Gun control is one of the most controversial and sensitive topics in the United States to date. Firearms kill on average 33,563 people, and injure 81,396 people annually (“Assault”). The right to bear arms as stated in the second amendment in United States Constitution has organizations like the National Rifle Association (NRA), and millions of patriotic Americans clinging to their guns. Those fighting for gun control argue that assault weapons serve no purpose in the hands of citizens, and in turn have made the United States the leader in firearm ownership and gun related deaths in the world. Mass shooting are growing at a tremendous rate in the United States, school shootings taking place in Littleton, Colorado, Red Lake, Minnesota, and
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The solution to stopping gun violence and gun homicide starts by offering psychological services to the emotionally disturbed and mentally ill civilians, as well as implementing stricter background checks. The NRA is a nonprofit organization that advocates for gun rights in America. Colonel William Conant Church and General George Wingate are the founders of the NRA that came to be on November 17,1897. The primary goal of the association is to "promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis” (“Brief”). In an attempt to spread their message of pro-firearm to American citizens, the NRA and its followers travel to cities where a recent mass shooting has taken place, this was the case for Littleton, Colorado in 1999. The morning of April 20, 1999, 18 year old Eric Harris, and 17 year old Dylan Klebold arrived at their high school driving separate vehicles. …show more content…
Those who are diagnosed by a professional as mentally ill will not be granted the right to purchase a gun, “45.9 million American are diagnosed with a mental illness each year” (Victoria Bekiempis). Students who have mental illness often do not get help, and their problems may not be recognized by parents or teachers. Many people will not go to a psychologist or psychiatrist to get professionally diagnosed for a mental illness, thus a majority of gun owners could secretly possess a serious mental illness such as clinical depression. “People with serious mental illness are three times more likely than those who are not mentally ill to commit violent acts against themselves or others” (Emanuella Grinberg). With help from the FBI, psychologists and psychiatrists have been able to diagnose the two killers of the Columbine shooting, stating that “Dylan [is] hot headed, but depressive and suicidal” and counter partner Eric was much more difficult to diagnose, “Harris [is] not merely a troubled kid, he is a psychopath” (Dave Cullen). If background checks lasted more than the 90 seconds, like they currently do, a more in depth investigation on the buyer could result in less mass shootings and could be avoidable altogether. There is a lack of psychological services available to those who are struggling with mental illness. Besides imposing stricter background checks that
The solution to stopping gun violence and gun homicide starts by offering psychological services to the emotionally disturbed and mentally ill civilians, as well as implementing stricter background checks. The NRA is a nonprofit organization that advocates for gun rights in America. Colonel William Conant Church and General George Wingate are the founders of the NRA that came to be on November 17,1897. The primary goal of the association is to "promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis” (“Brief”). In an attempt to spread their message of pro-firearm to American citizens, the NRA and its followers travel to cities where a recent mass shooting has taken place, this was the case for Littleton, Colorado in 1999. The morning of April 20, 1999, 18 year old Eric Harris, and 17 year old Dylan Klebold arrived at their high school driving separate vehicles. …show more content…
Those who are diagnosed by a professional as mentally ill will not be granted the right to purchase a gun, “45.9 million American are diagnosed with a mental illness each year” (Victoria Bekiempis). Students who have mental illness often do not get help, and their problems may not be recognized by parents or teachers. Many people will not go to a psychologist or psychiatrist to get professionally diagnosed for a mental illness, thus a majority of gun owners could secretly possess a serious mental illness such as clinical depression. “People with serious mental illness are three times more likely than those who are not mentally ill to commit violent acts against themselves or others” (Emanuella Grinberg). With help from the FBI, psychologists and psychiatrists have been able to diagnose the two killers of the Columbine shooting, stating that “Dylan [is] hot headed, but depressive and suicidal” and counter partner Eric was much more difficult to diagnose, “Harris [is] not merely a troubled kid, he is a psychopath” (Dave Cullen). If background checks lasted more than the 90 seconds, like they currently do, a more in depth investigation on the buyer could result in less mass shootings and could be avoidable altogether. There is a lack of psychological services available to those who are struggling with mental illness. Besides imposing stricter background checks that