculinity in gun violence.
• Discuss the effect of firearm ownership regulations.
• How can the government reduce firearm violence in low-income neighborhoods?
• Psychological consequences of school shootings.
• Supporting school shooting survivors.
• What are the effects of gun ownership on violence?
• The epidemiology of mass shootings.
• Mass shootings from a sociological perspective.
• Fighting against gun violence: social activism .
• Gun violence: the primary cause of premature death.
• What ethical problems occur regarding mass shootings?
• How does the media promote gun violence?
• The health implications of gun violence.

Gun laws are vital to ensure the safe handling and purchase of firearms. Regulations come from the federal as well the state level. It makes gun laws confusing for many. If you’d like to entangle the issue, this section is for you.

• Major loopholes in gun laws. Federal and state laws are vulnerable to exploitation. It means they contain gaps endangering public safety. The “Charleston loophole” is the most notorious example. You can inspect it along with other deficiencies.
• Gun laws: too strict or too weak? The harshness of gun laws is a debatable issue. Given the present gun violence epidemic, the answer might appear evident. Still, this topic encourages viewing the problem from multiple perspectives.
• Prohibiting the possession of assault weapons. Assault weapons are another intriguing facet of America’s gun problem. Currently, there is no federal law prohibiting their ownership. Using such a weapon in a shooting increases mortality and traumatism.
• The problem with private gun sales. Private firearms trade results in excessive gun accessibility. Private sellers are allowed to bypass crucial standards such as sales recordkeeping. The situation poses a threat to communal well-being.
• Mental illness in the context of firearms control legislation. In the context of gun laws, mental illness is a prominent notion. The term and its usage in state and federal laws have nuances. You can interpret them in your essay.
• Using deadly force to defend property. Firearms constitute a part of the “deadly force” notion. Regarding the defense of private property, its use is not always justifiable. This gun law essay proposes to reflect on the norms of firearm use.
• Nuances and limitations of the stand-your-ground law. The stand-your-ground law is the subject of heated debate. It’s easy to misinterpret it. It most notably concerns the boundaries of gun use. Yet, knowing what is allowed is essential in self-defense.
• The need for federal registration laws. Although there is no national gun registry, its introduction could be beneficial. It would allow law enforcement agencies to track firearms more efficiently. In your essay, you could research other advantages of federal registration as well.
• Differences in gun laws at the state level. Besides federal laws, each state has its own firearms policies. Federal and state regulations tend to vary considerably. It could be interesting to analyze how gun use and possession regulations differ from state to state.
• Buying guns without a background check: a dangerous loophole. Background checks are indispensable under federal law. Still, a loophole makes it possible to sell firearms to incompetent and dangerous individuals. Say what could be done to make background checks more efficient.
• Are tougher gun laws a solution?
• Politically polarizing firearm policies.
• What are the public’s views of federal firearms laws?
• Gun licenses and political affiliation.
• Firearm registration and accessibility of guns to criminals .
• Gun laws: State vs. Federal.
• How are state gun laws and firearm mortality connected?
• Gun laws from the constitutional point of view.
• Understanding the duty to retreat in US legislation.
• Gun-friendly state laws and criminality.

• Open carry and concealed carry laws.
• The extent of federal gun laws.
• Concealed carry: not covered by the Second Amendment.
• Should the US government enforce firearm registration?
• Limiting concealed carry under the influence.
• Weaker gun laws equal less public safety.
• Gun control policies: Democrats vs. Republicans.
• The benefits of a universal background check.
• Analyze gun laws in the state of Missouri.
• Restoring the federal assault weapons ban.

There are few topics more controversial than gun control. That’s why it’s the perfect base for a good debate. Controversies surrounding gun control include questions of race, gender, and ethics.

• Gun ownership: gender, ethnicity, and class . The demographic portrait of a gun owner is a politically loaded subject. Despite the possible implications, it necessitates in-depth research. This topic suggests considering gun owners’ social class, gender, and ethnicity.
• The racial element in American gun culture. Racism and gun control are more connected than might appear. A range of opinions exists. Evaluating their interconnection might yield compelling results. In your essay, investigate American gun culture through the prism of racial inequality.
• Firearms ownership: do we need incentives or fees? Gun ownership has several advantages, such as a sense of security. Nevertheless, its less positive effects could eclipse them. Discussing whether gun ownership should be discouraged or encouraged could help you write an engaging paper.
• The usage of firearms in self-defense. The efficacy and frequency of self-defense weapon use are essential for the gun control debate. Analyzing these factors could help establish the validity of the argument.
• Gun ownership regulation: the Swiss example. In terms of firearm possession, Switzerland is a liberal country. It has lax laws regarding the acquisition and usage of guns. What can Switzerland teach the US about gun control?
• The ethicality of firearm ownership. It is common to examine whether gun ownership is constitutional. Looking at its ethicality is a rarer approach. This controversial gun control essay topic helps to bridge the knowledge gap.
• Constitutional contradictions regarding gun rights. The Constitution’s meaning is not as self-evident as it may appear. Whether gun rights are constitutional or unconstitutional is at the core of the debate.
• Do gun rights promote vigilantism? Vigilante violence is a severe community challenge. A vengeful armed vigilante is a threat to their society. In your paper, investigate the role of gun rights in contributing to the problem.
• Preventing criminals from accessing guns. How effective is gun control in stopping gun violence? Contradictory opinions denying or supporting its productiveness need scrutiny. For this paper, you can use statistics and facts to clarify the situation.
• The ideology behind gun control and rights. The gun control debate has long gone beyond objective arguments. By now, the problem entails larger political implications. Gun ownership or its absence strongly correlates with political behavior.
• Interpretations of the Second Amendment regarding gun control.
• Does unrestricted gun ownership lead to more shootings?
• The effectiveness of firearm restrictions.
• Multiple origins of gun-related crime.
• Are gun restrictions instrumental for public safety?
• Gun control as a measure against crime and gun violence.
• Firearm control rhetoric: an analysis.
• Should the public use of guns remain legal?
• Gun control: creating optimal policies.
• Presidential elections and gun control rhetoric.
• Limiting access to guns: is it useful or debilitating?
• Evaluating gun control and its impact on crime.
• The future of gun laws.
• The political battle over gun control.
• Gun policies and common sense.
• How relevant is firearms control?
• What effect does gun ownership have on domestic abuse?
• The economics of gun control.
• Gun control: Is it saving lives or narrowing freedoms?
• Should you ever be able to buy a gun without a license or permit?

Gun control pros and cons have been discussed and thoroughly analyzed countless times. Both advocates and opponents have stuck to their positions, leaving the issue unresolved. Here are a few important pros and cons:

Points made in support of gun control (pros)

• Gun control statistics reveal that although the United States accounts for only 5% of the world’s population, U.S. residents own 50% of guns in the world.
• When gun deaths statistics for different countries were expressed as the number of gun deaths in a population of a million people, the United States was ranked below South Africa.

Points against gun control (cons)

• The very idea of gun control goes against the US constitution that allows people the right to safeguard their lives. People need guns to defend themselves when being attacked by others. Additionally, firearms can provide a sense of comfort and security. It would be undemocratic to take away a person’s right to feel safe.
• Since the Second Amendment upholds the right to gun ownership, it should not be restricted. It seems dangerous to start altering the constitution whenever we see fit. In doing so, we might create a precedent that others can use to promote more harmful agendas.

Whichever side you chose, now you already have a few persuasive arguments. Let’s move on to the actual writing part.

Writing an impressive essay on gun control can be a bit difficult without proper organization. No matter what type of paper you are going to work on, you’ll need some detailed planning and thorough research.

Follow these five steps to write a perfect gun control essay:

• Define what gun control is. Whether you are writing an argumentative, persuasive, or any other type of paper, the first thing you need is context. Use the definitions that are most appropriate for your essay. For example, you might start with a dictionary definition. Then, add some general facts about types of firearms. Next, you might give statistics on gun control , such as ownership and reasons for it.
• Write a gun control thesis statement. Besides context and definitions, any essay introduction requires a thesis. It’s the message you’re going to argue in the following paragraphs. So, work on it before writing the rest of the paper. Make sure your gun control thesis statement is concise and easy to understand. You can use an online thesis generator if that requirement is hard for you to achieve.
• One option is to use studies that have collected plentiful information over the years.
• If you are writing a pro-gun control essay, you can use studies or statistics on how guns owned by private citizens have killed innocent people. You can also cite cases where students used their parents’ guns to commit violent crimes in school.
• If you are arguing against gun control, cite studies proving that private gun ownership saves lives. You could also add research revealing the positive effects of gun ownership.
• Organize your paper. Of course, the content and organization vary for each particular essay. The facts remain the same. It is the way that you arrange and present them that will create a concrete argument. That’s why you should make sure to draft an outline before you get started.
• End with a strong conclusion. In there, you should summarize your essay and reiterate the most important points. Don’t forget to restate and develop your statement based on the facts you mentioned. If it’s not an argumentative essay, present your findings and suggestions about the issue.

As you can see, writing an impressive gun control essay takes time and effort. It also requires deep research. If you’re finding this task too challenging, you can order an essay from our custom writing service. We provide 100% original papers at reasonable prices.

You might also be interested in:

• Top Ideas for Argumentative or Persuasive Essay Topics
• Best Argumentative Research Paper Topics
• 97 Inspirational & Motivational Argumentative Essay Topics
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• Proposal Essay Topics and Ideas – Easy and Interesting
• Free Exemplification Essay Examples

🤔 Gun Control FAQ

To create a great title, you should express your point of view in a concise and eye-catching manner. A creative title grabs your readers’ interest. Try to make up an unusual keyword combination, or paraphrase a metaphor or a set expression. Using two opposite ideas works well, too.

If you want to spark a discussion, you need to make an educated standpoint choice. For a good debate essay, make sure to thoroughly study the topic. A list of pros and cons will help you gain a deeper insight. Then decide where you stand before you start writing.

Good persuasive topics provoke emotions. A great topic for an essay is an issue that concerns nearly everyone in society. For example, gun control or animal testing may be good topics for college essays.

Good thesis statements give a clearly formulated opinion. You need to state whether you are for or against gun control. Either way, the author’s position must be based on convincing arguments and facts.

🔗 References

• Gun Control Latest Events
• The Link Between Firearms, Crime and Gun Control
• Gun Control Pros and Cons
• Second Amendment: Right to Bear Arms
• A Brief History of the National Rifle Association
• Gun Control Essays at Bartleby
• Argumentative Essays on Gun Control
• Gun Control Issues, Public Health, and Safety
• Universal Background Checks: Giffords
• Gun Violence: Amnesty International
• Facts on US Gun Ownership: Pew Research Center
• Gun Control in the US: Encyclopedia Britannica
• Gun Control: The Debate and Public Policy: Social Studies
• Guns and Gun Control: The New York Times
• Gun Control Topic Overview: Gale
• US Gun Policy: Global Comparisons: Council of Foreign Relations
• US Gun Debate: Four Dates that Explain How We Got Here: BBC News
• Gun Control and Gun Rights: US News
• Why Gun Control Is So Contentious in the US: Live Science
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my thing is this it’s not the guns it’s people now if we could make it to where you’ll have to possess a gun ownership license kinda like a drivers license that would solve most problems don’t you think

I agree with you, Richard.

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My opinion if I may is that guns should be in the hands of law enforcement and military. If a person wants a gun for protection they only need to call 911 on their cell or landline if a person is frightened to take steps which are many, to ensure your safety guns do kill people and there have been far too many innocent people dying! Football games schools churches concerts outdoor activities and or indoor activities places just about anywhere and people in danger it is terrible. What has become to civilization where people are going about their innocent daily lives and get killed!!!!! What is wrong with this picture? Many years ago American citizens did not have to live in such danger as it is today, the government does nothing including NRA. Congress does nothing, sadly we live in a dangerous and volatile world and something needs to be done about this to prevent innocent children and adults from dangerous people who have guns in their hands the government should protect America from harm and danger!!!!

This helped me with my essay due. I wanted to do it on gun control, but I had no idea where to start. This really helped to develop my thesis statement and claim to turn in. Now I just have to write 8 pages on it. 🙂 Wish me luck, lol.

Do you still have a copy of this essay ?

Good luck, Danielle! 🙂 Glad the article was useful for you.

I think you should add how guns can be a big cause in the world because guns are a bad thing.

This helped me with a 5-paragraph essay I need due.

This article saved me so much time, thank you!!!

Thank you! This post helped me a lot with my essay.

Gun Control Essay: Important Topics, Examples, and More

Gun Control Definition

Gun control refers to the regulation of firearms to reduce the risk of harm caused by their misuse. It is an important issue that has garnered much attention in recent years due to the increasing number of gun-related incidents, including mass shootings and homicides. Writing an essay about gun control is important because it allows one to explore the various aspects of this complex and controversial topic, including the impact of gun laws on public safety, the constitutional implications of gun control, and the social and cultural factors that contribute to gun violence.

In writing an essay on gun control, conducting thorough research, considering multiple perspectives, and developing a well-informed argument is important. This may involve analyzing existing gun control policies and their effectiveness, exploring the attitudes and beliefs of different groups towards firearms, and examining the historical and cultural context of gun ownership and use. Through this process, one can develop a nuanced understanding of the issue and propose effective solutions to address the problem of gun violence.

Further information on writing essays on gun control can be found in various sources, including academic journals, policy reports, and news articles. In the following paragraphs, our nursing essay writing services will provide tips and resources to help you write an effective and informative guns essay. Contact our custom writer and get your writing request satisfied in a short term.

Gun Control Essay Types

There are various types of essays about gun control, each with its own unique focus and approach. From analyzing the effectiveness of existing gun laws to exploring the cultural and historical context of firearms in society, the possibilities for exploring this topic are virtually endless.

Let's look at the following types and examples from our essay writing service USA :

• Argumentative Essay : This essay clearly argues for or against gun control laws. The writer must use evidence to support their position and refute opposing arguments.
• Descriptive Essay: A descriptive essay on gun control aims to provide a detailed topic analysis. The writer must describe the history and evolution of gun laws, the different types of firearms, and their impact on society.
• Cause and Effect Essay: This type of essay focuses on why gun control laws are necessary, the impact of gun violence on society, and the consequences of not having strict gun control laws.
• Compare and Contrast Essay: In this type of essay, the writer compares and contrasts different countries' gun laws and their effectiveness. They can also compare and contrast different types of guns and their impact on society.
• Expository Essay: This type of essay focuses on presenting facts and data on the topic of gun control. The writer must explain the different types of gun laws, their implementation, and their impact on society.
• Persuasive Essay: The writer of a persuasive essay aims to persuade the reader to support their position on gun control. They use a combination of facts, opinions, and emotional appeals to convince the reader.
• Narrative Essay: A narrative essay on gun control tells a story about an individual's experience with gun violence. It can be a personal story or a fictional one, but it should provide insight into the human impact of gun violence.

In the following paragraphs, we will provide an overview of the most common types of gun control essays and some tips and resources to help you write them effectively. Whether you are a student, a researcher, or simply someone interested in learning more about this important issue, these essays can provide valuable insight and perspective on the complex and often controversial topic of gun control.

Persuasive Essay on Gun Control

A persuasive essay on gun control is designed to convince the reader to support a specific stance on gun control policies. To write an effective persuasive essay, the writer must use a combination of facts, statistics, and emotional appeals to sway the reader's opinion. Here are some tips from our expert custom writer to help you write a persuasive essay on gun control:

• Research : Conduct thorough research on gun control policies, including their history, effectiveness, and societal impact. Use credible sources to back up your argument.
• Develop a thesis statement: In your gun control essay introduction, the thesis statement should clearly state your position on gun control and provide a roadmap for your paper.
• Use emotional appeals: Use emotional appeals to connect with your reader. For example, you could describe the impact of gun violence on families and communities.
• Address opposing viewpoints: Address opposing viewpoints and provide counterarguments to strengthen your position.
• Use statistics: Use statistics to back up your argument. For example, you could use statistics to show the correlation between gun control laws and reduced gun violence.
• Use rhetorical devices: Use rhetorical devices, such as metaphors and analogies, to help the reader understand complex concepts.

Persuasive gun control essay examples include:

• The Second Amendment does not guarantee an individual's right to own any firearm.
• Stricter gun control laws are necessary to reduce gun violence in the United States.
• The proliferation of guns in society leads to more violence and higher crime rates.
• Gun control laws should be designed to protect public safety while respecting individual rights.

Argumentative Essay on Gun Control

A gun control argumentative essay is designed to present a clear argument for or against gun control policies. To write an effective argumentative essay, the writer must present a well-supported argument and refute opposing arguments. Here are some tips to help you write an argumentative essay on gun control:

• Choose a clear stance: Choose a clear stance on gun control policies and develop a thesis statement that reflects your position.
• Research : Conduct extensive research on gun control policies and use credible sources to back up your argument.
• Refute opposing arguments: Anticipate opposing arguments and provide counterarguments to strengthen your position.
• Use evidence: Use evidence to back up your argument. For example, you could use data to show the correlation between gun control laws and reduced gun violence.
• Use logical reasoning: Use logical reasoning to explain why your argument is valid.

Examples of argumentative essay topics on gun control include:

• Gun control laws infringe upon individuals' right to bear arms and protect themselves.
• Gun control laws are ineffective and do not prevent gun violence.

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How to Choose a Good Gun Control Topic: Tips and Examples

Choosing a good gun control topic can be challenging, but with some careful consideration, you can select an interesting and relevant topic. Here are seven tips for choosing a good gun control topic with examples:

• Consider current events: Choose a topic that is current and relevant. For example, the impact of the pandemic on gun control policies.
• Narrow your focus: Choose a specific aspect of gun control to focus on, such as the impact of gun control laws on crime rates.
• Consider your audience: Consider who your audience is and what they are interested in. For example, a topic that appeals to gun enthusiasts might be the ethics of owning firearms.
• Research : Conduct extensive research on gun control policies and current events. For example, the impact of the Second Amendment on gun control laws.
• Choose a controversial topic: Choose a controversial topic that will generate discussion. For example, the impact of the NRA on gun control policies.
• Choose a topic that interests you: You can choose an opinion article on gun control that you are passionate about and interested in. For example, the impact of mass shootings on public opinion of gun control.
• Consider different perspectives: Consider different perspectives on gun control and choose a topic that allows you to explore multiple viewpoints. For example, the effectiveness of background checks in preventing gun violence.

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Pro-Gun Control Essay Topics

Here are pro-gun control essay topics that can serve as a starting point for your research and writing, helping you to craft a strong and persuasive argument.

