Gun control has been a hot topic of politics since the beginning of time. It is rare to turn on the news without seeing another shooting, causing the masses to panic. The call for more gun control is louder than ever. The question is: Would it really help?
Consider the United Kingdom. Possession of handguns was completely outlawed to the common public in 1996. According to The Telegraph, the UK is the violence crime capital of Europe. The Telegraph also reported that there were 2,034 violent crimes per 100,000 people in the UK in 2007, compared to 466 violent crimes per 100,000 people in the United States in the same year. Now, these “violent crimes” may have not dealt with guns necessarily, considering guns are supposed to be illegal, but other utensils were used, such as kitchen knives. Since gun control is thought to reduce crime, would the UK’s violent crime rate not be lower? The main point is: If someone wants to commit a crime, they will do it. It doesn't matter if they have to use a gun or a kitchen knife.
A better example of failed gun control can be found right here in America. Chicago has been said to have the strictest gun laws in America. With no legal gun stores in the city, illegal guns can be found everywhere. According to the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago police force seizes about 20 illegal weapons a day. Chicago and a close neighbor, St. Louis, rack up to be two of the most dangerous cities in the United States. In 2015 alone, 446 people were shot and killed in Chicago. Once again, gun control is obviously not working.
Guns can result in good, contrary to popular belief. I can personally relate to when a gun can come in handy as a women who lives alone. If someone were to break into my house, I would have absolutely no way to protect myself. I could call the police, but in the 10 minutes that it would take for them to arrive at my house (probably more), who knows what could happen? In Vol. 86 of the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, women use a gun to defend themselves against sexual abuse about 200,000 times a year. In a situation that we women would often have no power to stop, we can take control of the situation and end up protecting ourselves from something that will affect us for the rest of our lives. We deserve to have that legal right.
Gun control is not about the gun. It’s about respecting the gun. I was raised in the South around guns. My father taught me the do’s and don’ts of gun safety at a young age and I’ve remembered and reviewed them my entire life.
As Samuel L. Jackson said, "I don't think it's about more gun control. I grew up in the South with guns everywhere and we never shot anyone. This is about people who aren't taught the value of life.” He had it right.
We cannot force crime to stop happening, with or without guns. What needs to be taken into consideration is the true value and potential of a human life. We cannot keep killing our brothers and sisters. Only then can crime rates truly decrease.
