Gun Control: Self-Defense Essay, Research Paper

The Second Amendment to the Constitution states

that, “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,” and the

definition of gun control is; government regulation of

possession and use of firearms by private

citizens(Levinson, 5). Gun control only takes guns

away from law-abiding citizens and it does nothing to

stop criminals from buying illegal guns, who are

unlikely to obey the law and register their guns(NRA

238). I feel that the term gun control is improperly

used. The government is using it as a way to take our

right to bear arms.

Why would anyone want to own a gun? Piece of mind

is the main reason I have a gun. I feel a lot safer

at home knowing that I am close to my best line of

defense. Guns provide a source of psychological

reassurance even among citizens who are not especially

concerned about the fear of crime of being

victimized(?Firearms? 64). In a survey given about

guns, ?self-defense was the primary reason given by

one out of every five gun owners for

firearms?(?Firearms? 61). ?The right of self-defense

and the right to use firearms for defense of self and

family are the cornerstone of individual rights

enumerated in the US Constitution(?Self-Defense? 26).?

Why does the government make it harder to protect

ourselves? Police cannot always protect everyone.

There are only about 500,000 police officers

throughout the country, which figures to around only

125,000 police officers are on duty at any given time

to protect the whole country(Lee 9). Only seventeen

percent of Americans give the police a great deal of

confidence in protecting them, while forty-six percent

said they do not give them very much

confidence(?Carrying? 32). ?Other than a bodyguard or

a law enforcement officer at one?s side twenty-four

hours a day, the most effective deterrent to criminal

attack is the criminal?s fear that the prospective

victim is armed and prepared to defend him or her

self?(?Carrying? 33). Courts have ruled that there is

no constitutional right to be protected by the state

against being murdered by criminals or madmen, which

means that police have no duty to protect the

individual citizen(Tahmassebi 66). After hearing

this, I trust the police even less.

What is the likelihood of being successfully

attacked when you are armed? Criminals fear armed

citizens(?Self-Defense? 22).

Victims who used guns for protection were less

likely either to be attacked or injured than

victims who responded in any other way,

including those who didn?t resist at all; and

victims no resisted robbers with a gun were

less likely to lose their property. When

victims use guns to resist crimes, the crimes

usually are disrupted and the victims are not

injured(?Self-Defense?, 24).

A good example of firearm deterrence comes from a rape

experiment done in Orlando. Orlando offered a

training course to women on hand-gun self defense,

which was taken by 6,000 women(?Firearms? 64). A year

after the program began, the rape rate in Orlando

dropped almost ninety percent(?Firearms? 64). The

police force went on strike in Albuquerque, New

Mexico; during this time, the crime rate decreased

because frightened citizens armed themselves and

protected their homes and businesses(?Firearms? 69).

Criminals ?had no stomach at all for facing indignant

citizens protecting their own property with the same

force the criminals used to steal it(?Firearms? 69).

Handgun ownership averts thousands of victim injuries

and deaths that would not have been avoidable given

the tactical advantages that criminals have over

unarmed citizens(Lee 7).

Who would you rather have protecting you? In

Chicago in a typical year, more criminals are shot by

store owners and other armed citizens than by the

entire police force(?Firearms? 69). In April 1984

three terrorists attacked a cafe in Jerusalem with

automatic weapons, intending to kill everyone in

sight; they were able to claim only one victim before

they were shot by a handgun-armed Israelis(Lee 3).

In 1980, between 1,500-3,000 felons were

legally killed by armed civilians in

self-defense or for related-legally justified

reasons; and additional 8,700-16,600 criminals

were legally wounded under the same

circumstances. If these figures are accurate,

then civilians kill and injure far more felons

annually than do police officers, i.e.,

criminals have more to fear from armed victims

than from the police(?Firearms? 63).

Everyone knows that police officers are trained to ask

questions first and shoot later, but I personally feel

that if I was in a questionable situation I would

probably shoot first. That is most likely how many

other citizens feel and that is probably why that

figure is so high.

