Regarding Gun Control in US

I want to use this opportunity to draw attention to important problems with American gun control laws. The concerns I’m bringing up are supported by research we did as a group of University of Michigan State students and include information from society. Notably, the team interviewed children, adolescents, and adults to gather accurate information on how gun use impacts people in society. I am a third-year student in the University of Michigan currently pursuing Degree in Business Management. I graduated from high school in 2013 and scored grade B. Consequently, I was admitted to the university to pursue a degree in business management.

The United States face a series of criminal activities in which gunmen aimlessly shoot at innocent people. For instance, gunmen recently shot innocent people at gathering in California. As a consequence, leaders from different states openly came out to condemn the discriminative act and suggested establishment of strict policies for controlling the gun to minimize the number of deaths. The gun politics in the United States primarily focuses on the action of the two groups which include pro-gun control policies and gun right activists. The groups often disagree on the various interpretation of the law guiding the use of licensed guns.

The possession of the firearm is enshrined in the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution. The proponents of the stricter gun regulation fear for their security in a country where more than 45% of the population posses a gun. The gun activists raised some concerns why the government must control gun use. First, the Gun Control Act of 1968 states those only individuals above 18 years can hold a gun. However, children below 18 years in the United States can easily access the gun and cause serious crime activities to people. Second, the people with past criminal records and individual involuntary committed to mental institutions are not allowed to hold guns. Nevertheless, the rapid spread of gun among the teenagers can enable people previously convicted of a felony to access guns in the society. Furthermore, the federal law prohibits the sale of a gun to people who were found guilty of unlawfully use of substances such as marijuana. The federal government has powers to regulate the individuals who can receive guns in the society. For instance, the federal government created the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) under the Department of Justice to control the standard for issuing licenses to the gun vendors.  Additionally, through National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), the government collects intelligence on the criminal use of guns and takes the necessary actions.

The Las Vegas shooting raised major concerns and reasons which impede the implementation of gun control policies. First, the National Rifle Association greatly influences the national politics and it opposes suggestions aim at controlling the gun use. The Court and House of Representatives acts as a barrier to the implementation and passing of the gun control bills. Notably, the state governments passed the laws relating to gun use after the 2012 school shooting in Newton. On the contrary, the judicial system has acted as a barrier to the implementation of the laws.

Scholars developed concepts and theories relating to gun control policy in the United States. Kopel developed an ideology to control the use of a gun in developed countries. The author developed research to establish the effectiveness of Federal Assault Weapon Ban of 1994 which limited the availability of the assault weapons. Coffee investigated the public opinion on the impacts of using a gun before coming with a policy to control the gun use. The Journal of Social Psychology states that people perceive gun as an extension of individual power. Therefore, a large number of people have positive attitudes to the gun. Furthermore, the gun is mainly associated with males than females because they feel strong and safe. Additionally, men prefer to increase the confidence of their family on security matters. Experts argue that physical and psychological senses are significant to determine the side an individual takes in relation to gun control policy. For instance, the proponents of strict regulation of gun use feel that the rules will keep guns away from the arms of dangerous individuals, thus, keeping the environment safe.

Durkheim developed the theory of anomie that explains the causes of high rate of gun crime. The author emphasized on lack of direction and meaningfulness in the modern society. The theory associates the breakdown of norms, social cohesion and unity and loss of meaning with an increase in violent gun crime. According to Spitzer, if a human is deprived of meaning beyond their daily routine, he or she may become bitter and carry out violent activities. Therefore, the theory attributes the increase in gun crime to lack of integration and regulation in the society. Conversely, the Confect theory view increase in crime rate in the society as a symptom of sociological dysfunctional and an indicator of bias in nature and societal system.

To solve the problem of gun control and regulation, the federal government must devise strategies for influencing the Congress and United States courts. The government can introduce the stiffer sentences for gun crimes that can result in fear of remand, thus, improving its effectiveness. Third, the government can develop the smart gun which only the owner can use. Fourth, the state Department must deploy confiscation as a mechanism of reducing the number of illegal guns in the society. The strategy was successfully used in the United Kingdom that reduces guns after Dunblane massacre.

Yours Faithfully,

Davidson Green.

Bibliography

Coffee Jr, John C., Hillary Sale, and M. Todd Henderson. “Securities Regulation: Cases and materials.” (2015).

Hemenway, David. Private guns, public health. University of Michigan Press, 2017.

 Spitzer, Robert J. Politics of gun control. Routledge, 2015.