Kam Stevenson 1

Kamrin Stevenson

Ms. Billotte

Academic English 12

7 October, 2020

Putting A Stricter Background Check On Purchasing Firearms.

Putting down tougher gun control laws would further protect the safety of Americans as it

makes gun purchasing more safe and secured. Americans can worry less about going outside to

see a gun crime be committed. Gun control laws would also heavily lower the death count by

firearms in America as it lowers the amount of criminals that can obtain these firearms. It would

also protect the schools of America as most school shootings are committed by people with

problems. These problems could be further evaluated. before they can obtain a license to conceal

and carry. There should be a gun related background check for every weapon purchase possible

as it would greatly lower crime rates and issues in the United States. Gun control should be

toughened in a way that makes it harder for criminals to achieve guns. Making the background

check more strict.

Some Americans may argue that gun control is not really an issue in the United States.

However, the numbers may speak differently. Everitt and Pratt found that, “The United States

has more guns per capita than any other country in the world. It is estimated that Americans own

more than 300 million guns'' (Everitt and Pratt). Guns certainly do not cause crime, but the fact

that they are so easily available does make crime more lethal. “The U.S. Supreme Court’s

landmark 2008 ruling giving individuals a constitutional right to own guns, it still deeply divides
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Americans.” (Everitt and Pratt). Guns may not be as hard to obtain as some expected them to be.

The risk of crime is greatly increased when 300 guns are out there waiting to be used.

ProCon.org assessed that, “A June 2013 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report states that almost

all guns used in criminal acts enter circulation via initial legal transaction. Between 2005 and

2010, 1.4 million guns were stolen from the U.S. homes during property crimes (including

burglary and car theft)” (ProCon.org). With yearly average of 232,400, guns are being a product

that can be easily carried away and sold at more than the initial cost. This goes along with the

numbers speaking for themself. So many guns being stolen can also be used in a maleficent way

towards the public. These guns are then being sold without any checks done. This could be easily

prevented in some of these cases.

Everitt and Pratt estimated that Americans lose up to 32,000 citizens to gun violence

every year. An average of 87 deaths a day. “Part of the problem is who has the guns” (Everitt and

Pratt). It was pointed out that 40% of gun sales are conducted without any background check at

all. Thus giving convicted felons and domestic abusers a chance to gain a firearm. This goes

towards the numbers of deaths and crimes involving guns seeing how easy it can be for felons to

have this right. Going along with those numbers, studies in the American Journal of Public

Health estimated that, “Hospitalizations for firearm-related injuries cost Medicaid and Medicare

2.7 billion dollars over nine years.” (ProCon.org). This cost could be significantly lowered

leaving less injuries, costs, and crimes. There is projected to be 100,000 people shot each year in

the United States, unsure of how many committed by felons. (ProCon.org). That number rises as

years go by. That number would go down if the checks were more strict.
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In a radio debate hosted by Mr. Rosenthal with an NRA official, the NRA had confirmed

that the organization was opposed to uniform criminal background checks in fear that it would

shut down gun shows. These gun shows do not require anything to purchase a Barrett .50 calibre

sniper rifle. “You only need to show up at 1 out of 5,000 legal gun shows and fork over the cash”

(Rosenthal). Just showing up to 1 out of 5,000 gun shows where you don't need any

qualifications allows access for even felons to achieve any gun they can there. This can possibly

contribute to these still-raising numbers of deaths and crimes.

The NRA has also been very persistent on this topic. According to the Federal Election

Commision reports, they stated that “The NRA has spent more than 22 million on congressional

candidates in order to support its agenda during the past four election cycles” (Rosenthal). In just

2004 alone they spent 4 million dollars alone just to re-elect Bush. The NRA has been very

successful in keeping away from the numbers and preventions.

These issues rise daily, not just mainly focusing on felons getting these weapons, but

focusing on the damage on women. “There are estimated to be nearly 650 million small arms in

the world today. Nearly 60 percent of them are in the hands of private individuals - mostly men.”