Why doesn?t the Constitution protect us from gun

control laws? The Second Amendment 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?(Levinson 5). Infringed

means to violate or trespass. The Constitution has

never been described as a marvel of clarity, and the

Second Amendment is probably the most unclear

amendment in the bill of rights(Levinson 5). It is

not easy to understand why the Second Amendment, or

the notion of liberty, should be viewed as creating a

right to own and carry a weapon that contributes so

directly to the shock of murders in our

society(Levinson 7). ?It is hard for me to see how

one can argue that circumstances have so changed as to

make mass disarmament constitutionally

unproblematic(Levinson 9).

What have gun control laws done for citizens? No

study of the effectiveness of gun laws has shown any

positive effect, yet some studies have shown a

negative effect(NRA 238). The obvious effect of gun

bans is to deny law abiding citizens access to

firearms for their defense(Tahmassebi 65). The black

market is open to anyone with money without

discrimination of age, race, gender, or background.

Criminals do not bother to with obeying the law, for a

criminal by definition is someone who disobeys

laws(NRA 240). Gun control laws do not even pertain

to criminals, unless they try to work through the

legal system. The only people who are affected by gun

control laws are law-abiding citizens who are trying

to protect themselves.

What does it take to carry a concealed handgun?

To legally carry a concealed handgun, in most states,

a license must be obtained. To get a concealed and

carry license one must take a concealed handgun

course. Once the course has been taken, you have to

apply for the license from Austin, where they conduct

a extensive background check to see if you have any

criminal record. Many people have invested lots of

money in handguns and handgun classes, then have been

rejected when applying for their license. In 1996,

1321 license applicants were denied the right to carry

a concealed handgun in Texas(?Texas Concealed Handgun

License Statistics? 1).

Why does it have to be so hard for the good guy to

get a gun? Why does the government insist on making

the criminal go through the legal system so that it

slows it down for the good guys? There are many

questions to ask, but there are not enough answer to

give out. Our Founding Fathers gave the citizens of

the United states the right to bear arms, and our new

government is slowly trying to take it away. The

fight to ban gun control is going to be a difficult

one. ?The longer gun control advocates distract the

nation from this task by embracing that single siren

song, the longer it will take and the more difficult

the job will be?(NRA 242). So practice your right to

protect your country and vote against gun control any

time you can.

Works Cited

?Carrying Concealed Firearms Who Will Protect The

People?? 29-35.

?Firearms, Self-Defense and Deterrence.? 1-11.

Lee, Robert W. ?Gun Control Would Not Reduce Crime.?

1-5.

Levinson, Sanford. ?The Second Amendment and Gun

Control: An Overview.? 1-9.

NRA. ?Gun Control Would Not Reduce Violence.? 238-242.

?Self-Defense The Right and The Deterrent.? 22-28.

Tahmassebi, Stefan B. ?Gun Control Would Not Reduce

Crime Against the Poor and Minorities.? 59-66.

Texas Concealed Handgun License Statistics As of

December, 27 1996. 1. Internet.

www.ghg.net/mav/stat.html.

Outline

I. The Second Amendment to the Constitution states

that, “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,” and the

definition of gun control is; government regulation of

possession and use of firearms by private citizens.

II. Reasons to Own a Gun

A. Self-Defense

B. Peace of Mind

III. Government Protection

A. Police

B. Courts

IV. Being Attacked

A. Criminals Fear Armed Citizens

B. Orlando Rape Experiment

C. Albuquerque Police Strike

V. Protection

A. Citizens

B. Police

VI. Constitution

A. Second Amendment

B. Gun Control Bills

VII. Guns and Citizens

A. Effectiveness of Gun Control

B. Black Market

VIII. Carrying a Concealed Handgun

A. Classes

B. Licenses

IX. ?The longer gun control advocates distract the

nation from this task by embracing that single siren

song, the longer it will take and the more difficult

the job will be?(NRA 242). So practice your right to

protect your country and vote against gun control any

time you can.