Firearms have been a part of American culture, even before our country claimed independence from British hold. They have played major roles in several aspects of American life such as local, societal and even political spaces. Wars themselves cannot be won without the proper tools. After setting the foundation of our country's beliefs, codes and values with the constitution over two-hundred years ago, guns continue to be a prevalent topic in today's conversation. According to the Center for Disease Control, there have been over forty-thousand deaths in the United States due to gun violence (CDC). There have been 3.36 deaths per one-hundred thousand people due to gun homicides (CDC). There have been 8.16 deaths per one-hundred thousand people due to gun suicide (CDC). These numbers continue to increase every year and the problem does not seem to fade. Many Americans believe that by passing and enforcing stricter gun laws, fewer cases of gun violence will occur. According to a 2017 research survey by the Pew Research Center, fifty-two percent of American respondents believe there should be more and stricter gun laws (Pew Research Center). While some believe changes in these legislations can help our citizens, another issue arises such as diminishing our Second Amendment right. According to the US Constitution, the Second Amendment reads "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" (US Const. amend. II). Yes, there should be certain laws upheld in order to decrease the overall death rate in our country via background checks or red flag laws, however, they themselves will not be enough to catalyze the downward trend of fatalities and they cannot fully honor America's Second Amendment right.
While gun violence is a widespread and complex issue in the United States, preserving the right to bear arms is our constitutional right; the solution lies in addressing root causes such as mental health, education and responsible gun ownership through a proven and balanced approach. By examining different areas of topic such as the history of gun ownership in America, the rise of gun violence in differing cities and debriefing on the success and failure of certain policies or programs, a clearer picture begins to form. Gun violence is an evermoving problem which requires comprehensive and adaptable solutions. Background checks and restrictions on violent criminals, education and support programs, and giving law-abiding citizens more freedom to own firearms will help push the country towards a safer future.
It is important to understand how firearms played a pivotal role in America's development. Guns have always been a part of American culture since back to the country's original founding. As Englishmen and their families set sail for the new world, they brought all necessary items and tools to begin their new lives, including tools for personal protection and resource gathering. Fur trappers, settlers and local militias all had a use for firearms during westward expansion and it seemed like these weapons became a symbol of power or perhaps entitlement which then could be viewed as oppression by opposing groups. As the generations passed, firearms have become more diverse and intricate to fit several purposes or used in different scenarios. Rifles, pistols, shotguns, automatic or semi-automatic weapons are no longer used for westward expansion, but now split into different categories of use such as sport, hunting, military or law enforcement, and of course, personal protection. According to the Pew Research Center, four in ten Americans own a firearm or are living in a home that houses a firearm (Pew Research Center). Thirty-two percent of gun-owning Americans have only one firearm while the other sixty-eight percent own more than one firearm (Pew Research Center). A considerable portion of Americans who own a firearm say they enjoy participating in sports-related activities such as gun ranges or shooting targets. More importantly, sixty-seven percent of gun owners cite protection as their main reason for owning a firearm, either within their own private homes, or when out in public, or when affiliated with a job that utilizes firearms such as security or law-enforcement (Pew Research Center).
This data is meant to showcase the prevalence guns have on the American population and how it is not so easily dissipated. Some groups believe that by limiting American's access to firearms, the US will begin to have fewer cases of gun violence and death. While this logic is reasonable, it is important to consider the fact gun violence is a specialized subject with multiple facets to explore. As mentioned before, gun violence requires a comprehensive and balanced approach. The next section highlights how the issue is much more nuanced than it is black and white, proving that more and/or harsher restrictions on gun access is not the only solution to this convoluted problem. The argument will dive deeper into one aspect of gun violence, provide reports and showcase not only the complexities, but also the repercussions of improper action after tragedy strikes.
