The second amendment to our constitution states that we have the right to bear arms. Our founding fathers over 200 years ago felt that this was such an important right to have. This right has lasted us over two centuries, so why should we change it now?

However, I will agree that society is nowhere near the same as it was 226 years ago. The world has changed in so many ways. Could we say that with time people have become increasingly cruel? Or is population growth caused an increase in the number of cruel people that there are?

The controversy that surrounds gun control is one of the major platforms that the presidential candidates all have strong opinions on. So what should be done about guns? I have considered both sides of the argument and of course, a compromise.

First let's discuss why it is important to have guns. We can all agree that there are crazy dangerous people out there, and that we need a way to protect ourselves in an emergency. Attempted robbery, assault, rape or even being faced with another gun can be pretty terrifying, especially if you are unarmed in any type of way. People want guns (for the most part) to protect themselves and their loved ones. The problem with guns occur when the wrong people get ahold of them.

So why don't we just ban guns? Well, if we did, do you honestly believe that the “bad people” out there wouldn't find a way to obtain a gun? Think about it like this, Marijuana is illegal (in most states), but we all know that it is pretty easy to obtain. Don't you think it would become the same case scenario with guns?

So say we do control guns, what stops criminals from using other types of weapons? Guns are not the only weapon than can take someone’s life.

Gun control, no matter how severe we make it, is still going to be difficult to enforce. Like I mentioned before, drugs are illegal, but millions of people still use and sell them. So much government money is spent on trying to catch drug dealers and doers, and even more is spent on those in prison with charges concerning these substances. It would become the same scenario with gun control. What we need more control on is how people obtain guns and which of those people should be allowed to possess them. There are many people out there who should be able to own a gun; those that are mentally stable and have never been convicted of a crime.

On top of that, it is also important to consider that fact that someone that is mentally capable of taking the life of another person, is most likely someone that would go out of their way to illegally obtain a gun.

Do people kill people or do guns kill people? I strongly feel that people kill people. It takes a person to pull the trigger of a gun. Without a person, a gun will not fire. In order to put my opinion into perspective, I have thought of other “similar” types of questions to consider.

Does a knife kill a person? Or does it take a person to use the knife to kill someone?

Do cars kill people? Or does it take a person driving a vehicle to cause a fatal accident?

If you agree to my questions above, that these inanimate objects do in fact kill people, then should we ban them too? These are all inanimate objects that need a person to complete a murder. It takes a brain and the thought processes of a human to kill. A gun, a knife and a car: none of them have a mind, none of them have the power to kill, unless a human uses the object to do so.

How much protection do we really need? Now on the other hand, when it comes to the every day citizen and protecting ourselves, a simple hand gun, I feel, will do the trick. I don't think that citizens need machine guns or any other crazy rifle to protect themselves. A machine gun can make it much easier for someone to kill a vast number of people in a small amount of time. If we were only able to carry a small hand gun, maybe less lives would be lost.

Sure if we didn't have guns, less people might die, but there will always be other ways to take someone’s life. Bombs, knives, drugs, poisonous substances, the list could go on; there are hundreds of ways a person could take another person’s life. But the people that are committing these mass killings, are most likely people that will not feel affected by a gun law. They will find their way around it; just like a druggie finds their way to get drugs.

But let's discuss why maybe we should have more control on guns. If we did have a better way to control gun sales and distribution, I'm sure that there would be less killings. The killings would not cease, however. If we were going to have a control over guns, we should limit what type of assault weapon citizens are allowed to own. For example, when it comes to protection, do we really need a machine gun? I think that if there should be any limits set, people should be allowed to have pistols for personal safety. A personal gun may be beneficial in times when police are not present or not immediately available; for example, when someone breaks into your home. But as far as types of weapons go, military grade rifles should be left in the possession of those in the military. And of course, we should have much stricter rules and regulations for buying a gun. A full background check should be done, one should have to go through safety and training classes and perhaps even have to take a mental stability test to make sure that they are mentally capable of owning a gun. While I am sure that there will be people that could “cheat” on the test and appear mentally capable of owning a gun, it would still eliminate many people who should not have access to guns.

Another reasoning many are using behind why we need gun control is the fact that criminals have been able to legally have access to owning a gun. I feel that criminals nor those under government surveillance should have the ability to purchase or posses a gun, under any circumstances.

While I agree that these procedures and precautions will not be able prevent all further shootings, I believe that it could still prevent some killings. With stricter rules and regulations on who can own a gun and what kind of gun, maybe we can keep our world slightly more sane.