• Stricter gun control laws are necessary to reduce gun violence in America.
• The Second Amendment was written for a different time and should be updated to reflect modern society.
• Gun control and gun safety laws can prevent mass shootings and other forms of gun violence.
• Owning a gun should be a privilege, not a right.
• Universal background checks should be mandatory for all gun purchases.
• The availability of assault weapons should be severely restricted.
• Concealed carry permits should be harder to obtain and require more rigorous training.
• The gun lobby has too much influence on government policy.
• The mental health of gun owners should be considered when purchasing firearms.
• Gun violence has a significant economic impact on communities and the nation as a whole.
• There is a strong correlation between high gun ownership rates and higher gun violence rates.
• Gun control policies can help prevent suicides and accidental shootings.
• Gun control policies should be designed to protect public safety while respecting individual rights.
• More research is needed on the impact of gun control policies on gun violence.
• The impact of gun violence on children and young people is a significant public health issue.
• Gun control policies should be designed to reduce the illegal gun trade and access to firearms by criminals.
• The right to own firearms should not override the right to public safety.
• The government has a responsibility to protect its citizens from gun violence.
• Gun control policies are compatible with the Second Amendment.
• International examples of successful gun control policies can be applied in America.

Anti-Gun Control Essay Topics

These topics against gun control essay can help you develop strong and persuasive arguments based on individual rights and the importance of personal freedom.

• Gun control laws infringe on the Second Amendment and individual rights.
• Stricter gun laws will not prevent criminals from obtaining firearms.
• Gun control laws are unnecessary and will only burden law-abiding citizens.
• Owning a gun is a fundamental right and essential for self-defense.
• Gun-free zones create a false sense of security and leave people vulnerable.
• A Gun control law will not stop mass school shootings, as these are often premeditated and planned.
• The government cannot be trusted to enforce gun control laws fairly and justly.
• Gun control laws unfairly target law-abiding gun owners and punish them for the actions of a few.
• Gun ownership is a part of American culture and heritage and should not be restricted.
• Gun control laws will not stop criminals from using firearms to commit crimes.
• Gun control laws often ignore the root causes of gun violence, such as mental illness and poverty.
• Gun control laws will not stop terrorists from using firearms to carry out attacks.
• Gun control laws will only create a black market for firearms, making it easier for criminals to obtain them.
• Gun control laws will not stop domestic violence, as abusers will find other ways to harm their victims.
• Gun control laws will not stop drug cartels and organized crime from trafficking firearms.
• Gun control laws will not stop gang violence and turf wars.
• Gun control laws are an infringement on personal freedom and individual responsibility.
• Gun control laws are often rooted in emotion rather than reason and evidence.
• Gun control laws ignore the important role that firearms play in hunting and sport shooting.
• More gun control laws will only give the government more power and control over its citizens.

Example Essays

Whether you have been assigned to write a gun control research paper or essay, the tips provided above should help you grasp the general idea of how to cope with this task. Now, to give you an even better understanding of the task and set you on the right track, here are a few excellent examples of well-written papers on this topic:

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Final Words

In conclusion, writing a sample rhetorical analysis essay requires careful analysis and effective use of persuasive techniques. Whether you are a high school student or a college student, mastering the art of rhetorical analysis can help you become a more effective communicator and critical thinker. With practice and perseverance, anyone can become a skilled writer and excel in their academic pursuits.

And if you're overwhelmed or unsure about writing your next AP lang rhetorical analysis essay, don't worry - we're here to help! Our friendly and experienced research paper writers are ready to guide you through the process, providing expert advice and support every step of the way. So why not take the stress out of writing and let us help you succeed? Buy essay today and take the first step toward academic excellence!

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Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

222 Gun Control Topics for Persuasive & Argumentative Essays

Do you think the accessibility of firearms is in direct ratio to the number of mass shootings?

It’s not that easy, though. Gun control is a very delicate but important topic. Let’s sort it out together.

Do we need harsher anti-gun policies? Do guns kill, or is it people? We will refer to these and other questions in this article.

What else do we have for you? 200+ excellent topics for an essay about gun control and gun control essay outline! Let’s go 👉👉

• ❌ Why Gun Control Doesn’t work?
• 🗫 Argumentative Essay
• 👮 Persuasive Essay
• 📑 Essay Outline

❌ Why Gun Control Doesn’t Work?

Gun control is a very sensitive topic for everyone. Any weapon is an effective self-defense measure but also a potential threat to society.

Some would feel safer having a gun, and others do worry about the owners’ mental health.

The main question stays the same.

People often debate whether new law restrictions help to reduce violent crimes. If an offender has already violated several laws, will they hesitate to break one more? Turns out to be a sophisticated psychological issue.

• Some say that gun control makes things worse . When the police are not around, people don’t know how to protect themselves.

There are many arguments for and against gun control , and the issue doesn’t lose its popularity over decades. It is hard to pick a side and choose the right topic, but here we are to help you.

Gun Control Pros and Cons

Well, let’s look closer at gun control defenders’ and opponents’ arguments.

Both opinions have some logic and common sense behind them. Both have advantages and disadvantages, as well as debatable aspects.

It is now your personal decision which side you adhere to more. Or maybe rather stay neutral?

👍 What Are the Pro-Gun Control Arguments?

Key point: People who support stricter law regulations believe that control of the purchase and gun ownership would help reduce crime.

• The majority of guns used to commit crimes were legally purchased, including those used in mass shootings.
• Even if a firearm is safely stored, it possesses a higher risk of a violent act in the house.
• New laws won’t make legal gun keepers hand over their weapons.
• Gun control will deter accidental injuries and deaths.
• Easy access to firearms makes every buyer capable of murder.

👎 What Are the Anti-Gun Control Arguments?

Key point: They claim that gun control would only make it more complicated for the people who seek self-defense measures.

• Law regulations are unlikely to stop a person who desperately wants to purchase a gun.
• An act of violence can still happen, with or without a firearm. Anything can be used as a deadly weapon.
• If we want to prevent suicides, psychological help is more effective than gun control.
• US citizens made most of the gun injuries in self-defense. Without them, people cannot have an opportunity to protect themselves in life-or-death situations.
• Banning the kinds of weapons that are considered the most dangerous would also ban hunting and sports guns.

The Politics of Gun Control

The Second Amendment is the primary law that states Americans’ right to possess weapons. Many people argue that it’s an outdated claim out of context, but it’s still a constitutional right of every American. Here is what it says:

These are the laws that apply to most states:

• A person should be at least 18 to purchase a shotgun, rifle, or ammunition. 21 is the minimum age for all other firearms (e.g., handguns).
• Have a criminal record (1 year in prison for felony or two years for a misdemeanor). You were found guilty of storing and/or using illegal drugs.
• Have been to a mental institution on an involuntary basis.
• Have restraining orders regarding violence towards other people.
• Are a visitor with a nonimmigrant visa or an unauthorized migrant.
• Everyone needs a background check to buy a gun in a licensed store.

N.B.❗ Gun control regulations vary from state to state. That’s something you can use in your essay as well.

While working on such a topic, what is also essential is understanding the current polemic between major political actors. We will briefly introduce the republicans ‘ and democrats’ attitudes to gun control in the US.

• What do republicans say? Republicans are typically in favor of gun rights, as well as the latest republican President, Donald Trump. He released a five-point plan against gun violence, but it was never fully implemented though.
• What do democrats say? Both ex-president Barack Obama and current president Joe Biden are active gun control supporters. President Biden announced his plan to end the gun violence epidemic in the USA . Its primary goal is to take actual executive actions in various spheres.

We’ve had a brief sketch of the main points regarding gun control.

Let’s get to the topics for your essay.

🗫 Gun Control Argumentative Essay. Topics to Discuss

The first thing you have to do after you decide on your position is to find your focus.

Maybe you already have a general idea, but you don’t know how to narrow it down.

On the opposite, you have a focus but can’t find the area where it is applied?

We created a list of 200+ topics for argumentative and persuasive essays on gun control!

Here is our first compilation. These essay topics provide enough space for discussion and debate. There is no black and white, numerous opinions, and lots of exciting things to find out. 👇

Top 38 Gun Control Essay Titles

• Can gun control help to prevent acts of violence? Guns give people the power to harm others faster. But does it mean that they will not find a way to fight without firearms?
• The difference between state and federal gun laws. Some claim that laws in certain states are unconstitutional. They allow too little or too much freedom. Death and injury rates also vary from state to state. Are some laws and regulations more efficient? Do they make a difference?
• Background check: A necessary measure or violation of privacy? Background checks are implemented only in licensed offline stores. That is one of the reasons why people prefer gun shows and online shops. Discuss the risk of a weapon getting into the wrong hands.
• The legal side of the gun industry: Do they sell safety or death? American citizens are the primary civilian consumers of firearms in the world. Gun business is a multibillion industry. Use the statistics of death rates compared to the number of guns.
• Gun control changes: From 1980 to 2020. The laws become stricter in some way. Discuss the main differences and the reasons for these modifications. Do they give us positive or negative effects?
• Does gun control deter mass shootings? Most of the guns used to commit mass shootings were legally sold to the offenders. Logic says we could avoid it. Common sense says they can obtain a gun elsewhere.
• Are firearms better than other self-defense tools? Electric shockers, pepper spray, pocket knives – there are plenty of them. A lot of people choose alternative measures, and others prefer guns. Think about the advantages and disadvantages of them.
• The way gun control can change the lives of American citizens. Gun ownership is an essential part of life for Americans. Discuss the changes that are going to take place. Is it going to be better or worse? Analyze safety, leisure activities, and crime rates.
• The effects of shooting video games on our psychological health. Parents worry about their children playing games such as Counter-Strike. Is there any real danger? Can gaming develop any mental issues?
• Shootings in film and television: Does the media affect us? From westerns to John Wick movies, from cheap TV series to Hollywood blockbusters. Discuss if shooting in film can provoke somebody to buy a gun and use it one day.
• Gun control laws in the United States.
• The economic effects of gun control implementation.
• How much does it cost to add more gun control?
• Banning of civilian handguns in the US.
• Why do we need firearm education?
• Do guns make our homes safer?
• The case of officer-involved shooting.
• Gun control and safety of the US citizens.
• Is proper gun tracing possible?
• US gun control as a public policy issue.
• Gun ownership in rural and urban areas.
• Glorification of violence and murder in video games.
• Gun ownership and the Second Amendment.
• Concealed carry: A threat or a safety guarantee?
• Are we able to keep war guns out of civil life?
• Gun control problem.
• Does gun culture in the United States make lives safer?
• Misinformation about gun control in the media .
• History and effects of gun policy in the US.
• Is the Second Amendment still valid today?
• Should we raise the age of being able to buy guns to 21?
• Crime and its influence on gun control laws.
• Is there a need to get gun insurance?
• Do we need to ban purchases at gun shows?
• Strict gun control laws and homicide.
• Is online shopping for guns a way to avoid background checks?
• Gun shows and online dealers have to obtain federal licenses.
• Gun control: Social, legal and regulatory aspects.

Anti-Gun Control Essay Topics

There are other ways to kill and injure, and criminals don’t obey laws anyways. So, most people buy guns for self-defense.

This is what gun rights supporters say.

They also claim that gun control makes law-abiding citizens lose more.

Do you think that gun control does not support our rights and freedoms? This list is for you.

• The black market does not obey gun control laws: Don’t let the citizens be defenseless. Imagine what would happen if all the citizens gave up their guns. Criminals with unregistered weapons would instantly become the main danger. Analyze the possible risks of such events.
• The benefits of using firearms in self-defense . Long distance, deadly force, and a real reason not to get closer to you. There is no other self-defense weapon as efficient and dangerous. Provide some examples of successful self-defense.
• Gun control is not a deterrent to violence. Violent behavior is dangerous both with and without guns. The scariest thing is that there are people who can kill with bare hands. Discuss why we need to stop violence, not guns.
• The Second Amendment rights and the way gun control violates them. The right to keep and bear arms. It is a part of the Constitution, a part of the culture, a part of heritage. Analyze how gun control measures take that right away step by step.
• Alcohol prohibition scenario: Why gun control will not work. Bootleggers made a fortune on prohibition. They didn’t pay taxes as well. Why alcohol was illegal, you could still buy it. Why should it be any different with guns?
• The impossibility of controlling the firearm that is already purchased. People sell their guns, give them as presents, and buy them illegally. Discuss why control just can’t check and track them all.
• Gun control is a waste of taxpayers’ money. It is not going to be cheap. We don’t know if it is going to work. There are lots of other things to spend the money on. Education, environment, and health are more important these days.
• The future of shooting sports and hunting with gun control. Will they have to rent certain weapons without a right to own them? Or maybe get rid of half of what they already have? Think why that is not fair.
• Gun control and a loss of safety as a consequence. It is not a surprise that there are burglars, muggers, and maniacs . They are looking for the next victim every single day. How can people feel safe knowing they can’t defend themselves?
• Guns are just tools. It is people who kill. Think of knife stabbings, beaten people, and cars used as weapons. There are too many ways to hurt other people without guns. We should work on mental stability and anger management first.
• US gun control insufficiency in crime prevention.
• Mass shootings happen not because of the lack of gun control.
• Gun control cannot unarm the criminal world.
• Gun control and the right to keep and bear arms.
• Mental health services need more attention than gun control.
• Gun control is used to eliminate people’s freedom.
• Detailed description of reasons against gun control.
• Is the balance between gun control and gun rights achievable?
• The necessity of owning a gun if you live in a distanced area.
• Gun control effects in the US.
• The losses of the American gun industry because of gun control.
• Mass shootings are used as moral leverage to pass gun control.
• Gun ownership regulations in the United States.
• It is our right to own guns for recreational activities.
• Society is to blame for crimes, not guns.
• The debates against gun control.
• Gun control sets limits on the freedom of the citizens.

Pro-gun Control Argumentative Essay Topics

Everything changes. Rules change too.

Maybe it is the right time to adjust the laws?

The pro-gun control approach claims that mass shootings, gun injuries, and violence result from easy access to deadly weapons.

Choose one of these argumentative essay topics if you feel like supporting this side:

• Loopholes in the gun laws and the ways to fix them. There are too many inaccuracies, and people use them. For example, the Charleston loophole , the private sale loophole, and many others. We need to solve this problem before it is too late.
• Guns and domestic violence : Behind closed doors. Not everyone owns a gun only for self-defense measures. Women abusers use weapons to harm and threaten their victims at home. Discuss why psychological and physical harassment becomes a more dangerous problem if guns are involved.
• The reasons why we need stricter gun control. If mass shootings and unintentional harm are not enough, let’s look at statistics. Gun death rates are incredibly high in the USA.
• The stories behind school mass shootings. Kids get bullied and hurt. Some of them seek revenge. Others show signs of violent behavior months before shootings. Discuss why we should take a closer look at what children and teenagers do.
• The red flags laws show that we need more gun control . Every single mentally unstable person with a gun is a threat. We have to remove their weapons forcibly. Isn’t it better not to allow them to buy a gun first?
• The dangers of keeping a gun at home. For instance, a lot of children say they’ve held their parents’ guns. In most cases, they did it in secret. Abusers use guns at home as an instrument of violence.
• High suicide rates among gun owners. Gun owners are more likely to commit suicide. Most suicide attempts are not fatal. But if we take firearms as a method, they usually lead to death.
• High-capacity ammunition magazines are not needed for self-defense. One bullet is enough to threaten or even kill an offender. There can be even no need to shoot. Discuss why assault weapons are not necessary for defense.
• The benefits of extended background checks . Sometimes three days are just not enough for thorough data gathering and analysis. Analyze why it is better to wait than to risk.

• Gun control protects the rights of law-abiding gun owners. New restrictions don’t forbid people from owning and buying guns. If you do everything according to the laws, you don’t need to worry.
• No gun control means a green light for violence. The absence of regulations and rules causes chaos. When it comes to firearms, we need strict laws to protect society.
• Laws regulating civilian gun ownership in the US.
• What types of firearms should be banned for the general public?
• Gun control laws: Pros.
• What would be the effect of toxic masculinity in society without gun control?
• Reasons for a tighter gun control in the United States.
• Mental and background checks are a reasonable price to pay to save lives.
• Illegal weapon trafficking is a problem in the United States.
• Gun control: Stop wrong people from getting a gun.
• How can we avoid accidental death caused by guns?
• Do fewer guns mean fewer deaths?
• Gun control issue in the US.

Thought-Provoking Gun Control Essay Titles

There is more to say about the issue, that’s right. Political, social, and psychological problems always have connections that might seem invisible.

Do you want to write about something more complicated? Like, why does gun control not work?

Do you want to introduce your ideas and solutions?

Dive into more complex topics using this list:

• Does social activism change gun control attitudes? People go to rallies and post on their social media. Does it change the situation and people’s opinions ?
• Gun control and racial equity. Racist rivalry is a huge problem and a reason for many crimes. Gun assaults and shootings are not an exception.
• There are more critical issues than gun control. They say politicians deliberately draw too much attention to gun control. That is how we focus on unemployment, loans, and other acute social issues.
• Can we control so many American guns with the law? The estimated number of firearms in the US is 393 million. Many people doubt that such a quantity can be under supervision.
• Gun industry fights against Democrat politicians in the gun control battle. Of course, gun manufacturing and sales is a very profitable businesses. Primary consumers are American citizens, so the industry doesn’t want to lose its clients.
• Psychological profile of the minors who use guns. You can say they are naturally violent and aggressive. Or on the other side of the specter: too vulnerable and defenseless.
• Stand-your-ground law: Essential or too radical? It is a right to kill. In some cases, it might be the only option. Sometimes it is not, but property owners can still take advantage of it.
• Do safe lockers guarantee security at home? Every lock has a code or a key. It means that it is still possible to access it. Also, in a critical situation, rushing to the safe and opening it might take too long.
• Are weapon owners capable of defending themselves with guns from the people they know? People buy guns for safety. But what if the person who is a threat is a family member or a friend? It seems as if it is hard to pull the trigger.
• Gun control: Does it reduce or increase crime?
• Gun control and bans on smoking: possibly the same scenario?
• How can we prevent felons from obtaining guns?
• Should guns be banned in college campuses?
• Is it possible to prevent illegal gun trafficking?
• The best way to eliminate easy gun access.
• Hollywood vs. reality officer involved shootings.
• History perspective: Guns as an integral part of Americans’ identity.
• A better solution than stricter gun control laws.
• A tighter gun control policy is good for all Americans.
• Is it necessary to check people in crowded places?
• What are we left with to defend ourselves without guns?
• Should more gun control laws be enacted?
• What is the correct interpretation of the Second Amendment?
• Does gun control limit freedom of choice more than any other laws?
• Is gun control strict enough in the US?
• The roots of gun violence.
• Vigilantism among gun owners.
• How decision makers in Coquitlam can end gun violence.

