Gun Control 6 Essay, Research Paper

The issue of gun control is a very hot topic in today s society. Many believe there should be no guns. They believe that all guns should be taken away and that all Americans, regardless of age, race, sex, or religion, should be stripped of our second amendment right to keep and bear arms. While I do not agree with every claim and sentiment of the NRA, I am much farther from agreement with those who see guns as evil and believe they should be banned completely.

I feel that there needs to be laws controlling the sale and distribution of firearms. Laws in their purest form are supposed to be for the protection and common good of the people. I believe in minimum buying ages on guns, however I feel there should be some sort of competency requirements as well. Just because someone is 18 years old doesn t mean they are mentally and emotionally mature enough to handle ownership of a rifle, shotgun, or even an air gun. Working at a large gun shop, I see examples of this every day. It s hard to explain the knot I get in my stomach when I sell a gun to someone I don t see as being mature enough to handle one.

We have plenty of laws restricting who we can and cannot sell guns to, and I feel that rather than make up new ones, we should put more effort into enforcing the ones that already exist. Contrary to the popular opinion that there are two sides to the gun control debate, I believe that there are three sides: pro-gun, anti-gun, and pro-control. Those who are pro-gun do not support any kind of gun control whatsoever. Those who are anti-gun believe that only the military and the police should have guns. But the pro-control belief is what I have: that there should be some, but not complete control.

There are many viable reasons to own a gun, such as for hunting, competitive shooting, target shooting, protection, and as a collection. The gun industry is worth about $24,000,000,000 annually in the United States alone. If that were to be taken away, the number of jobs that would be lost would be phenomenal when all aspects of the industry from the steel companies right through the retail shops that sell the guns are considered. My own job would certainly be in jeopardy. The effects would be devastating to the economy.

When I was younger, I didn t understand the value of guns. I thought that guns were bad and that nobody should be allowed to have them. I was raised with gun safety. There have always been guns in the house. My father has always had his corner of the basement where, as children, my brother and I weren t allowed to go. That was where he kept his guns. From the time I was a small child I was taught the value and importance of gun safety and even when I didn t like guns, I still held a high respect for their power. Now that I am older, I ve taken a job where I am surrounded by guns, something that I never thought I would do. I have learned that what I thought for so many years was as a result of my being closed-minded and uninformed.

My experiences working in a gun shop have taught me many things and shaped the opinions I have today. There have been times when I have wished the laws were more strict in order to prevent people I did not feel comfortable with from having such easy access to a gun. There have also been times when I have seen the frustration and disappointment the strictest gun laws have caused law-abiding citizens. However, I feel that the relief and sense of security that comes from seeing a criminal denied a firearm is worth the disappointment and frustration from the law-abiding citizens. I believe that when properly enforced, the laws can be fair and just without depriving honest people of their rights. If complete gun control were to go into effect, not only would I lose my job, but also my family would lose a lot of money by losing our guns. Also, an entire tradition of hunting and sporting would be lost and gone forever, and that would be more than a shame.

Guns are very dangerous when in the wrong hands, and I believe that we should maintain the laws we have that attempt to prevent that from happening. In the right hands, guns are very valuable and powerful pieces of machinery that every law-abiding citizen has the right to own. I only hope that by the time I am old enough to purchase a gun, I will still be able to.