Gun-related incidents have been rising as society advances to modern times. Gun violence itself is a general term that can be funneled to different contexts, such as violence towards others. To further push this idea, homicides can even split into subcontexts, such as massacres or active shooter scenarios. The Columbine event in 1999 was marked as a pivotal moment in US culture as it sparked controversial debates about whether we need more gun control laws or if more Americans should be arming themselves. Colorado, the state in which this devastation took place, made several reforms, particularly mandating background checks at gun shows. In 2013, after another tragedy in a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado, more reforms were made such as banning certain ammunition, introducing red flag laws (ERPO) and requiring universal background checks for all sales and purchases in the state. The purpose of these policies were to decrease the rate of gun violence and hopefully deter any further active shooter incidents. According to Colorado's department of public health, there have been over one-thousand deaths in 2022 alone with the previous years being similar in numbers (cdphe.colorado.gov). A police station shooting in 2003 (Colorado Springs), a hate crime/active shooter incident towards a Jewish health center in 2006, the Aurora theatre as mentioned before in 2012, several high school shootings throughout the decades and more recently, a club shooting in 2022 further prove that these legislations did not successfully deter or even slow the rate of gun violence in the state.
The argument is not explicitly criticizing the policies themselves, they were implemented with good intentions, but Colorado citizens continue to suffer due to poor execution and enforcement. Unfortunately, data regarding the prevention of violent crimes or gun violence due to these laws are muddled and difficult to calculate, however, it is known that Colorado currently sits at eighteenth place in the most amount of gun-related deaths in the United States and the state has seen a forty-eight percent increase in gun violence in the past decade (Johns Hopkins). As mentioned before, poor enforcement and implementation of these policies can be a leading reason why the mortality rates are not decreasing, but there are other factors to consider. Other reasons can also include individual noncompliance. For example, some individuals can disregard background checks or not follow proper gun carrying laws. These unknowns will always slip through the cracks which should serve as a caution to the public. There will always be people who are not abiding by the law, therefore it is only reasonable to protect oneself rather than simply trust law and government for protection.
Gun violence not only applies to violent crimes towards others, but to oneself. As mentioned in the introduction, the Centers for Disease Control report that there have been 8.16 deaths per one-hundred thousand people due to gun suicide in 2023 (CDC). This means out of the approximate forty-thousand individuals that have passed away due to gun violence, over twenty-two thousand cases were mainly due to suicide. Mental health awareness has increased well over the past several years and should be applicable to this aspect in American culture. There are notable examples of government-led and community-driven programs that incentivize improving citizens' mental health in the hopes of bettering their livelihood and decreasing the chance of violent crimes occurring. The Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) Initiative was a comprehensive federal program designed to promote safe school environments by educating and addressing different aspects that lead to conflict or violent incidents. It was originally introduced in 1999, but ended in 2013. The federal government provided financial support (approximately two-billion dollars in the form of grants) to three hundred and fifty school districts and these participating grantees would plan, implement, sustain, and expand school safety programs. These school districts would accept their grants and were given freedom to work with city council, law enforcement, and local providers in the hope of bringing change to their towns. For example, the state of Wisconsin received almost nine million dollars in grants to help their school districts create and/or improve their existing mental health projects (dpi.wi.gov). According to the Wisconsin department of public learning, their particular program involves training staff to observe and adequately address certain scenarios such as identifying early signs of social health or mental health decline amongst young students. Their ultimate goal is to promote early childhood social-emotional development and to bring families and communities together to work against substance abuse.
The SS/HS Initiative ended in 2013, the federal program left a lasting impression on those school districts that benefitted, allowing them to continue the work without the financial support from the US government. For example, the Arizona department of Education has their own program similar to SS/HS in which financial support is provided to certain school districts to focus on different facets of social and mental health (azed.gov). When it comes to reducing gun violence, federal support is crucial to improving the death rate. It would be reasonable for more school districts and their states to push government spending for the sake of their youth. Death rates are still high and are not slowing down, therefore it is imperative to introduce new policies or perhaps even revive the SS/HS Initiative so that communities receive the necessary support to improve students' lives. The federal government spends billions of dollars every year for their military, it would be reasonable that some finances can be allocated for the betterment of their citizens. Proper planning, execution and sustainment by politicians and government leaders can truly push the agenda towards a safer future.