👮 Persuasive Essay on Gun Control

Trying to persuade readers with your point of view, be as argumentative as possible. The essential aspect of a persuasive essay on gun control is new statistics and reliable facts.

However, be attentive with going too far – you will probably not change someone’s mind by being over-pressing.

Topics on Gun Control in Schools Pros and Cons

School mass shooting is always a tragedy of the national level. It is also one of the reasons people fight for gun control.

When it comes to children’s lives, every topic becomes more sensitive.

If you feel as concerned as students and parents, these topics are for you:

• Parents should keep their guns in safe storage, away from children of any age.
• Children of high school age should not be able to purchase guns.
• Schools need more mental health supervision to prevent gun violence.
• Are armed teachers a threat or safety insurance?
• Racism in schools is a trigger for violent behavior.
• Wearing weapons to reduce trauma.
• School safety plans need to be improved.
• Extreme risk laws are required in every state.
• We need threat assessment teams at school .
• Shooter drills are as important as fire drills.
• Educating children on the dangers of guns is better than arming teachers.
• Realistic shooter drills can psychologically traumatize children.
• School violence measures in the United States.
• Are active or lockdown shooter drills more effective?
• Bullying in school might lead to gun violence.
• The policy of gun control: The impact on school safety.
• Tolerance and support are the foundation of preventative measures at school.
• More guns at school lead to a higher probability of children gaining access to them.
• The control of gun violence in public places.
• Should teachers and staff members be allowed to bring guns to schools?
• Ban on assault weapons would make schools safer.
• Gun control laws: Reasons for toughening.
• Guns of any type have no place in schools.
• College students should be banned from having guns on campus.
• Domestic violence is one of the reasons for shootings in schools.

International Gun Control Laws

American gun laws differ a lot from the vast majority of European and Asian countries.

Is there something we can take over in the USA case?

Are there similar problems?

Are there any better solutions?

Explore the questions with these topics about gun control in other countries:

• Can we apply the Australian buyback program to the United States?
• Canada’s experience shows that stricter gun control works.
• Gun control as a controversial topic in China and the US.
• Gun control is the reason why Japan has such low death rates.
• The Government cannot enact European gun control laws in America.
• German psychiatric evaluation system for gun purchase is a solution.
• American culture will not obey European gun control.
• Canadian firearms program.
• American laws are the reason for higher death rates caused by guns compared to Europe.
• Switzerland could be an example for the United States in terms of gun control policy.
• Comparison of gun control in China and the US.
• Explain the rationality behind strict gun control in most European countries.
• Ban on handguns in Canada: Neither side is happy.
• “US Gun Policy: Global Comparisons” by J. Masters.
• Do Asian strict gun policies make sense?
• Democracy and gun control go hand in hand in Europe.
• Historical background of gun control in Japan.
• Gun control in America.
• European Firearms Directive restrains guns in the European Union.
• Europe proves that fewer guns mean less crime.
• Mass shootings as the reason for strict gun laws in Australia.
• Gun culture and strict regulations coexist in Israel.
• United Kingdom’s Snowdrop Petition : a savor or democracy killer?
• How does the United States influence gun policies around the world?
• Should we follow the European way towards strict gun regulations?

Persuasive Essay on Gun Control and Hunting

Sportspeople and hunters worry a lot about gun control. There is an opinion that these two categories of people should not be regulated by common gun control policies. Others think that rules are for everyone.

Hunters don’t have the same opinion on gun control too.

If you have something to say about it, take a look at the list below:

• Gun control punishes hunters instead of criminals.
• Semi-automatic guns save hunters’ lives from wild animals.
• Are bows and muzzleloaders good alternatives to guns in hunting sports?
• Should people have a right to own a gun?
• Hunters will still be able to buy guns and hunt with gun control.
• Hunters can accept new regulations if this helps to save lives.
• The issue of having a gun.
• Gun control should not ban hunting and target shooting weapons.
• Gun control sets unnecessary limits to hunting.
• Gun control in the USA: Strategy proposal.
• Does the Second Amendment apply to hunting ?
• Decreasing the number of hunters means less financing for wildlife foundations.
• Aspects of policies of gun control.
• Hunters already obey too many rules.
• The National Rifle Association represents itself, not hunters’ opinions.
• Examination of firearms and NGI system.
• Hunters are forced to take responsibility for criminals.
• Do hunters have to give up part of their weapons?
• A social issue: Possession and use of firearms .
• Hunting regulations might cost lives and safety in critical situations.
• Are high-capacity magazines and semi-automatic guns essential to hunting?
• Hunters oppose the National Rifle Association .
• Professional hunters suffer from gun control.
• Any gun ban affects hunters.
• Gun control leads to a reduction in the number of hunters.
• Do hunters need background checks?

More Gun Control Essay Titles

Haven’t found what you are looking for? Maybe you are just not sure that you have chosen the best topic.

There is nothing to worry about. We always have a backup plan for you.

Give it another chance with this list of 20 topics:

• Should carrying guns in public be prohibited?
• The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
• The danger of other lethal weapons.
• Illegal drugs and illegal guns: Does the law have control over the market?
• Gun laws and their interpretation by courts.
• Just confiscating guns from potentially violent people is not enough.
• Gun control and democracy : Enemies or allies?
• The ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) policy requires no revision.
• Guns in cartoons and toy guns promote violence .
• Can gun control decrease premature death rates?
• The Brady Handgun Violence Act.
• Gun ownership changes the psychological profile of the owner.
• Feminism and gun control : Are they on the same side?
• Analysis of the need for gun control: The role of public opinion.
• Inherited weapons and gun control.
• Should gun collectors be concerned about gun control?
• “The Case for Moderate Gun Control” by David DeGrazia.
• Does gun control affect vulnerable neighborhoods?
• Preventing mentally unstable citizens from owning guns.
• Gun control and proliferation in the United States.
• The debate between democrats and republicans on gun control.
• How many deaths can we prevent with gun control?
• The Second Amendment and recent gun control debates.
• The difference between federal and state gun laws .
• Which state has the most efficient gun policies?
• Criminal law: Gun control overview.
• Current Government’s commitment to gun control.
• We should have enacted stricter gun control earlier.
• Gun control practices and criminal justice policies.
• Is there a middle ground between gun supporters and gun haters?
• Gun control argumentation: Ethos, logos, and pathos.

📑 Gun Control Essay Outline

You did your research, and now it’s time to share the results.

❕ Always keep in mind that not everyone is familiar with your topic.

First of all, create a draft. Make sure that you researched the topic well. If you are confident in the data you gathered and there is enough of it, you are ready. Create a list of claims and counterclaims , and briefly note the evidence to support each of them. That is how you structure your essay.

We believe you can do it! Let’s begin.

Essential Components of Gun Control Essay

Introduction

It is crucial to catch the reader’s attention from the very beginning. Ask an important question or provide surprising statistics. Try your best to hook the reader.

✏️ Tip : In a gun control argumentative essay introduction, you can also mention its complexity, the controversy of views, and the constant ongoing debate.

Here you need to describe and explain all the things your reader might not understand. It should be informative and helpful but not distracting. Remember that your task here is to make things simple, do not overcomplicate this part.

• Briefly introduce the problem.
• Provide some context (time frame, past events, etc.) essential to understanding your paper.
• Provide definitions.
• Describe why your topic is relevant and essential.

✏️ Tip: Depending on the focus of your gun control essay, operate specific policies or terminology applied to the issue.

State your opinion on the issue and explain it with your strongest arguments. Don’t forget to include one counterargument in the sentence.

✏️ Tip: When working on a pro- or anti-gun control essay, choose a very transparent and exhaustive thesis statement.

Take a look at your draft. You need to have at least two arguments for and one against your point of view. Don’t worry if some of the data you gathered is not required anymore.

✏️ Tip: Use your arguments consistently – they should be related to each other and perform one whole.

It’s time to look at your thesis statement and body paragraphs one more time. Summarize your thoughts and ideas first. Then paraphrase your thesis, briefly support it with evidence and explain why it matters.

✏️ Tip: Don’t introduce new information in the conclusion of a gun control essay. Instead, reflect on what you’ve said before, try to look at it from a new angle.

What to Avoid in Gun Control Essay

Remember that any topic related to gun control pros and cons is controversial. It also can be very sensitive for some readers. Everyone has different opinions based on their life experience, education, and thoughts. And we don’t know what all our readers have experienced.

That’s why there are primary rules everyone should follow when writing an essay on gun control – how not to offend anyone’s feelings.

5 things you have to avoid in a persuasive essay on gun control:

And we are done here!

If you didn’t find a perfect topic, try our research topic generator to get a custom topic you will love.

What else would you add to your gun control essays? Share with us in the comments below👇👇

Meanwhile, we’re off to work on other helpful materials for you.

Remember , whatever you are writing, stay positive and respectful!

🔗 References

• Opinion | Republicans want to make voting hard and gun ownership easy – The Washington Post
• Gun control fails quickly in Congress after each mass shooting, but states often act – including to loosen gun laws
• Is compromise possible? Republicans have gun control proposals too | Fox News
• FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Initial Actions to Address the Gun Violence Public Health Epidemic | The White House
• Biden orders gun control actions — but they show his limits
• US gun control: Could Joe Biden′s plan backfire? | Americas | North and South American news impacting on Europe | DW

414 Proposal Essay Topics for Projects, Research, & Proposal Arguments

725 research proposal topics & title ideas in education, psychology, business, & more.

Gun Control Essay: Goals, Topics, And How to Write

13 October, 2020

14 minutes read

Author:  Mathieu Johnson

The issue of gun control is yet one of the top topics for heated debates. Some people have rather a negative opinion regarding gun control; others support it and believe that loose gun control rules lead to violence and devastation. And since the topic of gun control is represented by a multitude of contrasting opinions, it might be the topic for your next college paper.

The subject of gun control is an ongoing question, that is why many students either get assigned  a gun control essay or do so for personal motives. What to include in your gun control essay and how to outline your ideas? You can find the answers to your questions in this guide.

Gun Control Essay: Definitions, Goals & Topics

Once you get assigned a gun control essay, you first need to make sure that you fully understand what a paper’s main idea is. As you can tell from the name ‘gun control essay’, such an essay asks you to indicate your opinion regarding restrictive regulations of gun use and production. While most countries have been limiting gun possession to minimize the risk of innocent people dying, the USA hasn’t. On the contrary, the US has persuasive gun control, meaning that almost anyone can buy and hold a gun. Many people share an idea that gun possession should be limited and permitted only to particular categories of people, that is why the question is very ongoing.  So the most critical goal of a gun control essay is to present reasonable ideas about why people need or don’t need gun control. 

Some of the compelling and relevant topics for a gun control essay may be:

• Gun ownership promotes violence among young people
• Gun ownership is unlikely to prevent some people from murdering 
• Gun possession as the only way to protect oneself
• The wide accessibility of guns is the reason for suicides in the US

Gun Control Essay Titles

When writing a pro gun control essay, your initial task is to pick an intriguing, catchy title. You shouldn’t underestimate the importance of such a step if your goal is to attract the reader’s attention and make them aware of a topic. The thing to keep in mind is intriguing the audience and making them willing to take a deep dive into the subject. If you have no precise vision of which title to choose, take a look at a few tips we prepared for you.

First and foremost, you need to have a precise position regarding gun control in America. Are you a supporter, or are you firmly against gun control? Since there is yet a heated debate on this issue in the USA, you can decide to write either a for or against essay on gun control. 

Titles supporting gun control: 

• Violence has never solved any problem
• Guns out of control: why should innocent people die?
• Youth violence as the result of no gun control

Titles opposing gun control:

• Gun control won’t prevent people from killing 
• Gun control: why should we sacrifice our lives just because we can’t defend ourselves?
• Illegal weapons trade as the only guaranteed outcome of gun control.

Gun Control Essay Structure

Most likely, you already know that a good structure largely predicts the success of a gun control argumentative essay. Whenever you are willing to present your opinion on a specific issue and want to convince the audience that your arguments are valid, you should sound logical. The ultimate way to make your gun control essay structure coherent and comprehensive is to draw an outline and plan the essay thoroughly. To assure that your argumentative essay on gun control communicates your idea to the reader, make sure to follow the structure that includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

Introduction 

It would help if you organized your gun control essay introduction in a way that serves as an attention grabber. Namely, you can feel free to include some rhetorical question at the beginning or literally any good essay hook. To grab the reader’s attention, you may also outline some background information so that a reader grasps the idea of your gun control persuasive essay. And last but not least, don’t forget to introduce the most important part of a gun control essay outline – a thesis statement. A sound thesis statement gives a reader a general understanding of what you will cover in your essay.

Main body paragraphs’ role is to reveal what you mentioned in the thesis statement. Since your gun control essay will most likely be argumentative, you need to devote one paragraph to one argument. In each and every body paragraph, your main task is to build on some solid evidence and refer to numbers or facts to protect your position. It is better to include 3-5 body paragraphs so that the gun control essay doesn’t look messy. 

When writing a gun control essay conclusion, you should avoid adding any extra information. Try to be very precise and make sure you restate the arguments you have indicated before. All in all, your gun control essay should logically end up with a summary of all the points. The reader has to be 100% sure that he or she fully comprehended your idea. 

Best Tips For Writing Gun Control Essay

An outline is everything.

Create an outline even if you think that this step isn’t indeed necessary. Even when you have all those sparkling ideas and structure in your mind, it requires no effort to confuse them. And if we talk about an argumentative essay, it is fundamental for you as a writer to sound convincing and confident. An outline helps you to sound so. Hence, don’t neglect dedicating a few minutes to creating a helpful essay plan.  

Find some convincing evidence 

The goal of any gun control essay is to communicate an idea of why strict gun control is necessary or should be abandoned. After reading your essay, the audience will form an exact opinion: gun control is either good or bad. Try to search for some substantial evidence, numbers, particular cases that you find helpful while supporting your arguments. Otherwise, you undermine the chances of being heard. 

Write about the topic that bothers you 

Don’t try to figure up titles and topics that aren’t interesting for you. The point of a gun control essay is to make your voice heard and to be sincere while presenting your ideas. Try to give some ideas the way you see them, discuss only those topics that cannot let you stay indifferent. Only in this way will you end up with an excellent essay. 

Edit and proofread

Once your essay is ready, don’t forget to proofread it and check it at least twice. So many excellent essays get a terrible score just because some minor mistakes spoiled the general impression! You can use a wide array of means to make sure your paper is polished: ask your friends to check it, use online tools, or ask a professional essay writing and editing service to get your paper checked by an expert.

Gun Control Essay Examples

If you feel like you need to refer to an example to get a profound insight into an idea of a gun control essay, here is one for you.  

Strict gun control deprives people of their legal rights

The US is the country in which the share of people who own a gun is impressively high. Besides, there is no single country in the world that can be compared to the US by the number of firearms in the citizen’s hands. According to the official statistics, 80 percent of adults own a gun, meaning that the likelihood of  a stranger you come across in the street possessing one are unbelievably significant. Recently, several regulations attempted to restrict gun possession to impose gun control. However, gun control is not only unjustifiable, but it also deprives people of their right for self-defence and peaceful life.

First and foremost, gun control, unfortunately, does not reduce the murder and crime rates in the US. Although it should generally hold true, the statistics contradict the misbelief that limiting gun possession minimizes the number of crimes committed. The research on weapon ban which was carried out during the past twenty years demonstrates that there is no correlation between reducing gun ownership and a falling number of murder cases. The research also indicated that the states that imposed strict gun control have witnessed a larger number of crimes.

This all leads to the conclusion that imposing a ban on gun possession is not a way to fight crime. Also, as the evidence shows, the number of guns in the US had been steadily growing in the last century, and this coincided with a decrease in the number of crimes committed. Essentially, gun control is unlikely to resolve the issue of crimes, since some people are likely to commit crimes even when they have no gun at their disposal.

Another argument against gun control is that the first inevitably infringe the citizen’s rights, Namely, banning weapons contradicts the right that the constitution of the US guarantees. According to the second amendment, under no circumstances should the citizen’s rights to possess a gun  be infringed. The right to own a gun had already existed long before many countries appeared on the map. That is why many people deem gun control as a crime against humanity. Even though there is yet some logical explanation to an attempt to control gun usage and manufacturing, it still deprives US citizens of their inviolable right.

What is even more, the supreme court together with the constitution considers gun ownership as one of the liberties that all the US citizens have. Just like the freedom of speech, the space to protect oneself is crucial, and it should remain untouchable. Introducing gun control, therefore, leads to violating people’s freedom and liberties since people become incapable of even defending themselves in their property.

Gun control robs people of the right for safety and self-defence. Imposing strict gun regulations will inevitably make millions of people incapable of defending themselves if something threatens their and their close ones’ lives. According to the data represented by the National Rifle Association, the number of cases of gun usage solely for self-defence purposes equals 2.5 million times annually. People use guns to protect their families and property, but, apparently, the states find the self-defence motive weak enough. If they impose strict gun control, it means that these 2.5 million people may literally sacrifice their lives and die just because they couldn’t hold a gun legally.

The truth is, the Police are physically incapable of protecting all the people who need protection, so these people are bound to defend themselves on their own. But how to protect yourself  if you cannot even possess a gun? So far, using a weapon for self-defence has proved to be the most effective way . Therefore, depriving people of the right for self-defence or for saving other people in trouble is inhumane and unjustified.

Overall, gun control has lately become a hot topic that has both its advocates and opponents. So far, the evidence against gun control is very reasonable and convincing. Gun control robs the citizens of their exceptional right – the right to protect themselves and those in danger. Besides, gun control contradicts the second amendment, which guarantees the right to possess a gun for adult US citizens. Finally, it is unlikely to reduce the crime rate as the science hasn’t yet found any valid proof for that.

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Composing a brilliant essay about gun control is somewhat challenging due to the peculiarity of this topic. But this is not something above your capacity. Keeping all the tips in mind as well as following a precise gun control essay structure will significantly facilitate the writing process. And if you need help with writing or editing – HandmadeWriting will have you covered! At any time of day and night, essay writers at HandmadeWriting work hard to deliver top-quality papers and support students from all over the world. So if you’re struggling with your essay, feel free to get in touch with us. 

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Gun Control - Free Essay Samples And Topic Ideas

The topic of gun ownership is very relevant in modern society in the United States and is increasingly being discussed at different levels. This social issue has also seeped into educational structures, so students often have to write essays considering this topic.

