Are guns safe? Should gun laws be put into place or will that be risking the safety and protection of others? In America today there are many people debating whether or not gun laws and gun control should be put into place. This has been a very controversial topic for a very long time. Many people debate that gun laws take away part of their freedom or that they are used for protection but guns kill and hurt others. Gun laws should be put into place and assault weapons should not be available to just anybody.

There are many people who want gun control meaning that many people want laws restricting the use and purchasing of guns. But there are also many people who are against gun control meaning that they want the opposite. Over the past few years many massacres and gun related incidents have occurred. This not only disturbed the public but it also got them thinking about the gun control debate. Last year on December 14th, a 20 year old young man - Adam Lanza, drove his 2010 Honda Civic to Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. There he shot and killed 20 first graders along with 6 school personnel, along with his own mother (The Mystery of Adam Lanza, The Sandy Hook School Gunman) This was a very emotionally impacted America greatly and fired up the debate on gun control. There have also been many other cases that have triggered debates around the country such as the Aurora Shooting in a Colorado movie theater and the Tucson shooting in Arizona.

Great Britain’s government saw the dangers of not having gun control which led to the banning of all guns. All guns were taken from citizens and destroyed. This method of gun control is neither fair nor effective. Shortly after the banning was announced, silent protests were put into action. Many people were unhappy and thought that this act was taking away part of their freedom. (NRA: To See Where Gun Licensing Leads, Look To Great Britain) However, when Australia banned assault weapons, the rate of homicides and suicides were reduced. The former Prime Minister of Australia states “In the 18 years before the 1996 reforms, Australia suffered 13 gun massacres — each with more than four victims — causing a total of 102 deaths.” The rate of firearm suicide rate was decreased by 74% (I Went After Guns. Obama Can, Too.).
In most states, it is very easy to obtain a gun. If one purchases a firearm through a licensed dealer they would have to fill out a 6 page form from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - also known as the 4473 (Background check: what it really takes to buy a gun). This form asks for broad information that does not require a lot of information nor time. David Gura, a Marketplace reporter, states “I'd have to write my name and address. My Social Security Number is optional. And there's half a page of “yes or no” questions." The FBI would not receive that form until the firearm was used in a crime. Only then would the dealer have to give the form to investigators. If one were to purchase a gun through a private dealer, a friend, etc. there would be no background check (Background check: what it really takes to buy a gun). This allows unsafe people to be able to obtain a gun with virtually no trouble. This causes a dangerous environment for law abiding citizens and the public.

To have guns on the streets and available to almost anyone can encourage hate crimes and massacres. There are many cases where guns have caused deaths due to hate crimes and massacres. On August 5th in a Wisconsin, a white supremacist, Wade Michael Page, open fired in a Sikh Temple with a “9mm semi-automatic handgun” (Gunman, six others dead at Wisconsin Sikh temple). Wade killed at least 6 people in and around the temple. (Gunman in Sikh temple shooting identified as ex-Army soldier Wade Michael Page). Because the Sikhs are often confused with Muslims due to their appearance, hate crimes are often targeted towards them. Wade had a 9/11 tattoo implying that this was a hate crime (Gunman, six others dead at Wisconsin Sikh temple). If Wade did not have such a dangerous weapon, this crime could have been prevented. There was also the massacre at Aurora shooting where James Eagan Holmes opened fire at the premiere of The Dark Knight Rises in a Colorado movie theater. James killed 12 people and injured 70 on July 20th, 2012 (Daily News).

People who are anti gun control believe that guns are used for self defense but this is not the case. There are many other self-defense weapons that can be used that are effective but nowhere near as deadly such as stun guns, pepper spray, batons and Tasers. Many people who carry guns do not use them for self defense.

Another reason why people do not believe that there should be gun control is because that criminals will always find a way around the law. While this may be true, gun laws make obtaining guns more difficult for criminals and dangerous people. Gun control will reduce the number of gun related homicides and suicides just like it did with Australia. “The Australian Institute of Criminology found that gun-related murders and suicides fell sharply after 1996.” (I Went After Guns. Obama Can, Too.). The same thing can occur with America if gun laws are put into place even if criminals can find away around the laws, the gun deaths will reduce.
In conclusion, gun laws should be put into place. However, this does not mean that guns should be banned. Only high powered, assault weapons should be banned. These weapons are unnecessary for protection and should not be available to the public. Gun laws can reduce the number of gun related deaths across the country and should be into place as soon as possible.