One major aspect of reducing gun violence is to prevent it through proper education and storage. There are currently several examples of initiatives or programs that address these points. The Department of Education's Safe Firearm Storage Resource was released to help schools communicate with parents and families about the importance of safe firearm storage. It aimed to prevent unauthorized access to firearms by children and reduce gun-related incidents in educational settings (ed.gov). Additionally, there are laws in varying states called Child Access Prevention (CAP) laws. These laws hold firearm owners accountable for securely storing their guns to prevent access by minors. They can vary by state but typically impose penalties for negligent storage that leads to a child accessing a firearm. By putting more time and effort into these federal and state-level programs, not only students but their parents can be properly assisted in understanding the seriousness of firearms and how they need to be put away when not used. There are even some programs across the country that have taken the initiative to further push proper education and gun storage such as Every Country. They are a non-profit organization in which their purpose is to further inform education and community leaders about the current statistics of gun violence and the impact of certain laws. They provide the necessary data for districts and organizations to review and debrief their actions within to see how they can improve their school environments and homes.
There are a few short-term solutions that can help Americans reduce the chance of an incident occurring, however, it is important to understand that long-term solutions need to be carefully planned in order to roll out and truly make an impact. Red flag laws and extreme risk laws vary state by state, but typically are policies meant to warn government/law enforcement of individuals that could pose a threat to others or themselves. They can restrict gun-access to certain individuals if the proper actions are taken, but they can be arduous and time-consuming. If law enforcement or filing takes too long, the chance of gun violence occurring from the individual only increases. Some people will even ignore red flag laws as some areas in the US do not take them as seriously as others. Another band-aid solution is to enforce tighter laws against those who have criminal backgrounds or have been diagnosed with some type of mental disease or illness. While this demographic of individuals will be required to wait, it does not explicitly prevent gun violence as criminals can bypass these restrictions and/or background check by purchasing firearms illegally, and those suffering in their mental health will still be unqualified to own guns if they have not been seeking professional help.
Simply put, guns are embedded deep within American culture. Anyone that argues or believes in a future America without guns will be disappointed to find out that citizens will not so easily part from their possessions. They are seen as an essential item for their own personal protection from anyone looking to harm others. There has been some success following certain policies and laws that aim to reduce gun violence, it will never truly begin to see a consistent drop if citizens and leaders continue to pick sides. As mentioned in the beginning, gun violence and gun ownership is highly intricate and a sensitive topic. The problem cannot be fixed in a short amount of time, therefore, it is important to focus on creating a better future for subsequent generations. States across the nation and the federal government can work together to create a new campaign that drives the notion of protecting the future. What has happened today can affect tomorrow, so a good way to begin is by bringing both sides of the argument together. Guns do kill people, but they can save people too. Keep the laws that work such as background checks and age requirements, they only need to be improved upon. Understand that mental health is at the forefront of everyone struggling in their lives, if experts and organizations can be intentional and improve public health through social connections and fostering improved mental states, we can reduce gun violence. Lastly, store and educate not only children, but adults as well about guns and gun storage to prevent any unnecessary tragedies. Having too many restrictions can do no good and some individuals will still ignore those precedents placed by society, therefore, society itself should be aware that they still need to be on alert and practice their second amendment rights.
Works Cited
While gun violence is a widespread and complex issue in the United States, preserving the right to bear arms is our constitutional right; the solution lies in addressing root causes such as mental health, education and responsible gun ownership through a proven and balanced approach. By examining different areas of topic such as the history of gun ownership in America, the rise of gun violence in differing cities and debriefing on the success and failure of certain policies or programs, a clearer picture begins to form. Gun violence is an evermoving problem which requires comprehensive and adaptable solutions. Background checks and restrictions on violent criminals, education and support programs, and giving law-abiding citizens more freedom to own firearms will help push the country towards a safer future.
It is important to understand how firearms played a pivotal role in America's development. Guns have always been a part of American culture since back to the country's original founding. As Englishmen and their families set sail for the new world, they brought all necessary items and tools to begin their new lives, including tools for personal protection and resource gathering. Fur trappers, settlers and local militias all had a use for firearms during westward expansion and it seemed like these weapons became a symbol of power or perhaps entitlement which then could be viewed as oppression by opposing groups. As the generations passed, firearms have become more diverse and intricate to fit several purposes or used in different scenarios. Rifles, pistols, shotguns, automatic or semi-automatic weapons are no longer used for westward expansion, but now split into different categories of use such as sport, hunting, military or law enforcement, and of course, personal protection. According to the Pew Research Center, four in ten Americans own a firearm or are living in a home that houses a firearm (Pew Research Center). Thirty-two percent of gun-owning Americans have only one firearm while the other sixty-eight percent own more than one firearm (Pew Research Center). A considerable portion of Americans who own a firearm say they enjoy participating in sports-related activities such as gun ranges or shooting targets. More importantly, sixty-seven percent of gun owners cite protection as their main reason for owning a firearm, either within their own private homes, or when out in public, or when affiliated with a job that utilizes firearms such as security or law-enforcement (Pew Research Center).