It’s important to keep in mind some general requirements while writing a research paper on gun control. Amongst others are presenting your opinion about gun ownership, adding a topic sentence to structure your work, and starting every new idea with a new paragraph, you may also consult a specialist to know how to make an introduction, conclusion and outline for gun laws essay.

Get creative and speak up. Tell whether you believe weapons are necessary for defending yourself and being in safety, or on the contrary, you think guns may lead to a high school shooting or other crime and the law should go through a reform. Share if you see any solution — elaborate a thesis statement about gun control to consolidate your beliefs. You can find an argumentative essay on gun control in America to familiarize yourself with the main questions on the issue.

Weapon ownership being a social issue, is quite difficult to write about and is a topic that causes debate. So one should read a sample. For instance, we provide free persuasive essays about gun control to facilitate general comprehension. Don’t forget to take a look at gun control essay examples too before writing one, and a hook for gun rights essay may also be helpful.

The History, Politics, Stakeholders, and Legislation of Gun Control Laws

Our nation needs gun control laws. The United States' inhabitants are slaughtering each other every day, but Congress is doing little to stop this. If we had gun control laws, teenagers wouldn't have access to automatic weapons our army uses. Historically, our nation has done little to restrict the ease of getting these weapons. There are big stakeholders that are anti-gun control such as the NRA who are so big, congress is not willing to disagree with their lobbying firm. […]

Why Gun Control Won’t Work

Society sees guns as a source of violence and evil. Consequently, society believes that there needs to be strict regulations on firearms. However, many fail to realize that enforcing strict gun control is not the solution to the problem. People are very ignorant on guns, and they just speak with the masses. Gun control is such a controversial topic because it isn't stated in the constitution if the regulation and control of guns is constitutional or not. Most people on […]

Pros and Cons of Gun Ownership

Gun control is very controversial issue because all though guns can be used for leisure, they can cause much harm. In reason years, guns have landed in the wrong hands, and as a result many innocent lives were lost. The question we all ask is should more gun control laws be enacted? They say more gun control laws would reduce the deaths, with high compacity magazines should be banned because they turn people into mass murders. The second amendment of […]

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Stricter U.S. Gun Control: Safety Vs. Rights

Gun control means control. It means control for the government and the government starts controlling people says Luke Scott. Guns have become so problematic in the United States and as the year goes by and it is so devastating to hear news about schools, grocery stores and many more places that were involved in a gun-related events. One of the few ways to help improve the problem is that the government should do a psychological screening before purchasing guns to […]

Gun Control in America

Throughout American history, the debate on gun control has divided the nation. Gun control is a difficult subject to discuss. There is so much controversy over guns that it can become difficult to analyze the subject, through an objective lens. Americans today own more guns than ever recorded. The firearm industry has grown tremendously and is estimated to be a thirty billion dollar industry, which is contributing to the countries economy (Hindman, Nate C.). While mass shootings are on the […]

Chicago’s Gun Laws

Year after year, Chicago has had an increase in gun crimes. Chicago has gun laws that seem to be ineffective, therefore there are high crimes rates in the city. Since I have a personal experience that involves having a gun to my head, I believe that gun laws need to be changed to be made stricter because it can traumatize a person. There needs to be a restriction on who is capable of purchasing these times of weapons. In Chicago, […]

School Shootings and Gun Control

Killing people for pleasure or killing people because a person has mental problem should be an issue to look into. Gun control in schools are a dangerous and devastatin. Kids who go through shootings/ anxiety and PTSD. Gun control in schools and why it should not be a law. Gun controls in schools is a big problem and should be addressed by the community and the state. The history behind guns and gun control can be very interesting. Gun control […]

Gun Control – Debatable and Controversial Topic between Individuals and Politicians in USA

Gun control can be a topic that is very debatable and controversial topic in the United States between individuals and politicians. In our society currently, there is a strong movement to strengthen gun control laws. The idea of strengthening gun control laws stem from the number of shootings that have happened recently; however, many Americans seem to be missing the point of what gun control truly is. Gun control is a right given to individuals by the government, but guns […]

Does the U.S. Need Tougher Gun-Control Laws?

The United States holds the title of having one of the highest rate of gun-related deaths in the world. As that number continues to rise, and with the benefits that reap from implementing gun control in America outweighing the so called negative effects, it is no surprise that more and more people have become pro-gun control. Legislation should be passed to permit gun control laws and more regulations on guns to be put in place. What exactly is gun control? […]

Why is Gun Control Still an Issue in Today’s America?

The number of mass shooting in the USA during 2018 has recently risen above 300. By November 9, 1135 people were killed as a result of these mass shootings ( Bonnie Berkowitz, Denise Lu & Chris Alcantara, 2018). These numbers do not even scratch the surface of the problem that is gun violence in the US. Every time a new shooting happens, a debate rises, gun control advocates try to raise awareness, but the conclusion is still the same: there […]

The Importance of Gun Control

Gun control is one of the most battled zones in the United States. There have been legislative issues raised by activists on gun control and other weapons associated with the same matter. Many people have fallen victims of gun violence and activists' movements in America have been battling its control. Statistics show that close to 270million personnel own weapons outside the military in the United States (ProCon, 2016). In order to control this ownership, measures to input strict control over […]

Gun Rights in America

Gun rights in America have been at the focal point of discussion for quite a long time, and this is because hits home for such a significant number of Americans. According to research at the University of Chicago, around 200 to 250 million guns are owned all through the nation, (Cook, 2009). A similar research shows that one in four Americans had possessed a weapon in 2009. Firearms are a vital piece of the wellbeing of Americans, yet the dangers […]

The Relationship of Gun Control and America

With recent events, gun control has been a topic among citizens in the United States of America. So many opinions are being spread from politicians, celebrities, and common citizens. The United States of America has an extensive history with assault weapons. Organizations such as the National Rifle Association have spread messages against gun control which have divided the nation. The current situation in America is not ideal with the number gun-related incidents rising and increase in assault weapon sales. Although […]

Gun Control Legislation

Gun control has been a popular topic of discussion over the last couple of years. The second amendment of the United States Constitution awarded citizens the right to purchase and bear arms. If the individual is licensed, they can carry their firearm(s) on their person. The guidelines to obtain firearms are too lenient. Others have said that heavy firearms are too accessible for public use and has started to affect the quality of life for the people of the United […]

Effects of Gun Control

As the effects of gun control become an increasing topic of current events, it is time that we take the initiative to learn each side of gun control; strong and weak. Stated in the constitution, Citizens have the right to bear arms (2nd amendment, Bill of Rights). This is the major reason there is any conflicting matters to limiting the use of firearms due to inappropriate use. The decision however comes from the citizens themselves; to find a correct solution […]

Gun Control in USA

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The Early Gun Control Movements

The United States of America has always had a tangled and romantic history with guns, and as the nation owning more guns than any other country in the world, some Americans view gun ownership and violence as a grave social danger. Several organizations and movements have formed in the last two centuries with the hopes of regulating the availability of firearms and limiting the freedom to own firearms. The ultimate goal then and now is to reduce crimes and accidents […]

Gun Control has Many Effects in USA

The United States still has gun rights but we also still have rules to that matter. Gun control always had two vectors: common sense, and and to keep guns from the untrustworthy (pg 28). Some people should not be able to own a gun if they have a bad history for guns or if they have been in trouble for robbery etc... In some situations you may need gun rights such as in school, work, parks etc¦ The United States […]

America’s Debate on Gun Control

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Does Gun Control Actually Control Crime

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Stop Gun Violence

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Why Gun Control and Ban on Certain Guns Will not Work in the United States

In this paper I will state the reasons why gun control and ban on certain guns will not work in the United States, especially in rural areas across the country. 46% of americans in rural areas own a gun compared to 19% of urban residents. 75% of rural gun owners own more than one gun to 48% of urban gun owners. 47% of rural gun owners owned a gun before age 18 only 27% of urban gun owners owned them […]

Gun Control in the US

So why is it that the most important country in the world has the easiest process to get a gun? In a country that is so powerful and filled to the brim with people from around the globe getting a gun shouldn't be so easy. Mass shootings are a real problem in the United States and more so recently because they are becoming more frequent. Even though school shootings are the focus there are more problems than just that, sure […]

How Gun Control Affects the American’s Point of View

John R. Lott once wrote, American culture is a gun culture? (Lott 1) . On December 15, 1791 the second amendment to the United States Constitution became a law and made it legal for all people in the United States to own a firearm. However, people have evolved since the 1700's. Today, the news is constantly filled with crime and violence using guns. People are injured from guns what seems along the lines of almost every day. All of the […]

More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws

John R. Lott has written a series of books, three to be exact, all with the same topic. More guns and less crime is the issued discussed. These books provide true evidence and facts on gun control and how it relates to crime. In the latest addition of the series, John portrays American culture to one considered as gun culture. One statistic states that in 2009, one hundred and twenty four million people lived in homes that obtained a total […]

Rethinking Gun Laws in the United States: a Urgent Call to Action

Just from this year, there have been over three hundred shootings in the United States just this year. Having stricter gun laws could reduce the crime rate we have in the United States and the gun violence in not only schools and universities, but also in everyday life. The fact that some Americans aren't concerned with our current gun control laws worries me and is ridiculous that people aren't doing anything about it even after all the shootings. The purpose […]

Common Sense and Gun Control don’t Mix

In January of 2013 President Obama signed 23 executive orders pertaining to guns. Action number 14 deemed gun violence a serious public health issue that affects thousands of individuals, families, and communities across the Nation (Institute of Medicine and National Research Council 12). This directed the CDC to identify firearms' effect on public health. This study focused on a handful of major questions. Two of which were the characteristics of gun violence and risks and protective factors. The study analyzed […]

Mental Illness and Gun Control

Gun Violence relating to Mental Illness and Background Checks Gun Violence is a huge threat to people across America. 'In 2018 alone 46,000 incident of violence with a gun, 11,700 death by gun, and 290 mass shootings were more than 4 people have died each shooting' (Gun Violence Archive). Gun violence is something that needs to be taken seriously and acted upon fast. Background checks are not keeping guns out of the people who threaten us the most especially criminals […]

Gun Violence and Gun Control

Gun violence in America is a never-ending series of tragedy after tragedy, mass-shooting and the one of the constant social problem in United State. Many innocent lives have been taken to gun violence from Sandy Hook elementary, Pulse nightclub in Orlando, 2017 Las Vegas, Columbine High School, and all of that violence has been increasing. The Second Amendment, the right of the people to bear arms, has given the individual to own a gun, but many have abused the power […]

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How To Write an Essay About Gun Control

Introduction to the complexities of gun control.

Gun control is a multifaceted and often contentious topic, making it an engaging subject for an essay. The introduction of your essay should begin by defining what gun control encompasses – including various laws, policies, and public opinions surrounding the regulation of firearms. It's crucial to present the relevance of this topic, especially in the context of current events and societal debates. This section should set the stage for your essay, providing a brief overview of the different aspects of gun control you will explore, and subtly introducing your thesis statement. This groundwork is key to preparing the reader for a nuanced discussion on the complexities of gun control.

Building a Structured Argument

The body of your essay is where you'll develop your argument, which should be clearly outlined in your thesis statement. Whether you're examining the effectiveness of gun control measures, their impact on crime rates, or the constitutional debates surrounding the Second Amendment, each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect or argument supporting your thesis. Use evidence such as statistical data, historical examples, or case studies to reinforce your points. It's also important to acknowledge and address counterarguments. By presenting a balanced view that considers multiple perspectives, your essay will be more persuasive and reflective of the multifaceted nature of the gun control debate.

Exploring the Broader Implications

Beyond the immediate arguments for and against gun control, your essay should delve into the broader implications of the topic. This includes examining how gun control policies affect different communities, the relationship between gun rights and public safety, and the cultural and political factors that influence the gun control debate. Discuss the ethical considerations involved, such as the balance between individual liberties and community safety. This section should encourage readers to think about gun control in a wider social, cultural, and ethical context, providing a deeper understanding of why it's such a persistent and polarizing issue in society.

Concluding with Insight

In your conclusion, revisit the key points of your essay, tying them back to your thesis statement. This is your chance to underscore the significance of the topic and the strength of your argument. Offer a reflection on the potential future of gun control, considering recent developments and ongoing debates. You might also propose areas for further research or suggest ways in which the conversation around gun control can be advanced constructively. A strong conclusion will not only provide closure to your essay but will also leave the reader with lingering thoughts or questions, encouraging further contemplation and discussion on the topic of gun control.

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Gun Control Points for Argumentative Essay

by  Antony W

August 9, 2022

Gun control is among the most popular topics. In fact, some instructors are against writing an argumentative or persuasive essay on the topic of gun control.

In the wake of mass shooting, there have been debates and controversies, with people in one camp supporting stricter gun control laws, while those in the other camp fighting against the enforcement of these laws with everything they own.

As a student, you will probably handle essays related to the same more times than you can recall.

When assigned with one, you can always buy a gun control essay or request free samples from Help For Assessment. 

But before that, here is why we took the liberty to put together some helpful gun control points for argumentative essays.

What is Gun Control?

Before we take a look at gun control argumentative essay points, gun control refers to a set of laws enforced to regulate the manufacture sale, and the use of firearms.

In other words, gun control refers to laws established to control the type of firearms an individual can sell, purchase as well as where and how they are supposed to be stored.

As mentioned, gun control is a hot topic, and one of the most conflict-ridden debates across America.

Each mass shooting often stirs up hot debates, with each side coming up with strong points to either fight or support gun control laws.

Have you ran out of time and don't  know what to do to get your essay done? Check out our argumentative essay writing service and hire our experts for help.  

Notable Gun Control Regulations

While the regulations vary from one state to another, take a look at these notable gun control regulations to get an idea of why gun control is such a hot topic in the US;  

• To purchase a short gun, an individual must be at least 18, and a legal citizen of the US. To purchase other high capacity firearms such as handguns and high capacity magazines, one must be 21 years and above. Note, state and local officials have the freedom to implement higher restrictions.
• Fugitives, mental health patients, individuals with a criminal record that includes being jailed for more than a year are restricted from the purchase and possession of firearms.
• Firearm sellers must be at least 21 years and above. They must have a Federal-Firearm License and a gun selling premise. Additionally, they must be of a healthy state of mind, and a clean criminal record.

Pro-Gun Control Argumentative Essay Points

If you‘ve been assigned a gun control argumentative or persuasive essay and planning to support it, or to buy a gun control essay here are some useful points you could use to back up your arguments;

• Strict gun control laws help reduce homicide
• Gun control laws facilitate the reduction of accidental injuries
• The 2 nd amendment doesn’t grant average individuals the unlimited rights to own firearms.
• The risks of violence and mass shootings is reduced
• Gun control helps reduce crime by  minimizing a criminal’s access to firearms
• Stricter gun control regulations eradicate the sale of dangerous firearms such as high capacity magazines capable of doing more harm in the hands of a murderer or individual with ill-intentions.
• Gun control laws help protect women from domestic abuse, and stalkers
• Legally owned guns are rarely used for self defense
• Enforcing gun control laws will help lower the government costs related to gun violence
• The easy access to firearms increases the likelihood of simple conflicts that would otherwise be solved escalating to gun violent situations.
• The 2 nd amendment was enforced to safeguard the rights of gun-owning militia, and not the rights of average individuals who have the resources to get one.
• A good majority of gun owners support gun control laws as well.
• Legally owned guns are commonly stolen by criminals, putting legal gun owners at risk of being framed for crimes they played no part in.
• Gun laws don’t undermine the 2 nd amendment
• A majority of mass shootings happen through firearms that were legally purchased
• The 2 nd amendment has loopholes that gun control laws could help seal
• Gun control laws don’t mean legal gun owners will automatically lose their guns.
• Gun control laws will help reduce suicide rates
• Most mass shootings stem from a domestic violence incident
• A majority of American citizens support gun control laws

Anti-Gun Control Argumentative Essay Points

If you are in the opposite camp of gun control or if your supervisor wants you to write an argumentative essay arguing against gun control laws, here are some efficient points to strengthen your argument;

• Gun control undermines the right to live as we please
• Gun control laws infringe the right to self-defense
• The enforcement of gun control laws will slowly lead to a complete ban on gun ownership
• Gun control laws fuel the growth of a black market as anyone determined to buy a firearm will do so even if it means using illegal channels.
• Gun control laws undermine the 2 nd amendment
• Mexico has a reputation for strict gun control measures yet it has higher rates of gun homicides than the US.
• Educating the mass about gun safety would be a more effective approach to firearm regulation and the prevention of accidental gun deaths than gun control
• Most gun violence is attributed to suicide and not necessarily crime
• Legal gun owners are more likely to use a gun in self-defense than on crime-related gun violence.
• Gun control laws will not prevent criminals from breaking the law
• Gun control measures such as background checks on gun buyers are an invasion of privacy
• Gun control does not prevent suicide as there’s still plenty of alternatives for a person determined to take away their life to execute their plan.
• Gun control measures are racists as they frequently target poor black legal gun owners perceived to be dangerous than white legal gun owners

Get Your Gun Control Argumentative Essay Done By Pros 

Whether you are for, or against gun control, this is one of the best argumentative essay topics you will ever write about during your studies.

However, it’s also a hot, complicated and value-based topic which means it can also be challenging to craft. Hopefully, the gun control argumentative essay points above will help you ace it.

But in case you are having challenges writing one, don’t hesitate to buy a gun control essay from our team of reliable essay writers today.

Fill your argumentative or persuasive papers details here , and get a passing essay in no time.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Gun Control — Gun Control: An Essential Step in Reducing Gun Violence

Gun Control: an Essential Step in Reducing Gun Violence

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Published: Feb 7, 2024

Words: 685 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, the history of gun control laws, the current situation, proposed solutions for gun control, counterarguments and rebuttals, the importance of balancing rights and public safety.

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Home ➔ Free Essay Examples ➔ Gun Control Essay – Guide with Examples

Gun Control Essay – Guide with Examples

In the contemporary educational landscape, professors frequently task students with writing essays on pressing sociocultural and sociopolitical issues. Subjects range from gender inequality and LGBT rights to public health and gun control. The prevalence of these topics is not a coincidence. They offer a rich ground for students to develop their analytical skills, express their opinions, and address urgent societal concerns. Notably, a well-crafted essay on such topics can significantly bolster academic performance.

The exploration of gun control as an essay topic is especially pertinent. This subject opens up a complex discourse intertwining aspects of law, ethics, public safety, and constitutional rights, thus offering a remarkable opportunity to refine one’s writing skills and engage in a nuanced debate.