(Amnesty International 2). These women are a big risk to the numbers of gun crimes in the

United States especially in the home wether it may be domestic abuse or even rape. Again in The

Impact of Guns on Women’s Lives, it is stated that, “One in three women killed by their husband

is shot. In the USA, these statistics rise to two in three.” (Amnesty International 11). These

numbers are consistently going up in the USA especially. These numbers of crimes, guns, and

women being killed could be significantly lowered with just the mandate of background checks

and raising qualifications to purchase guns at gun shows. For example, “The USA accounted for
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32 percent of all female homicides and 84 percent of all women killed with firearms.” (Amnesty

International 12). Leading big numbers for female casualties. Not focusing on gun control, these

women's lives will be taken away continuously.

School shootings have heavily risen as a problem between 2017-2020. Some very horrific

leading on every news channel in the USA. In the aftermath of the parkland shooting, president

Trump came forward wanting to put a complete end to gun-free zones. “We have to harden our

schools, not soften them.” (Bohon). These zones prevent any guns on the premises in order to

protect students. But they seem to be doing the exact opposite in some cases. Massie reports that,

“ Gun-free school zones are ineffective. They make people less safe by inviting criminals into

target-rich, no-risk environments.” (Bohon). These zones prove to be vulnerable for criminals.

Making more gun control laws would take away these problems without people having to worry

about removing gun-free zones.

Rosenthal has pointed out that, “Gun laws have only been weakened since the massacres

at Columbine High School and Virginia Tech.” (Rosenthal). He believes that gun laws should be

tightened. “83 Americans die each day from gun violence.” (Rosenthal). If these gun laws had

been tightened like Mr. Rosenthal wants, further school shootings and massacres would be

significantly lowered. These numbers can also be lowered through banning high-capacity

magazines in these guns. A Matter Jones investigation found that high-capacity magazines were

used in at least 50% of the 62 mass shootings between just 1982 and 2012. When these

magazines were used, the death rate rose to 63% and the injury rate rose 156%. “Some gang

members use high-capacity magazines such as 30 or even 90 rounds to compensate for a lack of

accuracy and to maximize the chance to harm.” (ProCon.org). Banning these magazines would
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lower the rates of injury and death. Maybe even taking away the intent for the person to want to

cause harm. It would also lower the number of overall shootings.

One of the biggest solutions to this problem, as previously stated, would be to require a

stronger background check on guns than currently held. This solution would strengthen the

screening process in detecting the sketchy sales. “There is no other wealthy, democratic nation in

the world that experiences this level of gun violence.” (Everitt and Pratt). This background check

would lower the amount of sales conducted and would prove to be helpful. “Current federal laws

allow an unlimited number of easily concealable handguns and military-style weapons to be

easily sold privately in 32 states without a criminal background check or an id.” (Rosenthal).

This goes to show how easy it is to obtain a firearm, especially in a felon’s or criminal’s case.

“Violence against women in the home has for centuries been regarded as a “private

matter” between the abuser, the victim and the immediate family.” (Amnesty International). For

decades, women organizations have been fighting for domestic violence to be treated as a crime

and a violation of women’s human rights. These gun problems have been heavily affecting the

lives of innocent women and could be prevented just by one background check. The Impact of

Guns on Women’s Lives assessed that, “Women in many countries have become powerful forces

with peace and human rights in their communities together.” (Amnesty International). Women

are looking to get control of this issue for a while now. The United States could do the ultimate

move by raising these gun control laws.

One way these women can be protected by this issue is to allow authorities to draw on a

wide range of relevant information when deciding whether a gun license should be granted. The

Impact of Guns on Women’s Lives pointed out that, “This doesn’t make it impossible to achieve
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a gun. But to make it more safe and secured.” (Rosenthal). This solution goes with the overall

issue of weighing down this issue making it harder for criminal’s to get their wish.

Back on the subject of school shootings, Erich Pratt, the director of gun owners of

America, agreed that nearly every mass shooting in the recent history of America has taken place

in these gun-free zones. “Killers continue targeting locations where guns are not allowed”

(Bohon). Combining with the solution from a common and popular problem, these gun-free

zones need to be lowered or modified to where teachers of approval are armed. Erich concludes

that, “In reality, there are other schools where such programs are already in place.” (Bohon).

