The gun control debate is one of the most hotly contested arguments in America today, and it seems that the talking heads on news channels always find some way to link the newest comeuppance in the country to a lack of gun control.
Only 47 percent of the country supports stricter gun control laws,
according to a Gallup poll in October 2014. Also pointed out in that Gallup poll was the fact that 73 percent of Americans don’t think handguns should be banned.
Despite the fact that the majority of Americans don’t support stricter gun laws, many arguments to the contrary still exist. Here are five of the major points anti-gun legislators and proponents bring up.
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1. Guns kill people.
The common myth that guns are responsible for the killing of innocent people is one of the anti-gun crowds’ favorites. The fact of the matter is guns aren’t doing the killing; people are. Every person in America is guaranteed the right to bear arms, per the Second Amendment. A minority of the population chooses to abuse that right, and as such have to suffer the consequences. It is the killer’s fault when people die, not the weapon's.
2. Gun control laws prohibit crime.
Anti-gun proponents like to say that legislating against gun use will stop violent gun crimes. However, the opposite may be true.
In her new book "Hands Off My Gun: Defeating the Plot to Disarm America," conservative commentator Dana Loesch writes, “Interestingly, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and FBI crime reports, the states with the highest levels of gun ownership do not have the highest homicide rates. For comparison, Illinois, which has some of the strictest gun regulations in the country, has nearly three times the gun-related deaths as Alabama, a state which has a roughly 30 percent higher firearm ownership rate.”
3. Only the military should have guns.
Some citizens are of the opinion that guns only belong in the hands of “a militia,” per the language in the Second Amendment. 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.”
As is obvious from the text of the Constitution itself, the people have the right to keep and bear arms, even with a standing army in existence.
4. Citizens don’t need guns.
A lot of anti-gun proponents think that the citizens’ need for firearms doesn’t exist. However, many people feel the need and desire to be able to protect their family, should a situation arise in which they need too. Most gun owners hope to never have to use their weapon in self-defense, but appreciate the peace of mind it brings.
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5. Guns are for crazy right-wing nuts.
While this phrase isn’t said in so many words, many anti-gun proponents think that gun owners are a bunch of uneducated individuals living on the fringe of society. The truth is that most gun owners are intelligent, good citizens who enjoy shooting for sport or hunting and providing meat for their families.
Anti-gun debates will always exist, but to the informed citizen, it’s easy to debunk the myths of anti-gun proponents and protect basic constitutional rights.
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