Like any academic paper, an effective essay on gun control adheres to a conventional structure consisting of an introduction, body, and conclusion. But how do you weave these elements together to compose an insightful and persuasive piece? To begin, we must identify and discuss key ideas central to this issue.

Later in this article, we will provide an example of an essay on gun control. This model will be a practical illustration, offering valuable insights and inspiration to guide your writing journey.

Understanding the Importance of Gun Control

Regulating guns legislatively is one of the most hotly debated topics these days. It’s also a very sensitive one, especially if we consider the recent spate of mass shootings. So, what’s the reason for all the incidences of confusion and mayhem? It all has to do with the Second Amendment passed in 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights. One of its clauses states: “As long as a well-regulated militia is necessary for the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed upon.”

This statement has been at the heart of the polarization of American society. Pro-gun activists believe firearms should be sold freely, while their opponents think America needs to tighten its gun laws. The former appeal to the higher rate of incidences involving gun violence. But regardless of one’s viewpoint, one thing is clear: mass killings of innocent people need to be stopped. Can the banning of gun possession achieve that goal? It remains to be seen.

This statement has been at the heart of the polarization of American society. Pro-gun activists believe firearms should be sold freely, while their opponents think America needs to tighten its gun laws. The former appeal to the higher rate of incidences involving gun violence. But regardless of one’s viewpoint, one thing is clear: mass killings of innocent people need to be stopped. Can the banning of gun possession achieve that goal? It remains to be seen.

Brief Overview of Gun Control

Gun control refers to the laws and policies designed to regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, or use of firearms by civilians. While some people see gun control as a vital step in preventing violence and maintaining social order, others argue it infringes upon individual rights to self-defense and liberty. It’s an intricate web of law, politics, public safety, and individual freedoms – making it a compelling topic to explore in your essay.

Global Perspectives on Gun Control

Different countries approach gun control in unique ways, creating a diverse landscape of regulations. For instance, countries like Australia and the United Kingdom have stricter gun control laws and lower firearm-related death rates, while countries like the United States have more lenient laws and a higher rate of gun-related incidents. Exploring these international perspectives can provide a broader understanding and enrich your essay.

Research in Writing About Gun Control

Solid research is the backbone of any well-crafted essay, especially when dealing with a topic as multifaceted as gun control.

Reliable sources can come in the form of government reports, academic studies, trustworthy news outlets, and expert commentary. It’s important to evaluate your sources for credibility and accuracy. Beware of bias, ensure that data is up-to-date, and cross-reference information when possible. Your essay’s strength lies in the quality of your research, so it’s worth investing time in finding dependable sources. Remember, a well-researched essay reflects knowledge and demonstrates your commitment to truth and understanding.

Example of a Gun Control Essay

Topic: Gun Control in the U.S. Should be Stricter

As the United States grapples with a surge in gun-related incidents, the debate surrounding gun control legislation continues to intensify. Both sides – advocates for stricter regulations and proponents of gun rights – make compelling cases, leading to a politically charged stand-off. Yet, despite the ongoing discourse, access to firearms remains widespread, causing societal and economic implications.

Advocates for stringent gun control believe that imposing greater restrictions on firearm ownership could significantly mitigate gun violence and related fatalities. Conversely, those opposed to stricter regulations assert that firearms provide a necessary means of self-defense and that owning a gun is an inherent right. This polarization has established a dynamic characterized by proactive advocates seeking preventative measures, contrasted with opponents adopting a more reactive stance.

In light of the facts, stricter gun control measures seem to be a pragmatic approach. These measures have the potential to decrease the incidence of gun-related deaths, reduce federal healthcare expenditure, shield women and vulnerable individuals from domestic violence, and diminish the probability of a singular murder escalating into a mass shooting due to the availability of high-capacity magazines.

The ramifications of gun violence extend beyond societal implications and seep into the public health domain, making it a significant contributor to the death toll in America. Resnick et al. (2017) reported that gun violence results in over 30,000 fatalities annually, burdening taxpayers with approximately 48 billion dollars in healthcare costs and lost wages. Despite such alarming statistics, current legislation only mandates licensed dealers to perform comprehensive background checks before a gun sale, allowing private sellers and online retailers to bypass this requirement (Aronow & Miller, 2016).

Imposing restrictions on high-capacity magazines could be instrumental in curbing the escalation of isolated gun violence incidents into mass shootings. Campion et al. (2017) advocate for limiting civilian access to semi-automatic firearms, particularly those that can be readily modified into automatic weapons. Despite the federal government’s strict regulations concerning automatic weapons, the effectiveness of such measures is questionable when semi-automatic rifles can be easily converted.

Notwithstanding the above, opponents, including Christian nationalists, consider gun ownership a fundamental right (Whitehead, Schnabel, & Perry, 2018). Consequently, any legislation aimed at regulating gun violence should duly consider underlying cultural and religious beliefs to circumvent resistance to stricter policies.

The adoption of stricter gun control laws could alleviate the societal and economic implications of firearm-related violence, providing a safer environment for all. These laws should not only focus on restricting access to high-capacity magazine rifles but should also incorporate active preventive measures. Nevertheless, crafting such laws should be nuanced, considering the diverse cultural and religious beliefs within the American populace. With a well-rounded, inclusive approach, it’s possible to navigate the gun control debate toward a solution that upholds public safety while respecting individual rights.

• Aronow, P. M., & Miller, B. T. (2016). Policy misperceptions and support for gun control legislation. The Lancet, 387(10015), 223. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(16)00042-8
• Campion, E. W., Morrissey, S., Malina, D., Sacks, C. A., & Drazen, J. M. (2017). After the Mass Shooting in Las Vegas — Finding Common Ground on Gun Control. New England Journal of Medicine, 377(17), 1679–1680. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejme1713203
• Lynch, K. R., & Logan, T. (2015). “You Better Say Your Prayers and Get Ready”: Guns Within the Context of Partner Abuse. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 33(4), 686–711. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260515613344
• Resnick, S., Smith, R. N., Beard, J. H., Holena, D., Reilly, P. M., Schwab, C. W., & Seamon, M. J. (2017). Firearm Deaths in America: Can We Learn From 462,000 Lives Lost? Annals of Surgery, 266(3), 432–440. https://doi.org/10.1097/sla.0000000000002376
• Whitehead, A. L., Schnabel, L., & Perry, S. L. (2018). Gun Control in the Crosshairs: Christian Nationalism and Opposition to Stricter Gun Laws. Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, 4, 237802311879018. https://doi.org/10.1177/2378023118790189

How to Write a Gun Control Essay

Introduction.

As usual, the introduction is the opening paragraph of your essay. So, you can use it to produce either a good or bad impression on your readers. So, how do you write an excellent introduction for a gun control essay? Depending on your essay type, try using an anecdote, proverb, quote, statistic, or definition.

For instance, it’s best to use a definition or statistic for a gun control essay, whereas anecdotes, proverbs, or quotes might not work well for an argumentative or process essay . Lastly, don’t forget to include your thesis statement, which usually comes at the end of an introduction.

In the next section of the article, you will find nine examples of introductions — three for every essay type described. Study them to get a more solid grasp of the ways you can start your essay .

Crafting the Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is the foundation of your essay – a clear, concise declaration that conveys your essay’s main argument and guides your writing. It’s the thread that ties your essay together, ensuring all points and arguments connect back to this central claim.

A strong thesis statement isn’t just about stating a fact or an opinion. It should invite debate, provide clear direction, and set the tone for the rest of your essay.

If your statement is simple and uncontested, it’s likely not a thesis but a mere statement of fact. For instance, “Gun control is a topic of debate in the United States” is a fact, not a thesis. A stronger thesis might be, “The U.S. needs stricter gun control laws to combat the rise in gun-related violence and protect its citizens.” This statement invites debate as not everyone may agree with it, making it a powerful thesis.

A strong thesis should also provide a clear direction for your essay. It should outline your argument and give the reader a clear sense of what to expect as they proceed. For example, “Stricter gun control laws in the U.S. are necessary to decrease firearm-related deaths, reduce the economic burden on healthcare, and protect vulnerable populations from gun violence.” This statement provides a clear direction for the essay, hinting at the supporting points that will be further developed in the body paragraphs.

The body paragraphs are the heart of your essay, where you develop and support your arguments. Each paragraph should focus on a single point related to your thesis and provide evidence to support it.

Topic Sentence

Every body paragraph should begin with a topic sentence. This sentence presents the main point or argument of the paragraph and connects it back to your thesis statement. For example, in an essay advocating for stricter gun control, a topic sentence could be:

“Stricter gun control laws can significantly decrease the annual number of firearm-related deaths.”

Explanation and Evidence

After stating your main point in the topic sentence, you need to explain and support it with evidence. This could be data, examples, quotes, or facts from credible sources. For instance, following the above topic sentence, you could elaborate:

“According to a study published in the Journal of Public Health, countries with stricter gun control laws experience fewer gun-related deaths per capita. The study suggests a direct correlation between gun control severity and decreased firearm fatalities.”

Transition Sentence

Finally, end each paragraph with a transition sentence. This sentence should smoothly lead your reader to the next paragraph or idea, maintaining the flow of your essay and strengthening its overall structure.

For example:

“While the reduction in firearm-related deaths is a compelling reason for stricter gun control, the economic implications of gun violence also warrant consideration.”

This sentence not only wraps up the current paragraph but also introduces the next topic, thereby guiding your reader seamlessly through your arguments.

You can read our guide on how to write an essay and apply it to your gun control assignment.

Counterargument Paragraphs

Counterargument paragraphs play a crucial role in your essay by demonstrating that you’ve considered different viewpoints before forming your argument. They lend credibility to your essay by showing you’ve fully researched the topic and aren’t just presenting one-sided arguments.

Presenting Counterarguments

In this section, you present the opposing views to your thesis. It’s essential to do so fairly and respectfully, without distortion. You might start with a sentence like:

“Despite the compelling evidence supporting stricter gun control laws, some individuals believe that such laws infringe upon their constitutional right to bear arms.”

After presenting the counterargument, it’s your chance to refute it—counter it with your own argument and evidence. This section is where your research and critical thinking skills come into play. You should provide logical, factual, and credible responses to the counterarguments.

A refutation could look something like this:

“While the right to bear arms is constitutionally protected, this right does not preclude the implementation of measures to ensure responsible gun ownership. Stricter gun control laws aim to do just that—encourage responsible ownership and use of firearms, not deny citizens their rights. Evidence suggests that nations balancing gun ownership rights with effective control measures witness fewer incidents of gun violence, demonstrating that this balance is not only achievable but also beneficial.”

Your conclusion should be a summary of the main ideas in your essay about gun control. So keep it short and concise. You could also add some final thoughts or a call to action, depending on the nature of the paper. Still, it should be related to the points you’ve already discussed.

Begin your conclusion by revisiting your thesis statement. However, rather than merely repeating it word-for-word, aim to rephrase it to reflect the journey your argument has taken throughout your essay. For instance:

“The analysis presented in this essay strongly advocates for the implementation of stricter gun control measures in the U.S., showcasing their potential to save lives, reduce public healthcare expenditure, and protect the most vulnerable members of society.”

Next, succinctly summarize the main points you made in your body paragraphs. Remember, you’re not introducing new information here but recapping the critical points of your argument. You might write:

“From reducing firearm-related fatalities to curbing the economic burden on healthcare systems, it is evident that tighter gun control has numerous societal benefits. Even when considering the constitutional right to bear arms, these measures are not about taking away rights but encouraging responsible firearm ownership.”

Conclude with a strong closing statement that leaves your reader thinking. This could be a call to action, a recommendation, or a thought-provoking question. For instance:

“It’s time to look beyond political divisions and personal biases to prioritize public safety. As a society, we must ask ourselves: isn’t the right to life, peace, and safety more important than unrestricted access to firearms? Stricter gun control laws could be a significant step towards a safer America.”

This last part is crucial, especially for persuasive or argumentative writing. Read our tips on how to end a paper to learn more.

Identifying the Purpose of Your Essay

Understanding the topic and what’s required of you is key to getting a good grade for your essay. Deviating from the subject will earn you no good marks, so you need to be meticulous in this respect. There are so many ways a gun control essay might be composed. Let’s check out these three common ones:

Argumentative

As the name implies, an argumentative essay aims to convey the author’s viewpoint in a manner that convinces the readers. Due to the nature of pro-gun control vs. anti-gun control themes, argumentative essays have become one of the most preferred essay types on the given topic. At least, that’s what academic experts with years of experience in the area claim. The abundance of existing viewpoints allows you always to include opposing views for rebuttal.

Cause and Effect

A cause-and-effect essay aims to analyze the reasons and consequences of a topic. And, in this case, it’s gun control or mass shootings. You can take any of the aspects we presented at the beginning and analyze how it causes issues with firearms and what effects it has.

In a persuasive essay , your goal is to sway the reader to take your stance on a certain issue. It is similar to the argumentative paper, but it appeals to the emotions of people rather than cold facts and academic style of argumentation.

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Should More Gun Control Laws Be Enacted?

History of Gun Control Laws

Gun control laws are just as old or older than the Second Amendment (ratified in 1791). Some examples of gun control throughout colonial America included criminalizing the transfer of guns to  Catholics , enslaved people, indentured servants, and  Native Americans ; regulating the storage of gun powder in homes; banning loaded guns in Boston houses; and mandating participation in formal gathering of troops and door-to-door surveys about guns owned.

Guns were common in the American Colonies, first for hunting and general self-protection and later as weapons in the  American Revolutionary War . Several colonies’ gun laws required that heads of households (including women) own guns and that all able-bodied men enroll in the militia and carry personal firearms. Read more history…

Pro & Con Arguments

Pro 1 The Second Amendment is not an unlimited or individual right to own guns. In the June 26, 2008, District of Columbia et al. v. Heller U.S. Supreme Court majority opinion, Justice Antonin Scalia wrote, “Like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited… nothing in our opinion should be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms.” [ 3 ] On June 9, 2016 the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 7-4 that “[t]he right of the general public to carry a concealed firearm in public is not, and never has been, protected by the Second Amendment,” thus upholding a law requiring a permitting process and “good cause” for concealed carry licenses in California. [ 145 ] [ 146 ] A 2018 study found that 91% of the 1,153 court cases with claims stating a government action or law violate the Second Amendment between the 2008 D.C. v. Heller decision and Feb. 1, 2016 failed. [ 157 ] Further, the Second Amendment was intended to protect the right of militias to own guns, not the right of individuals to own guns. Former Justice John Paul Stevens, in his dissenting opinion for District of Columbia et al. v. Heller , wrote, “the Framer’s single-minded focus in crafting the constitutional guarantee ‘to keep and bear arms’ was on military use of firearms, which they viewed in the context of service in state militias,” hence the inclusion of the phrase “well regulated militia.” [ 3 ] Michael Waldman, President of the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law, stated there is nothing about an individual right to bear arms in the notes about the Second Amendment when it was being drafted, discussed, or ratified; the US Supreme Court declined to rule in favor of the individual right four times between 1876 and 1939; and all law articles on the Second Amendment from 1888 to 1959 stated that an individual right was not guaranteed. [ 47 ] Read More

Pro 2 More gun control laws would reduce gun deaths. There were 572,537 total gun deaths between 1999 and 2016: 336,579 suicides (58.8% of total gun deaths); 213,175 homicides (37.2%); and 11,428 unintentional deaths (2.0%). Guns were the leading cause of death by homicide (67.7% of all homicides) and by suicide (51.8% of all suicides). Firearms were the second leading cause of deaths for children, responsible for 15% of child deaths compared to 20% in motor vehicle crashes. [ 30 ] [ 162 ] Female first-time firearm owners were 35 times more likely to commit suicide within 12 years of buying the gun compared to women who did not own guns; male first-time firearm owners were about eight times more likely to do so. [ 171 ] [ 172 ] Approximately 50% of unintentional fatal shootings were self-inflicted; and most unintentional firearm deaths were caused by friends or family members. [ 4 ] [ 18 ] Five women are murdered with guns every day in the United States. A woman’s risk of being murdered increases 500% if a gun is present during a domestic dispute. During the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, 5,364 US soldiers were killed in action between Oct. 7, 2001 and Jan. 28, 2015; between 2001 and 2012 6,410 women were killed with a gun by an intimate partner in the United States. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 12 ] A study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that “legal purchase of a handgun appears to be associated with a long-lasting increased risk of violent death” [ 6 ] Researchers found that a “general barrier to firearm access created through state regulation can have a significant deterrent effect on male suicide rates in the United States. Permit requirements and bans on sales to minors were the most effective of the regulations analyzed.” [ 32 ] 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%. [ 148 ] Gun licensing laws were associated with a 14% decrease in firearm homicides, while increases in firearm homicides were seen in places with right-to-carry and stand-your ground-laws. [ 158 ] [ 160 ] More gun control leads to fewer suicides. When US gun ownership goes down, overall suicide rates drop; meanwhile, each 10 percentage-point increase in gun ownership is linked to a 26.9% increase in the youth suicide rate. In Indiana and Connecticut, after “red flag” laws to remove guns from people who may pose a threat were enacted, gun suicides decreased by 7.5% and 13.7% respectively, while suicides by other means did not decrease during the same time. A person who wants to kill him/herself is unlikely to commit suicide with poison or a knife when a gun is unavailable. [ 31 ] [ 33 ] [ 158 ] [ 159 ] [ 164 ] The US General Accountability Office (GAO) estimated that 31% of total accidental shooting deaths could have been prevented by installing safety devices on guns: 100% of deaths per year in which a child under 6 years old shoots and kills him/herself or another child could be prevented by automatic child-proof safety locks; and 23% of accidental shooting deaths by adolescents and adults per year could be prevented by loading indicators showing when a bullet was in the chamber ready to be fired. [ 35 ] Marjorie Sanfilippo, PhD, Professor of Psychology at Eckerd College who has researched children’s behavior around guns, stated, “We put gates around swimming pools to keep children from drowning. We put safety caps on medications to keep children from poisoning themselves…. [B]ecause children are naturally curious and impulsive, and because we have shown time and again that we cannot ‘gun-proof’ them with education, we have a responsibility to keep guns out of the hands of children.” [ 36 ] Read More