Some school districts in Texas are already doing this. They are taking the necessary steps to

further protect the students and future of America. Even a school district in Florida has

established a program to arm and train teachers and staff to defend their school against attacks.

“When a crazed gunman arrives on campus with murder in his eyes, the deed is done is 2-5

minutes.” (Bohon). This leads little to no time for teachers to make a move in effort to call the

police. But if teachers were already armed, this issue could be solved on the spot with the

possibility to save a few to a dozen lives and greatly reduce injuries in school shootings.

The good news is every other democracy on Earth has already dealt with this problem

successfully. America has always been capable of doing great things. Everitt and Pratt state that,

“There is no reason in the world we can’t take sensible steps to keep guns away from dangerous

individuals.” (Everitt and Pratt). Concluding that we have a good chance of removing this issue.

One of the biggest arguments towards gun control tends to either be a violation of the

Second Amendment, or the use for self defense. On July 24, 2014, a doctor used a handgun to

disable a gunman who had begun firing in a hospital. One of the hospital workers was killed. The
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police had stated that the doctor prevented a mass shooting; they said if the doctor had not been

armed, many more innocent people would have died. Many people go with wanting to get rid of

gun control as cases like this where guns can be used for good.

According to ProCon.org, they state that guns are actually rarely used in self defense. Of

the 29,618,300 violent crimes, only 0.79% (235,700) of the victims had protected themselves

with a firearm. “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 for justifiable homicide.”

(ProCon.org). Although it may seem like many people want gun control to not be more strict,

89% of Americans said they would want mandatory background checks done for anyone

purchasing a firearm. But the NRA has continually blocked that idea. “The NRA helped create a

society where defense by guns becomes mandatory” (Rosenthal). These background checks,

even being requested by Americans, are starting to become popular as people see how the

problem can be solved so easily.

Gun control has consistently failed to keep bad guys from getting guns. Gun-control

advocates are claiming that we need tougher laws. More guns controls can even lead to less

suicide. According to ProCon.org, they state that between 1999 and 2013, there were 270,237

firearm suicides in the United States. That accounted for about 52% of all suicides during those

years. “When US gun ownership goes down, suicide rates drop.” (ProCon.org). Each 10

percentage-point increase in gun ownership is linked to a 26.9 percent increase in youth suicides.

And this is all prevented just by mandating background checks.

All of these facts, numbers, and percentages show overall why and how useful it would

be to require stricter background checks on gun purchases and when handing out licenses to
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purchase firearms. This will make schools safer, the public safer, and will ultimately decrease

numbers in crime, suicides, robberies, and domestic abuses. These problems could have been

solved and suppressed years ago just through one simple requirement in purchasing a weapon.

Concluding all of these facts, background checks on weapons solves many problems.
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Works Cited

Amnesty International The Impact of Guns on Women's Lives. Oxford, England: Oxfam

International, 2005.

Bohon, Dave. "UNMAKING Gun-free Killing Zones." The New American, vol. 34, no. 6,

19 Mar. 2018, p. 22+. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A532997414/OVIC?u=pl2127&sid=OVIC&xid=ccf63bd9.

Accessed 2 Oct. 2020.

Everitt, Ladd, and Erich Pratt. "Does the U.S. need tougher gun-control laws?" New York

Times Upfront, vol. 147, no. 12, 20 Apr. 2015, p. 22+. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A412684868/OVIC?u=pl2127&sid=OVIC&xid=5541bb47.

Accessed 2 Oct. 2020.

ProCon.org. “Should more Gun-Control Laws Be Enacted?”. Britannica, ProCon.org,

NPD, http://gun-control.procon.org/#our-latest-updates. Accessed 9/21/20.

Rosenthal, John E. "Pro-Gun Organization Policies Promote Gun Violence." Gun

Violence, edited by Louise Gerdes, Greenhaven Press, 2011. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In

Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010223244/OVIC?u=pl2127&sid=OVIC&xid=c07585fd.

Accessed 2 Oct. 2020. Originally published as "Had Enough Gun Violence?" Christian Science

Monitor, 20 Feb. 2008.