This data is meant to showcase the prevalence guns have on the American population and how it is not so easily dissipated. Some groups believe that by limiting American's access to firearms, the US will begin to have fewer cases of gun violence and death. While this logic is reasonable, it is important to consider the fact gun violence is a specialized subject with multiple facets to explore. As mentioned before, gun violence requires a comprehensive and balanced approach. The next section highlights how the issue is much more nuanced than it is black and white, proving that more and/or harsher restrictions on gun access is not the only solution to this convoluted problem. The argument will dive deeper into one aspect of gun violence, provide reports and showcase not only the complexities, but also the repercussions of improper action after tragedy strikes.
Gun-related incidents have been rising as society advances to modern times. Gun violence itself is a general term that can be funneled to different contexts, such as violence towards others. To further push this idea, homicides can even split into subcontexts, such as massacres or active shooter scenarios. The Columbine event in 1999 was marked as a pivotal moment in US culture as it sparked controversial debates about whether we need more gun control laws or if more Americans should be arming themselves. Colorado, the state in which this devastation took place, made several reforms, particularly mandating background checks at gun shows. In 2013, after another tragedy in a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado, more reforms were made such as banning certain ammunition, introducing red flag laws (ERPO) and requiring universal background checks for all sales and purchases in the state. The purpose of these policies were to decrease the rate of gun violence and hopefully deter any further active shooter incidents. According to Colorado's department of public health, there have been over one-thousand deaths in 2022 alone with the previous years being similar in numbers (cdphe.colorado.gov). A police station shooting in 2003 (Colorado Springs), a hate crime/active shooter incident towards a Jewish health center in 2006, the Aurora theatre as mentioned before in 2012, several high school shootings throughout the decades and more recently, a club shooting in 2022 further prove that these legislations did not successfully deter or even slow the rate of gun violence in the state.
The argument is not explicitly criticizing the policies themselves, they were implemented with good intentions, but Colorado citizens continue to suffer due to poor execution and enforcement. Unfortunately, data regarding the prevention of violent crimes or gun violence due to these laws are muddled and difficult to calculate, however, it is known that Colorado currently sits at eighteenth place in the most amount of gun-related deaths in the United States and the state has seen a forty-eight percent increase in gun violence in the past decade (Johns Hopkins). As mentioned before, poor enforcement and implementation of these policies can be a leading reason why the mortality rates are not decreasing, but there are other factors to consider. Other reasons can also include individual noncompliance. For example, some individuals can disregard background checks or not follow proper gun carrying laws. These unknowns will always slip through the cracks which should serve as a caution to the public. There will always be people who are not abiding by the law, therefore it is only reasonable to protect oneself rather than simply trust law and government for protection.
Gun violence not only applies to violent crimes towards others, but to oneself. As mentioned in the introduction, the Centers for Disease Control report that there have been 8.16 deaths per one-hundred thousand people due to gun suicide in 2023 (CDC). This means out of the approximate forty-thousand individuals that have passed away due to gun violence, over twenty-two thousand cases were mainly due to suicide. Mental health awareness has increased well over the past several years and should be applicable to this aspect in American culture. There are notable examples of government-led and community-driven programs that incentivize improving citizens' mental health in the hopes of bettering their livelihood and decreasing the chance of violent crimes occurring. The Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) Initiative was a comprehensive federal program designed to promote safe school environments by educating and addressing different aspects that lead to conflict or violent incidents. It was originally introduced in 1999, but ended in 2013. The federal government provided financial support (approximately two-billion dollars in the form of grants) to three hundred and fifty school districts and these participating grantees would plan, implement, sustain, and expand school safety programs. These school districts would accept their grants and were given freedom to work with city council, law enforcement, and local providers in the hope of bringing change to their towns. For example, the state of Wisconsin received almost nine million dollars in grants to help their school districts create and/or improve their existing mental health projects (dpi.wi.gov). According to the Wisconsin department of public learning, their particular program involves training staff to observe and adequately address certain scenarios such as identifying early signs of social health or mental health decline amongst young students. Their ultimate goal is to promote early childhood social-emotional development and to bring families and communities together to work against substance abuse.