Pro 3 The presence of a gun makes a conflict more likely to become violent. The FBI found that arguments (such as romantic triangles, brawls fueled by alcohol or drugs, and arguments over money) resulted in 1,962 gun deaths (59.9% of the total). [ 37 ] An editorial published in the American Journal of Public Health noted, “gun-inflicted deaths [often] ensue from impromptu arguments and fights; in the US, two-thirds of the 7,900 deaths in 1981 involving arguments and brawls were caused by guns.” A study published in the same journal found that “the weapons used [in altercations]… were those closest at hand.” And thus, according to another study, “[r]ather than confer protection, guns kept in the home are associated with an increase in the risk of homicide by a family member or intimate acquaintance.” [ 38 ] [ 39 ] [ 40 ] Statistics show that guns are rarely used in self-defense. Of the 29,618,300 violent crimes committed between 2007 and 2011, 0.79% of victims (235,700) protected themselves with a threat of use or use of a firearm, the least-employed protective behavior. In 2010 there were 230 “justifiable homicides” in which a private citizen used a firearm to kill a felon, compared to 8,275 criminal gun homicides (or, 36 criminal homicides for every “justifiable homicide”). Of the 84,495,500 property crimes committed between 2007 and 2011, 0.12% of victims (103,000) protected themselves with a threat of use or use of a firearm. [ 16 ] [ 17 ] Further, armed civilians are unlikely to stop crimes and are more likely to make dangerous situations, including mass shootings, more deadly. None of the 62 mass shootings between 1982 and 2012 were stopped by an armed civilian. Jeffrey Voccola, Assistant Professor of Writing at Kutztown University, notes, “The average gun owner, no matter how responsible, is not trained in law enforcement or on how to handle life-threatening situations, so in most cases, if a threat occurs, increasing the number of guns only creates a more volatile and dangerous situation.” [ 41 ] [ 43 ] Common sense gun control laws can decrease the likelihood of a violent situation turning deadly. President Ronald Reagan and others did not think the AR-15 military rifle (also called M16s by the Air Force) should be owned by civilians and, when the AR-15 was included in the assault weapons ban of 1994 (which expired on Sep. 13, 2004), the NRA supported the legislation. A Mother Jones investigation found that high-capacity magazines were used in at least 50% of the 62 mass shootings between 1982 and 2012.When high-capacity magazines were used in mass shootings, the death rate rose 63% and the injury rate rose 156%. [ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 48 ] The Second Amendment was written at a time when the most common arms were long rifles that had to be reloaded after every shot. Civilians today have access to folding, detaching, or telescoping stocks that make the guns more easily concealed and carried; silencers to muffle gunshot sounds; flash suppressors to fire in low-light conditions without being blinded by the flash and to conceal the shooter’s location; or grenade launcher attachments. Jonathan Lowy, Director of Legal Action Project at the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, states, “These are weapons that will shred your venison before you eat it, or go through the walls of your apartment when you’re trying to defend yourself… [they are] made for mass killing, but not useful for law-abiding citizens.” [ 49 ] [ 50 ] Read More

Pro 4 A majority of adults, including gun owners, support common sense gun control such as background checks, bans on assault weapons, and bans on high-capacity magazines. According to a Feb. 20, 2018 Quinnipiac Poll, 97% of American voters and 97% of gun owners support universal background checks. 67% support a nationwide ban on assault weapons, and 83% support mandatory waiting periods for gun purchases. [ 155 ] As much as 40% of all gun sales are undocumented private party gun sales that do not require a background check (aka the “gun show loophole”). [ 28 ] 53% of all adults surveyed approve of high-capacity magazine bans. 89% of adults with a gun in the home approve of laws to prevent the purchase of guns by the mentally ill, and 82% approve of banning gun sales to people on no-fly lists. [ 27 ] 77% of Americans support requiring a license to purchase a gun. [ 165 ] Don Macalady, member of Hunters against Gun Violence, stated, “As a hunter and someone who has owned guns since I was a young boy, I believe that commonsense gun legislation makes us all safer. Background checks prevent criminals and other dangerous people from getting guns.” [ 29 ] Many would like to see the U.S. enact more laws like other countries, citing the fact that countries with restrictive gun control laws have lower gun homicide and suicide rates than the United States. Both Switzerland and Finland require gun owners to acquire licenses and pass background checks that include mental and criminal records, among other restrictions and requirements. In 2007 Switzerland ranked number 3 in international gun ownership rates with 45.7 guns per 100 people (about 3,400,000 guns total). In 2009 Switzerland had 24 gun homicides (0.31 deaths per 100,000 people) and 253 gun suicides (3.29 deaths per 100,000 people). Finland ranked fourth in international gun ownership rates with 45.3 guns per 100 people (about 2,400,000 guns total). In 2007 Finland had 23 (0.43 deaths per 100,000 people) gun homicides and 172 gun suicides (4.19 deaths per 100,000 people). [ 44 ] [ 45 ] Read More

Con 1 The Second Amendment of the US Constitution protects individual gun ownership. 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 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. Justice Antonin Scalia in the June 26, 2008, District of Columbia et al. v. Heller U.S. Supreme Court majority opinion syllabus stated, “The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.” [ 3 ] The McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010) ruling also stated that the Second Amendment is an individual right. [ 51 ] Lawrence Hunter, Chairman of Revolution PAC, stated, “The Founders understood that the right to own and bear laws is as fundamental and as essential to maintaining liberty as are the rights of free speech, a free press, freedom of religion and the other protections against government encroachments on liberty delineated in the Bill of Rights.” [ 52 ] The Second Amendment was intended to protect gun ownership of all able-bodied men so that they could participate in the militia to keep the peace and defend the country if needed. According to the United States Code, a “militia” is composed of all “able-bodied males at least 17 years of age… under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.” Therefore, the militia mentioned in the Second Amendment would have been composed of almost all adult men and, in turn, that most adult men should not have their right to own firearms infringed. [ 99 ] [ 100 ] Read More

Con 2 Gun control laws are discriminatory and infringe on citizens’ rights Current gun control laws are frequently aimed at inner city, poor, black communities who are perceived as more dangerous than white gun owners. Charles Gallagher, Chair of Sociology at LaSalle University, stated that some gun control laws are still founded on racial fears: “Whites walking down Main Street with an AK-47 are defenders of American values; a black man doing the same thing is Public Enemy No. 1.” [ 94 ] [ 95 ] [ 96 ] In the late 1960s, gun control laws were enacted in reaction to the militant, gun-carrying Black Panthers. Adam Winkler, UCLA Constitutional Law Professor, stated “The KKK began as a gun-control organization. Before the Civil War, blacks were never allowed to own guns” so, after the Civil War, there was “constant pressure among white racists to keep guns out of the hands of African Americans because they would rise up and revolt.” For example, in Virginia, in response to Nat Turner’s Rebellion (also called the Southampton Rebellion, in which enslaved people killed 55 to 65 people in the most fatal slave uprising in the United States) in 1831, a law was passed that prohibited free black people “to keep or carry any firelock of any kind, any military weapon, or any powder or lead and all laws allowing free black people to possess firearms were repealed. [ 97 ] [ 98 ] Background checks and micro-stamping are an invasion of privacy. Background checks require government databases that keep personal individual information on gun owners, including name, addresses, mental health history, criminal records, and more. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) worried that Senator Harry Reid’s 2013 proposed background check legislation (the bill failed 54-46) would have allowed the government to keep databases of gun purchases indefinitely, creating a “worry that you’re going to see searches of the databases and an expansion for purposes that were not intended when the information was collected.” Micro-stamping similarly requires a database of gun owners and the codes their personal guns would stamp on cartridge cases. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) wrote that they would oppose any legislation that infringes “on the American people’s constitutional right to bear arms, or on their ability to exercise this right without being subjected to government surveillance.” [ 77 ] [ 78 ] [ 79 ] [ 80 ] Gun control laws infringe upon the right to self-defense and deny people a sense of safety. The police cannot protect everyone all of the time. 61% of men and 56% of women surveyed by Pew Research said that stricter gun laws would “make it more difficult for people to protect their homes and families.” Nelson Lund, Professor at George Mason University School of Law, stated, “The right to self-defense and to the means of defending oneself is a basic natural right that grows out of the right to life” and “many [gun control laws] interfere with the ability of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves against violent criminals.” A Pew Foundation report found that 79% of male gun owners and 80% of female gun owners said owning a gun made them feel safer and 64% of people living in a home in which someone else owns a gun felt safer. Even Senator Dianne Feinstein, a gun control advocate, carried a concealed gun when her life was threatened and her home attacked by the New World Liberation Front in the 1970s. [ 58 ] [ 59 ] [ 64 ] Gun control laws, especially those that try to ban “assault weapons,” infringe upon the right to own guns for hunting and sport. In 2011, there were 13.7 million hunters 16 years old or older in the United States, High-powered semiautomatic rifles and shotguns are used to hunt and in target shooting tournaments each year. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, “So-called ‘Assault weapons’ are more often than not less powerful than other hunting rifles. The term ‘assault weapon’ was conjured up by anti-gun legislators to scare voters into thinking these firearms are something out of a horror movie… [T]he Colt AR-15 and Springfield M1A, both labeled ‘assault weapons,’ are the rifles most used for marksmanship competitions in the United States. And their cartridges are standard hunting calibers, useful for game up to and including deer.” According to a Feb. 2013 Pew Research report, 32% of gun owners owned guns for hunting and 7% owned guns for target or sport shooting. [ 55 ] [ 65 ] [ 66 ] [ 67 ] [ 68 ] Read More

Con 3 Gun control laws simply do not work. Gun control efforts have proved ineffective. According to David Lampo, Publications Director of the Cato Institute, “there is no correlation between waiting periods and murder or robbery rates.” Banning high-capacity magazines will not necessarily deter crime because even small gun magazines can be changed in seconds.The “gun show loophole” is virtually nonexistent because commercial dealers, who sell the majority of guns at shows and elsewhere, are bound by strict federal laws. According to a Mar. 10, 2016 Lancet study, most state-level gun control laws do not reduce firearm death rates, and, of 25 state laws, nine were associated with higher gun death rates. [ 102 ] [ 148 ] Mexico has some of the strictest gun control laws in the world and yet, in 2012, Mexico had 11,309 gun murders (9.97 gun homicides per 100,000 people) compared to the United States that had 9,146 gun homicides (2.97 per 100,000 people). The country has only one legal gun store (the Directorate of Arms and Munitions Sales), compared to at least 63,709 legal gun stores and pawn shops in the United States as of Feb. 10, 2014. Mexico’s gun store is on a secure military base and customers must present a valid ID, go through a metal detector, and turn over cellphones and cameras to guards. To actually buy a gun, customers have to show proof of honest income, provide references, pass a criminal background check, prove any military duties were completed with honor, and be fingerprinted and photographed. If allowed to purchase a gun, the customer may buy only one gun (choosing from only .38 caliber pistols or lower) and one box of bullets. Between 2006 and 2010, Mexico’s one gun shop sold 6,490 guns, yet as of 2012, Mexicans own about 15,000,000 guns, or about 13.5 guns per 100 people. [ 44 ] [ 88 ] [ 89 ] [ 90 ] [ 91 ] [ 92 ] [ 93 ] The main reason gun control doesn’t work is because laws will not prevent criminals from obtaining guns or breaking laws. Of 62 mass shootings in the United States between 1982 and 2012, 49 of the shooters used legally obtained guns. Collectively, 143 guns were possessed by the killers with about 75% obtained legally. A Secret Service analysis found that of 24 mass shootings in 2019 at least 10 (42%) involved illegally possessed guns. [ 69 ] [ 176 ] The logical conclusion is that gun control laws do not deter crime; gun ownership deters crime. A study in Applied Economics Letters found that “assault weapons bans did not significantly affect murder rates at the state level” and “states with restrictions on the carrying of concealed weapons had higher gun-related murders.” While gun ownership doubled in the twentieth century, the murder rate decreased. Journalist John Stossel explained, “Criminals don’t obey the law… Without the fear of retaliation from victims who might be packing heat, criminals in possession of these [illegal] weapons now have a much easier job… As the saying goes, ‘If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.’” [ 53 ] [ 56 ] [ 103 ] More gun control is not needed; education about guns and gun safety is needed to prevent accidental gun deaths. 95% of all US gun owners believe that children should learn about gun safety. The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc (SAAMI), stated, “Whether in the field, at the range or in the home, a responsible and knowledgeable gun owner is rarely involved in a firearms accident of any kind.” According to Kyle Wintersteen, Managing Editor of Guns and Ammo , studies show that “children taught about firearms and their legitimate uses by family members have much lower rates of delinquency than children in households without guns” and “children introduced to guns associate them with freedom, security, and recreation—not violence.” [82] [85] [154] [ 82 ] [ 85 ] [ 154 ] Read More

Con 4 Gun control laws give too much power to the government and may result in government tyranny and the government taking away all guns from citizens. 57% of people surveyed by Pew Research in Feb. 2013 said that gun control laws would “give too much power to the government over the people.” [ 58 ] The NRA’s Wayne LaPierre stated, “if you look at why our Founding Fathers put it [the Second Amendment] there, they had lived under the tyranny of King George and they wanted to make sure that these free people in this new country would never be subjugated again and have to live under tyranny.” [ 75 ] Concurring, Alex Jones, radio host, stated, “The Second Amendment isn’t there for duck hunting, it’s there to protect us from tyrannical government and street thugs… 1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms!” [ 76 ] The Libertarian Party stated, “A responsible, well-armed and trained citizenry is the best protection against domestic crime and the threat of foreign invasion.” Counsel for the NRA explains, “It is evident that the framers of the Constitution did not intend to limit the right to keep and bear arms to a formal military body or organized militia, but intended to provide for an ‘unorganized’ armed citizenry prepared to assist in the common defense against a foreign invader or a domestic tyrant.” [ 86 ] [ 87 ] Marco Rubio (R-FL), US Senator, speaking about gun control laws during his 2016 presidential campaign, stated, “If God forbid, ISIS visits our life, our neighborhood, our school, any part of us, the last thing standing, the last line of defense could very well be our ability to protect ourselves.” [ 149 ] Read More

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Argumentative Essay On Gun Control

Jeremiah Briseno Ms. Heather Walker College Prep English Feb 24, 2023 Argumentative Essay: Gun Control The issue of gun control has been a highly controversial topic in the United States. The debate centers around whether or not the government should regulate the ownership and use of firearms. Gun control advocates argue that strict regulations can reduce the number of gun-related crimes and deaths, while opponents of gun control argue that such regulations infringe on the Second Amendment right to bear arms. One of the main arguments against gun control is that it violates the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, which guarantees the right to bear arms. This right was intended to protect the individual's right to defend themselves against tyranny, as well as the ability to participate in the common defense of the nation. In a 2008 Supreme Court decision, District of Columbia v. Heller, the court held that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual's right to own a firearm for self-defense within their home. This decision affirmed that the Second Amendment is an individual right, and not just a collective right to maintain a militia. (District of …show more content…

However, a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that gun ownership has little to no effect on violent crime rates. The study found that the effect of gun ownership on crime rates is not statistically significant, meaning that there is no evidence to suggest that gun ownership leads to higher crime rates. (Donohue & Levitt, 2019) In addition, gun control measures such as background checks and waiting periods have been shown to have little effect on reducing gun-related crime. A study by the National Institute of Justice found that background checks and waiting periods had no significant effect on reducing violent crime or suicide rates. (National Institute of Justice,

The Pros And Cons Of The Second Amendment

Thesis: The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, which guarantees the right to bear arms, remains a controversial topic in American society, with strong arguments on both sides of the debate. The Second Amendment was adopted in 1791 and is part of the Bill of Rights, which ensures individual liberties and limits government power. It states that "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. " Supporters of the Second Amendment argue that it is a fundamental right that protects individual freedom and provides a means of self-defense.

Argumentative Essay: Proposed Solutions For Gun Control

Strict regulations and limitations have been pursued already and clearly do not suffice. Statics brought to attention by gun control opponents, show that gun control laws have done little to reduce crime rates. Several restrictions have been made on certain guns, considered as overly dangerous, though in the hands of an unstable criminal even a legal hunting gun can be deadly. Countless restrictions have been made, however people have still found ways around them. If people are unstable and determined enough, they will find a gun, regardless of the restrictions or regulations.

Essay On Gun Control

Gun Control Gun control is the set of laws or policies that regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, or use of firearms by civilians. Gun control has been a very big, conflicting topic for a very long time. There are so many different views on gun control and who knows when this conflict will be resolved and when these school shootings will come to an end. Along with all the suicides that are happening involving guns, it needs to end. This issue seems to be getting worse, and the policies they have now are not working like they should be.

Entitlement To Bear Arms Essay

Gun control is an issue that has been discussed and analyzed a lot in the past few years. Although our country has tried to establish gun control laws and what to do with guns, the United States still continues to struggle with gun control due to the vast interpretations that people (namely politicians) have on the Second Amendment. It states, “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.” This means that to secure being of a free state, people have the rights to “keep and bear Arms.” In one elucidation, the controversy can be interpreted as asking ourselves where to stop.

Argumentative Essay On Gun Laws

Maddie Schattinger Gun Laws Mod: 4 Gun violence has become a topic we are accustomed to hearing about on a daily basis. There is a very high chance that when watching the news you will hear about a recent shooting or other incidents in which a gun was involved. Specifically in the United States gun violence is responsible for many deaths. The number of deaths occurring due to gun violence has increased over the years and will continue to increase if the proper precautions are not taken. Americans argue that stricter gun laws need to be implemented in order to resolve this issue.

Essay On Mass Shootings

With more gun control laws, there would be a reduction in gun deaths such as suicide, homicide, and unintentional deaths. From 1999 to 2013, there were 464,033 deaths caused by guns (gun-control.procon.org). This is a worrying statistic, as it shows how many lives have been taken at the hand of guns. Guns were also the leading cause of death in homicide and suicide (gun-control.procon.org). Some may argue that without guns to protect themselves, it would deny

National Constitution Center, 2022, https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendments/amendment-ii/the-second-amendment-the-framers-intentions. This interactive article on the National Constitution Center's website provides a detailed explanation of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, including its origins and historical context. The article examines the framers' intentions behind the amendment and how it has been interpreted over time, including in landmark Supreme Court cases such as District of Columbia v. Heller. This source provides important context for understanding the legal and constitutional arguments surrounding gun control in the United States.

Arguments Against Gun Control

The second amendment of the United States Constitution protects the right for citizens to own guns, and this right should not be taken

Alyssa Cochran LA I Adv. Mr. Patty 26 April 2023 The Issue of Gun Control Despite the heated debates over gun control, one question remains: how effective are gun regulation laws? Gun control laws have been a long-debated issue, leaving countless Americans questioning their effectiveness.

