Gun Control in America

For my research paper I'm looking at gun control and from what I have found it looks like the mortality rate caused by guns would be lower if the US would enforce stricter gun control, and have a national policy instead of a regional one.

America has one of the highest murder rates. In the year 29,350 people were murdered, and of 57% of those people were killed with a firearm. So its quite obvious that something is wrong there. As of right now there is no national policy for gun control its goes by what that states set down as laws. So every state has different laws.

There is two sides to this problem those who are for gun control and those who are against it. The people for it say that the reason for the high murder rate in this country is because of the lack of gun control and high risk predators being able to get there hands on weapons. Those against the gun control say that its in the constitution and I have a right to defend myself.

The NRA is a big anti-gun control group which believes that the second amendment gives them the right to bear arms, and that should not be infringed. I can see how they would be against it though because they aren't selling assault weapons or anything like that they are selling rifles, and they see it as if there was stricter gun control then there business would decrease in some way. In 1994 though congress passed a bill that banned all assault weapons which was singed by pres. Clinton.

There has been numerous cases where guns have been the center of the problem. For example the Columbine High School shooting where two students came to school with high powered guns , and they killed 14 students, one teacher, wounded 24 others, and then killed themselves. This was one of the deadliest shootings in American history.

Since there isn't a national gun law there is just states laws. I took a look at some of the laws for Oregon. To purchase a gun in Oregon you have to be at least 18 years of age and have not committed a felony or be a felon at that. For carrying a rifle or a shotgun you do not need a permit to carry one, but if you have a concealed handgun you need to have a permit. For machine guns and high powered guns you need to register it with federal law and must have documentation that you own the gun.

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