The SS/HS Initiative ended in 2013, the federal program left a lasting impression on those school districts that benefitted, allowing them to continue the work without the financial support from the US government. For example, the Arizona department of Education has their own program similar to SS/HS in which financial support is provided to certain school districts to focus on different facets of social and mental health (azed.gov). When it comes to reducing gun violence, federal support is crucial to improving the death rate. It would be reasonable for more school districts and their states to push government spending for the sake of their youth. Death rates are still high and are not slowing down, therefore it is imperative to introduce new policies or perhaps even revive the SS/HS Initiative so that communities receive the necessary support to improve students' lives. The federal government spends billions of dollars every year for their military, it would be reasonable that some finances can be allocated for the betterment of their citizens. Proper planning, execution and sustainment by politicians and government leaders can truly push the agenda towards a safer future.
One major aspect of reducing gun violence is to prevent it through proper education and storage. There are currently several examples of initiatives or programs that address these points. The Department of Education's Safe Firearm Storage Resource was released to help schools communicate with parents and families about the importance of safe firearm storage. It aimed to prevent unauthorized access to firearms by children and reduce gun-related incidents in educational settings (ed.gov). Additionally, there are laws in varying states called Child Access Prevention (CAP) laws. These laws hold firearm owners accountable for securely storing their guns to prevent access by minors. They can vary by state but typically impose penalties for negligent storage that leads to a child accessing a firearm. By putting more time and effort into these federal and state-level programs, not only students but their parents can be properly assisted in understanding the seriousness of firearms and how they need to be put away when not used. There are even some programs across the country that have taken the initiative to further push proper education and gun storage such as Every Country. They are a non-profit organization in which their purpose is to further inform education and community leaders about the current statistics of gun violence and the impact of certain laws. They provide the necessary data for districts and organizations to review and debrief their actions within to see how they can improve their school environments and homes.
There are a few short-term solutions that can help Americans reduce the chance of an incident occurring, however, it is important to understand that long-term solutions need to be carefully planned in order to roll out and truly make an impact. Red flag laws and extreme risk laws vary state by state, but typically are policies meant to warn government/law enforcement of individuals that could pose a threat to others or themselves. They can restrict gun-access to certain individuals if the proper actions are taken, but they can be arduous and time-consuming. If law enforcement or filing takes too long, the chance of gun violence occurring from the individual only increases. Some people will even ignore red flag laws as some areas in the US do not take them as seriously as others. Another band-aid solution is to enforce tighter laws against those who have criminal backgrounds or have been diagnosed with some type of mental disease or illness. While this demographic of individuals will be required to wait, it does not explicitly prevent gun violence as criminals can bypass these restrictions and/or background check by purchasing firearms illegally, and those suffering in their mental health will still be unqualified to own guns if they have not been seeking professional help.
Simply put, guns are embedded deep within American culture. Anyone that argues or believes in a future America without guns will be disappointed to find out that citizens will not so easily part from their possessions. They are seen as an essential item for their own personal protection from anyone looking to harm others. There has been some success following certain policies and laws that aim to reduce gun violence, it will never truly begin to see a consistent drop if citizens and leaders continue to pick sides. As mentioned in the beginning, gun violence and gun ownership is highly intricate and a sensitive topic. The problem cannot be fixed in a short amount of time, therefore, it is important to focus on creating a better future for subsequent generations. States across the nation and the federal government can work together to create a new campaign that drives the notion of protecting the future. What has happened today can affect tomorrow, so a good way to begin is by bringing both sides of the argument together. Guns do kill people, but they can save people too. Keep the laws that work such as background checks and age requirements, they only need to be improved upon. Understand that mental health is at the forefront of everyone struggling in their lives, if experts and organizations can be intentional and improve public health through social connections and fostering improved mental states, we can reduce gun violence. Lastly, store and educate not only children, but adults as well about guns and gun storage to prevent any unnecessary tragedies. Having too many restrictions can do no good and some individuals will still ignore those precedents placed by society, therefore, society itself should be aware that they still need to be on alert and practice their second amendment rights.
Works Cited