The recent Nashville shooting has added to the ongoing debate about gun regulation in the United States. This tragic event has once again highlighted the contentious issue of gun control, which has involved politicians, gun rights activists, and the public in a heated dispute for years. The question of balancing individual rights and public safety is still being debated, and despite the efforts of lawmakers to find solutions, mass shootings and gun violence continue to occur at an alarming rate. The Nashville shooting serves as a reminder of the urgent need for productive discussions to address this critical issue and to prevent future tragedies. While news outlets have differing opinions on existing gun regulations, a question remains on whether

Persuasive Essay On Gun Control

Gun Control Gun control over the years has been a controversial subject, with people arguing for both sides. The 2nd amendment states that everyone in the U.S. has a right to bear arms. Mass shootings and suicides by firearm have been a growing concern for many people living in the U.S. Numerous people making the argument that there should be more gun control. Having gun control would help lessen the deaths by firearms in the country for a variety of reasons.

With the recent surge in mass shootings and gun-related deaths, gun control has once again become a focal point of discussion. The debate over gun control has been a contentious issue in American politics for decades. Gun control is a highly complex and emotional issue, with advocates on both sides fiercely arguing their position. Some argue that gun control is necessary to reduce the number of gun-related deaths and improve public safety, while others argue that it infringes upon their Second Amendment rights. However, when all evidence and empirical data is taken into account, it is well within reason to conclude that gun control is an ineffective measure that doesn’t suppress gun violence in America.

Persuasive Essay: Guns Don T Kills, People Kill People?

What about the 2nd amendment and the constitutional right to bear arms? Debates on gun control are often frayed with heavy emotions and personal opinions. Not for lack of good reasoning, especially when statistics show that 40 percent of Americans know someone who was either fatally shot or committed suicide with a firearm (The Trace, 2017). However, before you form an opinion on statistics alone, try using simple logic and common sense. Imagine you’re out walking through the shopping mall or even perhaps the local neighborhood Walmart

Gun Control Gun control has become a polarizing and controversial issue around the globe. There have been many reported issues of mass shootings both in schools and in the public, making it a hot button issue. Proponents argue that, if the government strictly controls the ownership of guns, such tragedies can be prevented. Most Americans have an obsession with guns because the law allows them to do so. Therefore, they are always ready to scoff at anyone trying to control gun ownership.

While those in favor of gun control work hard to push their agenda, it is clear that America has far more citizens who favor gun rights over gun control. In order to get what they want, control supporters are going to need to get a big jump on gun supporters for house seats. Some of the control supporters have even begun to turn their head and give up on their arguments. The ones who were once completely against guns, have now begun to say that “there is a time and place for everything” (Elliot and Frizell, The New Politics of Gun Control). The motto in New Hampshire is “Live Free or Die”.

More about Argumentative Essay On Gun Control

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The Debate on Gun Control

The issue of gun control is a highly debated topic in our society. The question of how to effectively regulate firearms has sparked intense discussions and passionate arguments among individuals with differing perspectives. The gun control argumentative essay aims to explore the complexities surrounding this issue, examining the impact of laws that aim to restrict access to firearms and the implications they have on criminals and law-abiding citizens. The argue over gun control often concentrates on how laws pointed at restraining the accessibility of guns will produce an effect on the relative encouragement of criminals and law-abiding citizens to get guns. Followers of gun control debate that in the lack of these laws, criminals will obtain guns too easily. At the same time, if citizens are armed, offenders can have an even greater motive to acquire guns, contributing to too many guns in circulation and a greater number of events of violent crime. On the contrary, opponents of gun control utter the concern that these laws will disrupt the ability of citizens to defend themselves, and consequently end up development of crime and gun related violence (Jacobs 2002).

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The politics of guns ownership is more appropriate to the reality of our time. The statistic data (that will be given further) of different sides of the continent will prove it. However, there are pros and cons of the same notion that cannot be opposed. But when putting yourself on this or that side of the debate it is necessary to consider arguments of both parties. It seems that reputedly after a gun concerned accident collects national attention, there is a warmish try to discuss what one can do to direct gun related violence in the USA. It is a rather difficult task to solve and almost no one has fully formed an opinion about it.

The most important point of the issue is that people has become concentrated on discussing what they do with guns that they have almost absolutely missed what guns may do to them.

Guns, as a conteption, predominatelly fluctuate certain dynamics of violence. For instance, it allows the weaker person to straggle the stronger, it allows violence to be performed from a distance, and of course, it changes people’s view on power and violence. These particular changes stay unrevealed in the process of discussion of gun control. Either people can by mistake assume the gun to be fully responsible for the violence, or to say more, fully innocent.

It is often heard everywhere: “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” One may say that it is fair enough. But guns change the way a person kill another person, and they change the general people’s view on killing. When a person owns a gun, the question of how to react to situation changes, either for worse or better, because the person gets an option which was absent before. When advocating effectively for or against gun control, it is necessary to take into consideration these changes. It is important to put forward a question: “Do guns make people more or less inclined towards conflict?” One may not be sure that gun control would have helped to avoid these changes, but people should realize that a fear of gun control will prevent from understanding them. (Myers n.p.)

The government of different countries has tried to establish gun control laws in order to reduce the rate of crime. The results were shocking. These has showed why control does not work. The restrictive gun control laws in Japan have demonstrated its value in practice only because Japanese nation is absolutely obedient to the government. The situation in the United States is quite different. The United Kingdom in terms of culture and demographic situation resembles the USA and its gun control attempts suffer a wreck: the British rates of attacts and thievery are twice those of the United States, and since the end of the nineties British rates of murders have increased while those in the United States have decreased. The same harmful result received Canada and Australia following British restricting laws. The conclusion of this experiment is clear: Gun control laws give power to criminals and leave ordinary citizens defenseless.

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James Torr in his Gun and Crime considers that “Gun control advocates are fond of claiming that guns are a major cause of homicide and other violent crimes, but there is no statistical data to support this conclusion. Rates of gun ownership increased at a much greater pace throughout the twentieth century than murder rates did, and from 1973 to 1997 murder rates declined significantly while rates of gun ownership increased” (Torr 12). Later, in a rather short period of time, number of gun owners has increased, as well as crime rates, and the expedient explanation of this fact is that people started to buy guns in response to the increase of crime rates, the gun purchasing has not resulted in increase of crime rates.

In fact, offenders are motivated by self-preservation, and handguns can be, therefore, treated as a deterrent. Thus, John Lott has showed a vivid example of it: “The potential defensive nature of guns is further evidenced by the different rates by so-called “hot burglaries”, when a resident is at home when a criminal strikes. In Canada and Britain, both with tough gun- control laws, almost half of the law burglaries are “hot burglaries”. In contrast, the United States, with fewer restrictions, has a “hot burglary” rate of only 13%” (Lott 2004). The given instant has proved that the behavior of criminals is not accidental. The survey of the convicted American criminals confessed that armed victims worry them much more than their running into the police. The survey, which was carried out within criminals, stated that the criminal aiming at burglary has to prepare his affair for a long time, fearing of the armed house owner, which make it possible for the victim and police to prevent this or that crime.

The fact is that a minor association between rises in gun purchasing and murders does not and cannot prove that guns cause homicide. Supposing that there is any reason and effect correlation, the most obvious one is the contradictory, i.e., that it was the increase in homicides that resulted in increased gun purchasing. Instead, the third factor, that is a great rise in robbery and violent crime, has caused the upgrades in both homicidess and sales of gun.

It is not the secret that the level of gun possession in the United States is rather higher than in any other developed country. The protection against the crime is the biggest reason why Americans cite for having a handgun, but still nobody can reject the fact that guns are used in murders, suicides, and unintentional assault more than ten times often than in self-defense. In order to decrease gun crime and violence, citizen of America have to accept rational gun control laws, such as receiving a licence of gun owners and firearms registration, compulsory increase of the legal age for handguns ownership to 21, as well as legislating mandatory periods of waiting for gun buying. (Torr18).

The general number of guns used by law-abiding citizens and offenders will have a negative impact on the social well-being. Gun control supports typically indicate another valuable social cost of easy accessibility of guns that has nothing to do with the rate of crimes. Guns contain some negative exteriorities owing to desirably accidental use or use by any person who is incapable to exercise their judgments (e.g., persons who have mental illnesses, intoxicated with alcohol or drugs people, and children). What is more, easy accessibility of guns may give raise the likelihood that argues between friends will lead to fatal consequences and that attempted suicides will be successful. Accordingly, except for the level of crimes and the deadweight loss associated with resources spent to carry it out and avoid it, one could state that government also cares about the total amount of guns that circulates in the population for the additional reason that they create some negative externalities for country at large. (Wuest 2010.)

There is another reason against free gun possession. It is a great secondary risk of the suicide of youth in homes with firearms. Due to the statistic database, 5% of youngsters at the age from nine till sixteen have a diagnosis of a depression, an about 15% possess light symptoms of depression. The adult persons that are inclined to the suicide are 75 times more likely to commit it when a gun is laying in the table of his home office.The change of view, and as the result of behavior, of a gun owners is vivid. On the unconscious level of human’s mind, there appears impulsiveness, which may play an important role in suicide, and youth suicide in particular. It is common for great part of adolescents to get over suicidal plans.

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However, Wheeler disagrees with all these. He debates that the right to obtain arms is essential since guns are the best way to protect our main interest in self-defense. Hence, he considers that guns are not inseparably valuable; it should be valuable only in case of self-defense. One may fail to realize how this fact could make the right to own gun fundamental. Not every means to a essential interest is a fundamental right. That would disputably make most activities secured by essential rights. Others might affirm that gun possession is a fundamental part for the prospering of a proper citizen. A proper citizen, as the Wheeler considers, is one who is able to support and defend his family (Wheeler 435).

Thus, Fred Hiatt stated in his recent article: “It seems obvious that military-style weapons with no hunting or self-defense purpose should not be circulating. It seems obvious that people who hear voices and repeatedly fire guns in anger should be treated before they can buy more guns” (Hiatt n.p.).

As a matter of fact, the gun control law has to be established, but it should not abandon gun purchasing in general. Gun-control law policies often contains such points as:

• the rise of the legal age for the possibility to buy a gun from 18 to 21.
• parents have to be aware of the fact immediately, in case their child commit a crime due to their neglect attitude to the gun.
• gun manufacturers have to improve the design of guns including setting child-locks, personalizing a gun and managing all the other safety detailes on each gun item.
• to raise the level of consumers educating about the risks and rewards of gun ownership.

To the conclusion of the argument, one may state that the Americans are not going to give in their right to possess guns for sport and self-defense. However, laws that focus on decrease of the risks of instant shootings, murders, crimes of passion and robberies over time, with a public health aim, may give a chance for that. Sometimes reform takes years or decades of slogging, seemingly hopeless effort. At an unpredictable moment, public sentiment teeters and then tips. What everyone knew was impossible is seen as having been, all along, inevitable(Hiatt n.p.).

The argument about the necessity of gun control policies is still one of the most essential and confusing issues of thousands people around the world.

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As it seems to everybody, that if government put forward restricting gun ownership laws, the crime rates reduces at once. But unfortunately, the reality differs from our desires, and the data of surveys and performed experiments proves it. Jacobs considers in his work that “It assumes that firearms regulation is desirable and asks whether specific proposals that have been put forward could be successfully implemented and enforced and, if so, with any likelihood of reducing injuries inflicted by firearms”(Jacobs 2002).

The time has come not to abandon law-abiding citizens from gun possesion, but to make sure that they have truthful complete data and information so that each person can make an intelligent, expedient choice concerning gun possesion and then act with full responsibility after the purchase. Public policy should be elaborated to taking guns out of the youth’s access and to support all necessary tools to follow guns used in murders to the original sources who provides support illigaly for the criminals and teens with guns. The continuation of the tough restraining policies will not stop the black illegal market of fireguns, or it only can make it worse! It is very important for the government of each country to learn from the experiences and experiments gained for many years of holding gun control politics and do not make the same mistakes, as it may lead to the catastrophe inside of the coutry or even international assault with armed population. Everybody has a right to own a firearm, but everybody has to be acknowledged with all the responsibilities and risks it contains.

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Gun Control, Explained

A quick guide to the debate over gun legislation in the United States.

By The New York Times

As the number of mass shootings in America continues to rise , gun control — a term used to describe a wide range of restrictions and measures aimed at controlling the use of firearms — remains at the center of heated discussions among proponents and opponents of stricter gun laws.

To help understand the debate and its political and social implications, we addressed some key questions on the subject.

Is gun control effective?

Throughout the world, mass shootings have frequently been met with a common response: Officials impose new restrictions on gun ownership. Mass shootings become rarer. Homicides and suicides tend to decrease, too.

After a British gunman killed 16 people in 1987, the country banned semiautomatic weapons like the ones he had used. It did the same with most handguns after a school shooting in 1996. It now has one of the lowest gun-related death rates in the developed world.

In Australia, a 1996 massacre prompted mandatory gun buybacks in which, by some estimates , as many as one million firearms were then melted into slag. The rate of mass shootings plummeted .

Only the United States, whose rate and severity of mass shootings is without parallel outside conflict zones, has so consistently refused to respond to those events with tightened gun laws .

Several theories to explain the number of shootings in the United States — like its unusually violent societal, class and racial divides, or its shortcomings in providing mental health care — have been debunked by research. But one variable remains: the astronomical number of guns in the country.

America’s gun homicide rate was 33 per one million people in 2009, far exceeding the average among developed countries. In Canada and Britain, it was 5 per million and 0.7 per million, respectively, which also corresponds with differences in gun ownership. Americans sometimes see this as an expression of its deeper problems with crime, a notion ingrained, in part, by a series of films portraying urban gang violence in the early 1990s. But the United States is not actually more prone to crime than other developed countries, according to a landmark 1999 study by Franklin E. Zimring and Gordon Hawkins of the University of California, Berkeley. Rather, they found, in data that has since been repeatedly confirmed , that American crime is simply more lethal. A New Yorker is just as likely to be robbed as a Londoner, for instance, but the New Yorker is 54 times more likely to be killed in the process. They concluded that the discrepancy, like so many other anomalies of American violence, came down to guns. More gun ownership corresponds with more gun murders across virtually every axis: among developed countries , among American states , among American towns and cities and when controlling for crime rates. And gun control legislation tends to reduce gun murders, according to a recent analysis of 130 studies from 10 countries. This suggests that the guns themselves cause the violence. — Max Fisher and Josh Keller, Why Does the U.S. Have So Many Mass Shootings? Research Is Clear: Guns.

Every mass shooting is, in some sense, a fringe event, driven by one-off factors like the ideology or personal circumstances of the assailant. The risk is impossible to fully erase.

Still, the record is confirmed by reams of studies that have analyzed the effects of policies like Britain’s and Australia’s: When countries tighten gun control laws, it leads to fewer guns in private citizens’ hands, which leads to less gun violence.

What gun control measures exist at the federal level?

Much of current federal gun control legislation is a baseline, governing who can buy, sell and use certain classes of firearms, with states left free to enact additional restrictions.

Dealers must be licensed, and run background checks to ensure their buyers are not “prohibited persons,” including felons or people with a history of domestic violence — though private sellers at gun shows or online marketplaces are not required to run background checks. Federal law also highly restricts the sale of certain firearms, such as fully automatic rifles.

The most recent federal legislation , a bipartisan effort passed last year after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, expanded background checks for buyers under 21 and closed what is known as the boyfriend loophole. It also strengthened existing bans on gun trafficking and straw purchasing.

— Aishvarya Kavi

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What are gun buyback programs and do they work?

Gun buyback programs are short-term initiatives that provide incentives, such as money or gift cards, to convince people to surrender firearms to law enforcement, typically with no questions asked. These events are often held by governments or private groups at police stations, houses of worship and community centers. Guns that are collected are either destroyed or stored.

Most programs strive to take guns off the streets, provide a safe place for firearm disposal and stir cultural changes in a community, according to Gun by Gun , a nonprofit dedicated to preventing gun violence.

The first formal gun buyback program was held in Baltimore in 1974 after three police officers were shot and killed, according to the authors of the book “Why We Are Losing the War on Gun Violence in the United States.” The initiative collected more than 13,000 firearms, but failed to reduce gun violence in the city. Hundreds of other buyback programs have since unfolded across the United States.

In 1999, President Bill Clinton announced the nation’s first federal gun buyback program . The $15 million program provided grants of up to $500,000 to police departments to buy and destroy firearms. Two years later, the Senate defeated efforts to extend financing for the program after the Bush administration called for it to end.

Despite the popularity of gun buyback programs among certain anti-violence and anti-gun advocates, there is little data to suggest that they work. A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research , a private nonprofit, found that buyback programs adopted in U.S. cities were ineffective in deterring gun crime, firearm-related homicides or firearm-related suicides. . Evidence showed that cities set the sale price of a firearm too low to considerably reduce the supply of weapons; most who participated in such initiatives came from low-crime areas and firearms that were typically collected were either older or not in good working order.

Dr. Brendan Campbell, a pediatric surgeon at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and an author of one chapter in “Why We Are Losing the War on Gun Violence in the United States,” said that buyback programs should collect significantly more firearms than they currently do in order to be more effective.

Dr. Campbell said they should also offer higher prices for handguns and assault rifles. “Those are the ones that are most likely to be used in crime,” and by people attempting suicide, he said. “If you just give $100 for whatever gun, that’s when you’ll end up with all these old, rusted guns that are a low risk of causing harm in the community.”

Mandatory buyback programs have been enacted elsewhere around the world. After a mass shooting in 1996, Australia put in place a nationwide buyback program , collecting somewhere between one in five and one in three privately held guns. The initiative mostly targeted semiautomatic rifles and many shotguns that, under new laws, were no longer permitted. New Zealand banned military-style semiautomatic weapons, assault rifles and some gun parts and began its own large-scale buyback program in 2019, after a terrorist attack on mosques in Christchurch. The authorities said that more than 56,000 prohibited firearms had been collected from about 32,000 people through the initiative.

Where does the U.S. public stand on the issue?

Expanded background checks for guns purchased routinely receive more than 80 or 90 percent support in polling.

Nationally, a majority of Americans have supported stricter gun laws for decades. A Gallup poll conducted in June found that 55 percent of participants were in favor of a ban on the manufacture, possession and sale of semiautomatic guns. A majority of respondents also supported other measures, including raising the legal age at which people can purchase certain firearms, and enacting a 30-day waiting period for gun sales.

But the jumps in demand for gun control that occur after mass shootings also tend to revert to the partisan mean as time passes. Gallup poll data shows that the percentage of participants who supported stricter gun laws receded to 57 percent in October from 66 percent in June, which was just weeks after mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo. A PDK poll conducted after the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde found that 72 percent of Republicans supported arming teachers, in contrast with 24 percent of Democrats.

