Pro and Anti-Gun control... The Big Debate

Pro-gun control: The Brady Campaign is a site that aims to bring in more legislation and control in terms of arms in the United States. Their modus operandi behind the want for new laws and regulation is to try and bring down the amount of violence, whether it be homicide or a wounding, that guns have brought to America. A part of their mission statement reads:

"We are devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities."

The campaign itself works to make the United States a freer place for everyone from gun crime. Even though this argument for more gun control may seem unconstitutional and goes against the second amendment, it argues that the country would be a freer one, free from the threat of gun violence, something which in itself has echoes of the constitution.

This website has many convincing elements, one of the most being the 'hit counter' in the top right hand of the screen. This shows the number killed within the year and also within the day. The numbers were shocking to say the least, as I sit here 157 people were shot across the United States - which is a startling figure.

However, do not confuse their aim with banning guns completely, they aim merely to create a condition within the United States where guns are better regulated, below you will see a couple of the ways in which they hope to achieve this and what regulation they want to put in place:

• Tell Congress 'No More Large Ammo Clips!' this is because large ammo magazines are used to wipe out large numbers of people in quick succession without the need to reload, so therefore, this is not needed in terms of self defence or hunting.
• Irresponsible Gun Show Loophole because people are able to buy guns without being properly vetted or checked - making it 10 times easier for the gun to fall into the hands of the wrong person.

It is important to understand that the aim of this particular campaign/website is not to encroach on the Liberty that Americans' hold so dear, it is simply to make their life safer - something of which that I highly agree with in the long term because of the number of deaths that occur in America are more often than not needless and due to poor regulation.

Anti-Gun control: Gun Owners of America, also known as GOA believe that anti-gun laws prevent people from their consitutional right in the second amendment and that states that impose gun regulation are 'living in the dark ages'.

They have a whole section on their website dedicated to people who might hold some scepticism against the legal carry of a gun. One section that I looked at in particular was the section about how Gun Control causes needless problems in the United States and can prevent people from saving their lives. For example, there is an article: 'When Gun Safety Locks Kill' arguing that safety locks cause problems and issues in terms of self-defence.

They also see themselves as a 'no compromise' organisation, pretty much meaning that they believe that any regulation encroaches on their civil liberties.

What I think: I believe both sides of the argument are both convincing and that both have large relevance to life in America. I believe that the most convincing website is the one pushing for more Gun Control. Whilst the pro-gun ownership website makes some good points about the dangers of over regulating, with well backed up arguments from real life events but still leaves an uncomfortable resonance with me. I believe that some of the laws, or their lack of, in terms of gun control and regulation leaves a lot to be desired. Especially with people being able to buy these guns without being vetted at gun shows and magazines being bigger than needed for hunting and such purposes.