There are a lot of people wondering if gun control would even work in America. The truth is that there are a lot of reasons why gun control wouldn’t work. Here’s a breakdown of why gun control doesn’t work.
- If guns are unavailable, other weapons will be used in their place
A Harvard study on murders and suicides found that in countries where gun ownership is relatively high, crime is typically lower. In some countries with stricter gun laws–like Russia–there are higher rates of murder than in countries with relaxed firearms laws.
”Homicide results suggest that where guns are scarce other weapons are substituted in killings.
- Criminals don’t obey laws
By definition, criminals do not follow the law. Why then would they obey gun control laws if they were put in place?
The only people who would follow the law are the one’s that you don’t have to worry about in the first place. The good guys are hurt by gun control, the bad ones probably prefer it.
- American citizens should be able to defend themselves
If you take away guns, or make them difficult to access, you’re making harder for law-abiding citizens to protect themselves. The Second Amendment guarantees Americans have easy access to guns. Can a small number of people use that right to hurt others? Of course, but that doesn’t mean we should punish everyone else.
- Psychos will go through the hoops
All mass shootings are committed by people with a form of mental illness, hatred toward someone of something, or both. In the recent Charleston church shooting, the perpetrator was probably a combination of both. He also went through the process of getting his gun legally. That means he passed a background check.
If we make gun background checks tougher, or just ban guns outright, those who desire to harm others will continue to get firearms through the black market.
- Prohibition didn’t work
When America decided to ban alcohol in the name of safety, it was a disaster. Criminal organizations were created and violence skyrocketed as a result. The same is true for our current “war on drugs,” it’s only caused more problems. More crime, more deaths, more imprisonment.
Not only is gun control ineffective, but gun violence isn’t increasing in the U.S.
Despite what you may see on television or read in the news, homicides have been decreasing in the United States. Gun violence peaked in the early 90s and dramatically decreased afterward. Mass murders have increased in the U.S. but overall gun-related homicides have not.
[Photo by Reinhard Schuldt / Flickr]