Guns in America

Today in America, gun control is a very serious issue. There are different opinions on this issue: the National Rifle Association, feels that guns are safe when used for protection by responsible citizens, others feel that guns are far too dangerous to be kept in homes, and that guns should not be owned by anyone, other than the  by the National Guard and law enforcement.

Personally, I feel that guns lead to increases in crime, murder, and household accidents. Handguns should be illegal under any circumstances. Many people have guns in their homes, for protection they say, but one can not honestly say that a weapon that kills young people is protection.  There have been numerous occasions on the news when a young child or teenager has been killed by a gun in his own house. The number of young people being killed by handguns is increasing each year. Here are some statistics:

Almost 16 million teens have witnessed some form of violent assault.

About one in eight people murdered in the United States each year are younger than 18 years of age.

Research shows a link between violent television programs and aggressive behavior in teens who watch those programs.

Most injuries and violent deaths occur between people who know each other.

If there is violence in your family, it increases the risk of your teen becoming involved in future violence.

A gun in the home is more likely to be used to kill a family member or friend than to kill an intruder.

The most devastating thing about today's teens handling guns, are the many times teens kill other teens. In schools around the world, young people have been bringing in guns and shooting their own classmates as a means of releasing anger. If people did not have the right to own handguns things of this sort would never happen. It is like a child with a piece of candy. “If the child does not see the candy, he will not want it, but the moment he lays his eyes on it, it has to be his”. Do not give people the chance to own a gun and no one will see the need to have one. By reducing availability of guns and providing education on gun safety, I think that these things will help make America safer.