With mass shootings a huge issue in the U.S., there are an endless number of reasons why people should give up their firearms. Many countries have stricter controls on firearms, but the U.S. is not following suit. Here are 19 reasons why Americans don’t want to give up firearms.
Many Americans say guns are not the issue; mental health is
Many Americans believe that the heart of the issue is mental well-being and that firearms are just an accessory. In response to statements made by President Trump and other Republican politicians, ABC News found that 77% of Americans agreed that better mental health monitoring could prevent mass shootings.
Americans believe a bad guy will always get hold of a gun
There is a common consensus that if someone wants to use a firearm for a negative purpose, they will find a way to get one. This would make stricter gun regulations irrelevant, as the bad guys will still always be able to get hold of a gun. They believe it penalizes those who use firearms responsibly.
Criminals don’t obey gun control laws
Just as bad guys would find a gun if they were banned, criminals would also not obey gun control laws if firearms were more regulated. The very definition of a criminal is that they don’t obey the law so anyone wanting to use a gun for a bad reason would turn a blind eye to the rules.
38% of gun owners go hunting
Hunting is huge in the U.S., and 38% of all gun owners have firearms exclusively for hunting. Particularly in the Midwest, hunting is a big recreational activity, where not only is it a hobby, but many can provide their families with meat for an entire year. Hunters will never want to give up their firearms.
Americans want guns for personal protection
Many Americans own a firearm purely for personal protection. Pew Research discovered that three in ten Americans own a gun, with 67% of gun owners saying they own it for protection. With safety concerns across all states, many Americans feel it is important to have a gun in their home.
Crime doesn’t go down when guns are more accessible
Studies have shown that gun ownership has gone up while violent crime has gone down. A lot of research shows that when good guys have access to guns, crime is less of an issue. Criminals are less likely to commit a crime if they are suspicious the victim is carrying a gun.
Guns save lives
Although guns have a bad reputation for destroying lives, they also have a history of saving lives. Mass murderers have regularly been stopped by not only law enforcement but also law-abiding citizens carrying firearms. By allowing people to carry firearms, society has better protection, with the average Joe also able to save lives.
Americans think gun control doesn’t work
U.S. states, and even cities, have different levels of gun control. The U.S. cities with the strictest gun control typically have the highest crime rates. All the evidence that America has on whether gun control works or not says that it doesn’t, so many Americans are against enforcing it.
The Second Amendment supports the use of firearms
According to Congress, the Second Amendment states that ‘the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed’. This is major support for the use of firearms, coming from the foundational guidelines that the U.S. was built upon. Amending rules regarding firearms is disrespectful to the U.S. Constitution.
Crime control is more important than gun control
Firearms are just an accessory to crime, not the source of crime, and many Americans believe crime control is more important. In 1997, ‘Project Exile’ in Virginia saw huge success with crime control enforcement. When homicide rates were at their highest, the city of Virginia imposed the strictest sentences for gun-related crimes.
Firearms are not the only accessory to violence
Even if gun control laws were stricter, violence would not necessarily drop. Firearms are not the only accessory to violence and criminals can easily switch to alternative weapons. World Population Review shows that while 76% of all homicides in North America are gun-related, knives are the most popular weapon of choice worldwide, accounting for 22% of all murders.
Guns are an investment
We are constantly taught about diversifying our investment portfolio, and firearms are one avenue we can go down. Although investing in guns is a gamble, just like any other investment, it is very rare that high-quality guns that are well-maintained will depreciate. Some firearms hold their value and are great investments.
Most firearms are unregistered
In most U.S. states, there is no need to obtain a license to buy a gun, and many firearms also don’t need to be registered. There is no tracing who has a firearm and who doesn’t. When there is no record that you have one, there will be no follow-through on having to give it up.
Gun control penalizes law-abiding citizens
Many gun owners are law-abiding citizens who have a gun for either personal protection or recreational activity. While the number of gun-related crimes is astonishing, it is minuscule in comparison to the number of gun owners and firearms in circulation. Many Americans don’t want to give up their firearms, as they believe gun control only disadvantages the good guys.
The firearm industry is huge
The U.S. has reached a point where the firearms industry is so huge that it isn’t as simple as giving them up. A report by the NSSF estimates that there are a staggering 433.9 million guns in civilian possession across the U.S. The number is too large to monitor anymore.
Many Americans think firearms are a matter of politics
For many Americans, their opinions of firearms and gun control correlate with where they lie on the political spectrum. Republicans are heavily in favor of the use of firearms, while more Democrats are in favor of limiting gun ownership. A lot of people think the topic of gun control is more a matter of politics than practicality.
Some Americans love gun culture
There are select parts of America where gun culture is massive. Gun ownership is less about protection or recreation and more about being part of this huge culture. There is a whole lifestyle built around gun ownership, which some people thrive on and are fully invested in.
Americans feel trusted to own a gun
In modern society, there is a huge lack of trust in authority. However, when authorities trust the average American to own a firearm, they feel a level of respect towards them. If Americans were required to give up their firearms, gun owners would feel like they’re not trusted by the government.
A lot of Americans think giving firearms up would lead to civil war
There are a great number of Americans who claim that a civil war would break out if we were forced to give up our firearms. While other countries have seen success with strict gun control, gun advocates are so devoted to continuing gun ownership that they would fight for it.
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