Based on James Q Wilson-“Just take away their guns”

Gun control is an extremely debated issue in today’s society. The majority supports high gun control laws, but they will never work. From the precedent, gun control laws have actually given rise to homicide and increased the crime rate. Most criminals do not get their firearms from gun stores or pawnshops. They either borrow them, or steal them. Only about one-sixth legally bought firearms are being used for criminal activity. Our goal should not be to reduce the carry of firearms, but put an end to them being carried by criminals.

The National Rifle Association works hard to protect America’s right to bear arms. They are committed to keeping guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens, and out of those that are not law abiding. We have to get the guns of the streets, but our leaders are not going about it the right way. Lawmakers believe more forms and stricter background checks are the way, but it is not. If a criminal wants a gun, he is going to do it one way or another. The only way we can stop them is by higher punishment when a firearm is in use during a crime.

Those of us that use firearms for the right reasons should not be the ones getting the punishment. John Kerry voted against all semi-automatic weapons, he and others in the senate believe that they are to be outlawed for sale in the United States. Again, I say, this is not going to stop them from getting in the criminals hands. This will only give them a better reason to break into someone’s home. When criminals know they are the only ones with protection, nothing is going to stop them.

Many member of the Senate also believe gun shows is the big problem with crime. They look at gun shows on the same level as the black market. That is an insane view. I attended a gun show recently; it actually seemed like a very safe environment. Before I even stepped in the door, a police officer greeted me. He was checking that all guns carried in were disarmed. I think that is a good idea, and the security also seemed like a great idea, but I changed my mind after my first purchase. I saw a twenty-two caliber rifle that I would like to buy. I made the deal, and got out my money to pay the man. To my surprise, it was not that easy. Next thing I knew, they had me filling out form after form. Then when it was just about over, here came the “tax man.” The sale took over an hour, and that was for nothing but a very small caliber target rifle. It was not as if I was buying an AK-47 assault rifle!

Anti-gun activists have proposed that all gun owners should register with the government. Most gun control supporters have also accepted the political difficulty in imposing universal registration all at once; accordingly, incremental proposals to register more and more gun owners have been used. Kerry-Edwards would require registration of all people who attend a gun show, if they are elected. Such registration is not a genuine requirement of a gun show law; the Ohio gun show law does not require any form of registration of anyone. To believe this would work would be absurd. The Bureau of Justice Statistics report “Firearms used by offenders” finds that only about 1 percent of U.S. crime guns come from gun shows. Notably, a much larger percentage of criminal guns, about eight percent, are purchased from a retail store.

Concealed Carry is currently the biggest issue people have with firearms. Concealed Carry is issued by the state after one has completed a safety course, passed a background check, passed a written test, and been approved by there local Police department. A major percentage of United States citizens believe the concealed carry right should not be permitted. This is an incredibly wrong way to look at concealed carry. In Ohio, after its adoption of the concealed carry laws, the crime rate has dropped nearly thirty-six percent after only one year! Some explain the reason of the drops is that criminals are now frightened that they may be shot when committing a crime such as household robbery. A criminal would never think of robbing a police officer, the main reason is because all officers are permitted to carry guns.

The comment “Just take away there guns” is not a correct way of lowering crime rates or homicide. There is no reason that all firearms enthusiast should suffer for the wrongs of criminals. Gun shops and guns shows are not the major source of firearms for criminals, they are usually either stolen or borrowed. The Senate is not doing there job to protect our rights as citizens when it comes to the right to bear arms. We should be able to own our guns and even publicly carry them.