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Michaela Giordano
Professor Jackie Hymes
English 114A
17 November 2014
Gun Control or No Control
The topic of Gun Control seems to be one that has no exact solution. The US government
portrays to have things under control, as we assume with everything, but this topicality is one
that is still up in the air. Congress is aware of the issue, yet decides to set it aside and hopefully
come back to it when the time comes. The cracks and loopholes that are throughout the gun
control laws are causing destruction in our country, and only continue to grow. Murders and
violence continue to take place within everyday routines due to firearms and the access to reach
these dangerous weapons. Though there are many controversial opinions on the subject matter, a
firmer gun control policy should be implemented through our national government in order to
secure the safety of this country.
People are aware of the issue of the gun control policy that was recently debated, but
some are unaware of what the policy actually consists of. The gun control policy would
accomplish their goals in this order: have total control of handguns in the United States, slow
down the increasing number of handguns sold in the country, get all hand guns registered, and
make the possession of all handguns and all handgun ammunition except for the military,
policemen, licensed security guards, sporting clubs, and licensed gun collectors totally illegal
(Henry). The gun control policy would insert a more strict background check for those
purchasing a handgun or firearm. The policy taking place right now in California is as follows:
the firearm must be purchased through a licensed dealer under the DROS (Dealer Record of

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Sale) process, California imposes a 10-day waiting period before being released or transferred to
a buyer for a background check, must be 18 years of age to purchase a rifle or shotgun, 21 years
of age to purchase a hand gun, must possess an HSC (Handgun Safety Certificate) or qualify for
an HSC exemption, plus successfully complete a safety demonstration with the handgun being
purchased, the buyer must present clear evidence of a California Drivers license or
Identification card issued by Motor vehicles or even a posted in California military identification,
and finally must prove residency in California (Gun Violence). All though this process may seem
promising, this unfortunately isnt nearly enough of what not only this state, but this country
needs.
Within the current gun control policy there are many flaws that serve as the cause of
many deaths and tragedies. The current background check displays only a 10-day waiting
process. This surely is not enough time to instigate the trials the person has made. Many persons
with backgrounds of mental illnesses or records of jail situations easily access guns when they
should not. Another flaw within the current system is the age in which adults are allowed to
purchase firearms. Even though when one is 18 years of age, one is legally an adult, but this
concept should not be applied for something as dangerous as this. With new innovations fixing
the flaws in the current system, the country will become a safer place.
By implementing gun control, violence rates will decrease. In the past year of 2011,
approximately 467,321 persons were victims of a crime committed with a firearm. Of this
number, 68% were of murders, 41% of robbery offenses and 21% of aggravated assaults
nationwide ( oag.ca.gov). Gun-related homicide is often among gangs and during the
commission of felony crimes. In 1980, firearms with gang involvement were about 70%, but by
1993 it increased to about 95%. By 2008, this slightly dropped to 92%, but obviously

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demonstrates the usage and dominance of firearms in gang violence (Gun Violence). The need
and desire for handguns and firearms is extremely high. The reason being, one may never know.
The reason is not the real issue, but the action being done is. The gun control policy would serve
as a blockade from those who do not meet the restrictions of possessing a firearm.
As stated earlier, the United States will be a safer country. Many unfortunate epidemics
were the result of careless flaws within the current gun control policy. Of the many, an example
was the tragic heartbreak at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on
December 14, 2012. The killer, Adam Lanza, was known with a case of autism, Asperger
syndrome. Lanzas aunt took him and his brother to a local shooting range because she was a gun
enthusiast who owned at least a dozen guns. This tragedy ended up with 28 total deaths: 20
children murdered, 6 staff members killed, and the death of himself and his own mom. Within 15
hours of the incident, 100,000 Americans signed a petition at the Obama administrations We
the People petitioning website in support of a renewed national debate on gun control.
Immediately after this event our president Barack Obama signed 23 executive orders and
proposed 12 congressional actions regarding gun control ("60 Minutes Reports: Tragedy in
Newtown"). Although these actions by Obama seemed plausible and satisfying, they were not
enough. When society calls for order, action must be done.
Many stereotypes are placed upon the American culture claiming that guns are just a part
of the American culture, but this is not valid. The truth of the matter is that there are many
aspects apart of our culture, but this does not define them as good or bad. Another issue opposers
of the gun control policy use as their defense is the idea of not needing to implement more laws,
but enforce the ones we already have. Our current gun laws have too many loopholes and
leeway, which lead to mass killings (Ten Arguments Gun Advocates Make, and Why Theyre

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Wrong"). If the laws we have in place are still being broken then it cannot hurt to only apply
more to the wounded issue.
With a sterner implemented gun policy, our country will thrive. New innovations would
be enforced: a mandatory training required to firearm or handgun buyers, a 2 month waiting
period for a more thorough background check, a requirement that firearm serial numbers be
difficult to erase, the age be changed to 25 years of age in order to purchase any type of firearm,
and that semiautomatics be unable to fire when the magazine is removed (sometimes when the
magazine is removed there is still a single bullet in the chamber and this leads to accidental
incidents). These new innovations could be considered as a loose gun control policy, but enfore
the rules. The government would possess too much control if they tried to achieve their goal of
captivating all firearms from the public. We would lose the idea of a Democratic Republic, and
slowly transition into a monarchy.
The risk of the future centurys safety is at stake, and the decision of implementing gun
control could prevent future violence. One may understand that hunters or gun enthusiasts view
gun control as such a hassle, but it is worth it for the future safety and well being of others. Just
a little longer time for a background check to make sure guns are not getting into the hands of
wrong people, making sure the serial code on guns are very difficult to erase so that our country
does not posses non-registered guns, making sure semiautomatics are unable to have a single
bullet leftover after the magazine is removed, and mandatory trainings for the buyers to make
sure they are trained with safety guidelines and know how to handle a firearm properly. Dont
you think the 20 innocent little kids and 6 staff members wish this was put into place? Dont you
think the casual Colorado people harmlessly watching a movie in a movie theatre wish James
Holmes had a more thorough background check? Or even the people in Tuscan as well? These

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incidents were guilty of mass killings only able by a firearm. We have all heard the original, yet
undeniable true statement history repeats itself and this continues to be proven with these mass
killings. But, history can be made and changed for the better, by simply implementing this
simple proposition of gun control.

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Work Cited
Gun Violence. 4 April 2013. 12 November 2014 <http://nij.gov/topics/crime/gunviolence/Pages/welcome.aspx>.
Hardy, Daivd T. "Why Gun Owners Are Right to Fight Against Gun Control." 18 July 2013.
Reason.com. 10 November 2014 <http://reason.com/archives/2013/07/18/why-secondamendment-supporters-are-righ#>.
Pelley, Scott. "60 Minutes Reports: Tragedy in Newtown." 17 December 2012. CBS News. 12
November` 2014 <http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-reports-tragedy-innewtown/>.
Regulatory Gun Safe Standards. 2014. 13 November 2014 <http://oag.ca.gov/firearms/gunsafe>.
Stein, Sam. "Obama Gun Policy Agenda Comes To Maddening End." 17 April 2013. Huff Post
Politics. 2 November 2014 <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/17/obama-gunpolicy_n_3105547.html#>.
Waldman, Paul. "Ten Arguments Gun Advocates Make, and Why Theyre Wrong." The
American Prospect. The American Prospect, 15 Dec 2012. Web. 1 May 2013.