the Importance of Gun Laws

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The Importance of Gun Laws
The Second Amendment in the American constitution allows citizens to own and bear arms. However, this right has raised numerous controversies in the United States as various parties differ on the citizen’s right to bear arms and the security of the Americans (DeGrazia and Hunt n.p.). This paper argues that gun laws are necessary, and the legislature should endeavor to discuss and pass laws that facilitate gun control in the United States.
One of the major discussion points in the debate about gun laws is the process through which gun owners are evaluated before they are deemed fit to own a gun. In many cases where shootings have occurred among the members of the public, the shooters are licensed gun owners. However, when the shooters are evaluated for mental health problems, the reports indicate that most shooters are mentally ill (DeGrazia and Hunt n.p.). This trend then raises questions on the evaluation criteria that allow such people to own guns.
Regardless of the findings of various reports, proponents of gun ownership argue that enacting stricter gun control laws cannot improve the security of American citizens. They argue that the policymakers who drafted the Second Amendment understood the problems that Americans faced, and that people should be allowed to own guns to protect themselves against any type of aggression (DeGrazia and Hunt n.p.). Therefore, they argue that people should be allowed to own various types of arms legally in a bid to promote security within American societies.

While the argument by the proponents of gun ownership is valid, it is important to ensure that gun owners are mentally fit to bear arms. As the current data indicates, gun violence is on the rise in American communities and most violators were found to be mentally disturbed. With this in mind, it would be prudent to institute stricter laws that focus on the evaluation and examination of gun ownership applicants before they are allowed to own a gun.
In summation, gun ownership is a volatile issue in the United States and it should be addressed collaboratively. The views of different parties should be incorporated into the process of deciding on the best course of action. However, the current gun problems in America are an indication that the country needs more gun control laws.
References
DeGrazia, David, and Lester H. Hunt. Debating Gun Control: How Much Regulation Do We Need? New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2016. Print.