What do opponents of gun control argue?

Opponents of gun control, including most Republican members of Congress, argue that proposals to limit access to firearms infringe on the right of citizens to bear arms enshrined in the Second Amendment to the Constitution. And they contend that mass shootings are not the result of easily accessible guns, but of criminals and mentally ill people bent on waging violence.

— Annie Karni

Why is it so hard to push for legislation?

Polling suggests that Americans broadly support gun control measures, yet legislation is often stymied in Washington, and Republicans rarely seem to pay a political price for their opposition.

The calculation behind Republicans’ steadfast stonewalling of any new gun regulations — even in the face of the kind unthinkable massacres like in Uvalde, Texas — is a fairly simple one for Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota. Asked what the reaction would be from voters back home if he were to support any significant form of gun control, the first-term Republican had a straightforward answer: “Most would probably throw me out of office,” he said. His response helps explain why Republicans have resisted proposals such as the one for universal background checks for gun buyers, despite remarkably broad support from the public for such plans — support that can reach up to 90 percent nationwide in some cases. Republicans like Mr. Cramer understand that they would receive little political reward for joining the push for laws to limit access to guns, including assault-style weapons. But they know for certain that they would be pounded — and most likely left facing a primary opponent who could cost them their job — for voting for gun safety laws or even voicing support for them. Most Republicans in the Senate represent deeply conservative states where gun ownership is treated as a sacred privilege enshrined in the Constitution, a privilege not to be infringed upon no matter how much blood is spilled in classrooms and school hallways around the country. Though the National Rifle Association has recently been diminished by scandal and financial turmoil , Democrats say that the organization still has a strong hold on Republicans through its financial contributions and support, hardening the party’s resistance to any new gun laws. — Carl Hulse, “ Why Republicans Won’t Budge on Guns .”

Yet while the power of the gun lobby, the outsize influence of rural states in the Senate and single-voter issues offer some explanation, there is another possibility: voters.

When voters in four Democratic-leaning states got the opportunity to enact expanded gun or ammunition background checks into law, the overwhelming support suggested by national surveys was nowhere to be found. For Democrats, the story is both unsettling and familiar. Progressives have long been emboldened by national survey results that show overwhelming support for their policy priorities, only to find they don’t necessarily translate to Washington legislation and to popularity on Election Day or beyond. President Biden’s major policy initiatives are popular , for example, yet voters say he has not accomplished much and his approval ratings have sunk into the low 40s. The apparent progressive political majority in the polls might just be illusory. Public support for new gun restrictions tends to rise in the wake of mass shootings. There is already evidence that public support for stricter gun laws has surged again in the aftermath of the killings in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas. While the public’s support for new restrictions tends to subside thereafter, these shootings or another could still produce a lasting shift in public opinion. But the poor results for background checks suggest that public opinion may not be the unequivocal ally of gun control that the polling makes it seem. — Nate Cohn, “ Voters Say They Want Gun Control. Their Votes Say Something Different. ”

Gun Control Argumentative Essay – Sample Essay

Published by gudwriter on October 21, 2017 October 21, 2017

A Break Down of my Gun Control Argumentative Essay

Styling Format: APA, 6th Edition

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Title: Stricter Gun Control Laws Should Be Adopted

Introduction

I have tried to design the introduction in such a way that it attracts the attention of the reader and gives him an idea of the essay’s focus. My first sentence comprises of some startling information: The pervasive gun culture in the United States of America is a creation of the country’s frontier expansion, revolutionary roots, colonial history, and the Second Amendment. It is not totally new information to the readers. In fact, it is a pertinent fact that explicitly illustrates the point that I wish to make. It is followed by a sentence of elaboration. In addition, I have tried to ground the reader with some information that is relevant to understand my thesis. Lastly, I have finished my paragraph with a thesis statement for my argumentative essay.

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The body of my gun control essay contains reasons + evidence to support my thesis. Each body paragraph begins with a topic sentence that identifies the main idea of that paragraph. If you have read the essay, you can see that my explanations try to answer a simple question: how does this evidence support my thesis?

I have tried to sum up my points and provide a final perspective on gun control in an effort to bring closure to the reader. I have reviewed my main points, trying not restate them exactly, and tried to briefly describe my feelings concerning the topic. I was unable to find a good anecdote that would have ended my essay in a useful way.

References:

Though, I won’t recommend it, I have used some news articles from CNBC and NYTimes as part of my references. I would advise you to go for more credible sources such as peer reviewed articles and journals.

Argumentative Essay on Gun Control

Gun control is a controversial subject in the United States of America. In the wake of so many tragic mass shootings, like the recent Las Vegas Shooting, the conversation  tends to pull in two directions : Those who believe gun laws should be less strict and those pushing for more restrictions.

When you are writing a gun control argumentative essay, you are free to take any side you want, unless your instructor specifically tells you to take a certain side. What matters is that whichever position you choose, ensure you have good points and supporting facts.

In this gun control essay, I have decided to take a pro gun control approach:  strict regulation up to and including an outright ban on firearms. In fact, my thesis statement for this for argumentative essay is  stricter gun control laws should be enacted and implemented if the United States is to solve the problem of mass shootings and reduce crime within its borders.

My essay is divided into three basic parts, the introduction, the body and the conclusion.

Here is my gun control argumentative essay. Enjoy!

Stricter Gun Control Laws Should Be Adopted

The pervasive gun culture in the United States of America is a creation of the country’s frontier expansion, revolutionary roots, colonial history, and the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment stipulates, “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” (“Second Amendment,” 2020). The argument fronted by proponents of stricter gun control laws is that the amendment targeted militias and not the common citizen. They are of the view that gun control restrictions have always been there and that they serve to enhance the security of the country and the various states. The opponents however argue that through the provisions of the Second Amendment, individuals have the right to own guns. Their view is that individuals need guns for self-defense and that gun ownership thwarts criminal activities. This paper argues that stricter gun control laws should be enacted and implemented if the United States is to solve the problem of mass shootings and reduce crime within its borders (my argumentative essay thesis statement ).

On 1st October, 2017, the U.S. witnessed one of the worst mass shooting incidences in its history, probably the worst. The shooting, as observed by Swift (2017), was conducted by a common U.S. citizen who was a gun owner. Following the incidence, there has been rage and confusion all over the country as to whether the gun control debate is still relevant. A whopping 59 people died in the incidence with 500 others sustaining serious injuries (Swift, 2017). This incidence alone, the Second Amendment notwithstanding, tells why the country is in dire need of very strict gun control laws. Nothing can compensate for human life and it is even worse when life is lost at the hands of another human being. It becomes more serious when one person decides to kill, without stopping to think, as many people as time and other factors would allow them to! The latest gun incidence is a clear sign that the threat of lives being lost due to misuse of personal guns is more real than the threat of one losing their life due to lack of self-defense.

Given the latest mass shooting incidence, together with such other past incidences, it could be safely argued that the Second Amendment is being misinterpreted to mean what the framers of the Constitution never intended nor meant. It is high time the three branches of the federal government, together with the states, sought a clear reinterpretation of “well-regulated militia”. It cannot be that those who effected this amendment “authorized” what was recently witnessed in Las Vegas. As pointed out by Insana (2017), “The Founding Fathers, who lived before the invention of the Gatling gun, could not have envisioned civilians commanding the right to hunt turkeys, or humans, with modern ferocity”. The Second Amendment is surely not a leeway for citizens to have unlimited rights to own guns. A well-regulated militia should imply that a state, or the country, adequately serves its law enforcement agencies with the right ammunition and weaponry so as to ensure security. This has however unfortunately been misinterpreted to mean anyone can own a gun.

Stricter gun control laws would reduce deaths resulting from individually owned guns. Street (2016) reports that between 1999 and 2013, the number of gun deaths totaled 464,033. Out of this, 270,237 were gun suicide cases, 9,983 were unintentional deaths, and 174,773 homicides. It is thus crystal clear that mass shooting is not the only way in which guns are being used for the wrong purposes. It is emerging that giving an American citizen the right to own a gun is akin to giving them a shorter way of executing their evil plan of killing themselves, if they had it that is. If a gun is meant for self-defense and crime prevention, isn’t gun suicide the exact opposite of this? As a matter of fact, one would be safer from their own selves without a gun than with a gun. This is why it should be made tremendously difficult for people to acquire guns.

Opponents of gun control laws argue that introduction of such laws would deny people a sense of safety by infringing upon their right to self-defense. This argument is oblivious of the fact that weak gun control laws compromise even the safety of the gun holder himself or herself (Purcell, 2013). Moreover, it is the role of the federal government to ensure that every American citizen is always safe irrespective of the part of the country they find themselves. Building and maintaining strong security agencies is enough to ensure this. On the same note, the “right to self-defense” argument would lose its meaning if an individual cannot first of all defend themselves against themselves. When a person knowingly or unknowingly harms themselves using a gun they own, it means they lack the very self-defense they acquired the gun for.

To take their argument even further, the opponents would contend that the Second Amendment gives every American the right to possess personal guns. They often cite the phrase “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” (Burke, 2017), with more emphasis on the “shall not be infringed” part. They forget that the same clause contains some “well regulated militia” part which should be equally given as much weight as the other parts. While it is true that this right should not be infringed, according to the Constitution, it should not culminate in anybody being allowed to own guns. If the right is as absolute as opponents suggest, firearms would be owned by children and even mentally ill felons, a situation one can never wish for. It is thus a farfetched and unnecessary argument.

The enactment and implementation of very strict gun control laws by the United States is long overdue. People cannot continue butchering innocent citizens in the name of enjoying the provisions of the Second Amendment. If it is the Second Amendment that is creating all this loss of life and lawlessness, it should be thoroughly reinterpreted so that it works in the best interest of all Americans. Nobody has the right to take their own life and that of others. It is sad that gun ownership perpetuates this phenomenon. This discussion reveals that gun ownership is neither promoting self-defense nor deterring crime but promoting the same.

Burke, D. E. (2017). “Why the arguments against gun control are wrong”.   Huffpost . Retrieved July 11, 2020 from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/why-the-arguments-against-gun-control-are-wrong_us_59d6405ce4b0666ad0c3cb34. Accessed 29 June 2020

Insana, R. (2017). “The time for polite debate on gun control is over”. CNBC . Retrieved October 20, 2017 from https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/05/the-time-for-polite-debate-on-gun-control-is-over.html

Purcell, T. (2013). Shotgun republic: the gun control debate . North Charleston, SC: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Second Amendment. (2020). In Cornell Law School . Retrieved July 11, 2020 from https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/second_amendment

Street, C. (2016). Gun control: guns in America, the full debate, more guns less problems? no guns no problems? . North Charleston, SC: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Swift, H. (2017). “Gunman’s girlfriend arrives in U.S. and is expected to be questioned”. The New York Times . Retrieved October 20, 2017 from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/03/us/las-vegas-shooting-live-updates.html

Sample 2: Gun Control Essay Outline

Thesis:  Gun control is important for solving mass shooting problems and crime reduction.

Paragraph 1:

Stricter gun control laws are needed for addressing the persistent mass shooting problem in the U.S.

• The gun control debate might have been made irrelevant by probably the worst mass shooting in the U.S. history that occurred on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas.
• The shooting claimed 59 lives and left 500 people with serious injuries.
• The Second Amendment does not allow for such heinous acts in the name of owning a gun.
• Innocent lives should not be lost at the hands of one person who judges it right to terminate human lives.

Paragraph 2:

Gun control would help address misinterpretation of the Second Amendment by individual gun owners.

• It is apparent that people are misinterpreting the amendment to mean what was not intended by framers of the constitution.
• A clear reinterpretation of a “well-regulated militia” should be sought.
• Those who debated over and passed the amendment could not have authorized mass shootings of innocent citizens.

Paragraph 3:

Deaths resulting from individually-owned guns would decrease if stricter gun laws were adopted.

• Between 1999 and 2013, there were 464,033 gun deaths out of which 174,773 resulted from homicides, 9,983 from gun accidents, and 270,237 from suicide.
• Thus, individual gun owners are using guns in more destructive ways than just mass shootings.
• Gun suicide is the exact opposite of self-defense and crime prevention, the reasons for which gun ownership was allowed.

Paragraph 4: 

The quantity of guns in a society determines the rate of gun violence in the society.

• A good case example to prove this is Japan.
• The country has made it very difficult for its citizens to acquire guns.

Paragraph 5:

Opponents of gun control argue that gun control laws would infringe into people’s right to self-defense and thus deny them a sense of safety.

• This argument fails to recognize that even the safety of the gun holder herself or himself is compromised by weak gun control laws.
• Moreover, the safety of all American citizens wherever they may be is the responsibility of the federal government.
• It would be enough to guarantee this safety by building and maintaining strong security agencies and policies.

Paragraph 6:

Opponents argue that gun control laws give too much power to the government and that this may make the government tyrannical.

• This argument is wrong because the United States is a country founded on strong Constitutional provisions that clearly spell out the rights of citizens and indicate that the country is democratic.
• There is no room for government tyranny.

The U.S. should enact and implement very strict gun ownership laws if it is to solve mass shooting problems and reduce gun-related crime. People cannot purport to be enjoying the provisions of the Second Amendment while continuing to butcher innocent citizens.

Sample Essay 2: Gun Control Essay

The United States continues to experience a pervasive gun culture owing to its colonial history, revolutionary roots, frontier expansion, and the Second Amendment. According to the Second Amendment, “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” (Cornell Law School, 2017). Proponents of gun control argue that the amendment did not target the common citizen but militias. However, the opponents argue that the amendment guarantees express rights for individual gun ownership. This paper argues that gun control is important for solving mass shooting problems and crime reduction.

Stricter gun control laws are needed for addressing the persistent mass shooting problem in the U.S. The gun control debate might have been made irrelevant by probably the worst mass shooting in the U.S. history that occurred on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas. The shooting, conducted by a common citizen possessing a gun, claimed 59 lives and left 500 people with serious injuries (Swift, 2017). The Second Amendment does not allow for such heinous acts in the name of owning a gun. So many innocent lives should not be lost at the hands of one person who judges it right, out of their personal reasons, to terminate human lives. The mass shooting incidences clearly indicate that there is more threat of lives being lost through misuse of guns than the threat of people losing their lives due to lack of self-defense.

Gun control would also help address misinterpretation of the Second Amendment by individual gun owners. It is apparent that people are misinterpreting the amendment to mean what was not intended by framers of the constitution given the past shooting incidences. A clear reinterpretation of a “well-regulated militia” should be sought by the three federal government braches in collaboration with the state governments. It is definite that those who debated over and passed the amendment could not have authorized the October 1, 2017 Las Vegas shooting incidence and such other incidences. Moreover, “The Founding Fathers, who lived before the invention of the Gatling gun, could not have envisioned civilians commanding the right to hunt turkeys, or humans, with modern ferocity” (Insana, 2017). The amendment was meant for protection of lives, not as a threat to lives.

Additionally, deaths resulting from individually-owned guns would decrease if stricter gun laws were adopted. Between 1999 and 2013, there were 464,033 gun deaths out of which 174,773 resulted from homicides, 9,983 from gun accidents, and 270,237 from suicide (Street, 2016). It is thus crystal clear that individual gun owners are using guns in more destructive ways than just mass shootings. It is apparent that letting an American citizen own a personal gun provides them with a quicker way of committing suicide if they had the plans to. Noteworthy, gun suicide is the exact opposite of self-defense and crime prevention, the reasons for which gun ownership was allowed. Acquiring guns should thus be made very difficult for people since it would make them safer from their own selves.

Another general observation is that the quantity of guns in a society determines the rate of gun violence in the society. A good case example to prove this is Japan. Research notes that the country has made it very difficult for its citizens to acquire guns. Even upon being allowed to acquire one, it would only be an air rifle or shotgun but not handguns (Low, 2017). Low (2017) goes on to cite the executive director of Action on Armed Violence, Iain Overton, who argues that a civilian society does not need guns for whatever reason. Overton adds that gun violence will inevitably be there in a society once the society has guns. According to journalist Anthony Berteaux, violence should never be used to quell violence hence the less need for guns.

Opponents of gun control argue that gun control laws would infringe into people’s right to self-defense and thus deny them a sense of safety. This argument fails to recognize that even the safety of the gun holder herself or himself is compromised by weak gun control laws (Purcell, 2013). Moreover, the safety of all American citizens wherever they may be is the responsibility of the federal government. It would be enough to guarantee this safety by building and maintaining strong security agencies and policies. Besides, if an individual cannot first of all defend themselves against themselves, the “right to self-defense” argument loses its meaning. When a person uses their own gun to cause self-harm either knowingly or unknowingly, it means they lack the very self-defense the gun is meant for.

Opponents may also argue that gun control laws give too much power to the government and that this may make the government tyrannical. In their view, the government may end up taking away guns from all citizens. This argument is wrong first because the United States is a country founded on strong Constitutional provisions that clearly spell out the rights of citizens and indicate that the country is democratic (Kopel, 2013). There is thus no room for government tyranny, not even through gun control. Second, stricter gun laws would only make difficult the process of acquiring guns but not take away all guns from citizens.

The U.S. should enact and implement very strict gun ownership laws if it is to solve mass shooting problems and reduce gun-related crime. People cannot purport to be enjoying the provisions of the Second Amendment while continuing to butcher innocent citizens. The amendment should be reinterpreted so that it serves all citizens in the best manner possible if it is what is creating all this loss of life and lawlessness. The Constitution does not provide for the “right” of taking one’s own life or that of others. It is thus sad that this phenomenon is being perpetuated by gun ownership.

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Cornell Law School. (2017). “Second amendment”.  Cornell Law School . Retrieved May 20, 2018 from  https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/second_amendment

Insana, R. (2017). “The time for polite debate on gun control is over”.  CNBC . Retrieved May 20, 2018 from  https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/05/the-time-for-polite-debate-on-gun-control-is-over.html

Kopel, D. B. (2013).  The truth about gun control . New York, NY: Encounter Books.

Low, H. (2017). “How Japan has almost eradicated gun crime”.  BBC News . Retrieved July 4, 2020 from  http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-38365729

Purcell, T. (2013).  Shotgun republic: the gun control debate . North Charleston, SC: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Street, C. (2016).  Gun control: guns in America, the full debate, more guns less problems? No guns no problems? . North Charleston, SC: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Swift, H. (2017). “Gunman’s girlfriend arrives in U.S. and is expected to be questioned”.  New York Times . Retrieved May 20, 2018 from  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/03/us/las-vegas-shooting-live-updates.html

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