Prop

Cole Ashby
March 28, 2009
English 1010
Gun Control
Every day the American government is doing its best to get a better grip on the safety of its civilians; but how far is too far? Many government officials feel that they have the answer to all of America’s problems and given the chance they would make many drastic changes. One issue that all Americans have in common is the insecurity of their safety. Along with that comes the difference of opinion on gun control. Some feel safer with a gun in their house and others can’t sleep at night knowing that inside one of their neighboring houses, there is a gun. So who is to say that America would be better off or worse with the option of gun control? There is only one way to know and that is through statistics.
Statistics show that Florida in 1987 had fewer homicides by -37% after the right-to-carry law was passed. Between October 1987 and April of 1994 there were 221,443 concealed weapons licenses given out in Florida and of those there were 18 crimes recorded with people who had concealed weapons licenses. Though statistics aren’t always correct the number is astounding. Only 18 in thousands had committed a crime with a concealed firearm. It only makes sense though right? Why would a criminal go through all that trouble to validate a weapon when he could get one for cheap and no problem at all? Numbers also show that since 1998 not one single concealed weapons holder had fired at an officer, nationwide. Actually, it shows that on several occasions concealed weapon holders have often saved an officers life.
So how many people carry weapons legally and what does it take? Well statistics show that in 1977 the number of guns in houses peaked at a high of 54%. It was around that time too when the American government started putting restrictions on gun control and a steady decline started. In 2006 the percentage of concealed guns in homes was 34.5%. The decline was most likely related to the requirements it took to receive a concealed-weapons license. A couple of things you must have in order to obtain a weapons license are a clean criminal record, be of age, and you must have taken a firearm safety course.
Even with these precautions and astounding statistics the government is still trying to put more restrictions on weapon licenses and maybe even ban gun control all together. A man once said, “An armed man is a free man.” What do we do when we or our family and loved ones are attacked? Are we to be defenseless? The idea is both scary and aggravating. The only source of security and safety so many Americans have has been threatened to be taken away. Though there are not quite as many people as there used to be with concealed weapons there are much more people who support the idea of gun control. So where do you stand, behind or in front of the barrel of the gun?