Stricter gun control to reduce the societal costs regarding gun violence

ThangNguyen

It takes a plentiful amount of money to keep the United States’ government running smoothly. Every citizen contributes through taxes paid to the government to keep the country running. However, taxpayers hard-earned money was used to fix someone else’s irrational actions. Injuries by firearms such as mass shootings, hunting, or domestic abuse cost each person in the United States around $546, and the United States government $5.5 billion in lost tax revenue, as well as $4.7 billion in court cost and $1.4 billion in Medicare and Medicaid cost. In 2015 alone, there were 36,341 emergency room visits and 25,024 hospitalizations for gun injuries, costing an estimated $6.3 million. Around 84% of the firearms’ victims were uninsured, thus the bills were left to the taxpayers’ responsibility through programs like Medicaid (Howell, et al. 2015). Therefore, society is responsible to clean up the aftermath of firearms incidents, rather than using the taxpayers’ money for actual problems, like improving the education system and environment.

Cited:

Howell, E., Bieler, S., Anderson, N. (2015). State of Variation in Hospital Use and Cost
of Firearm Assault Injury. Retrieved from https://www.urban.org/research/publication/state-variation-hospital-use-and-cost-firearm-assault-injury-2015

robertp

I don't understand what makes people think it is the gun that cause problems.  If a criminal uses a gun in a crime it doesn't make the gun bad it makes the criminal bad for commiting a crime.  Besides there are more law abiding people that make guns good than make guns bad.  We need to focus on the criminals and don't conform to Stricter Gun Control.

ThangNguyen

Hello robertp

"If a criminal uses a gun in a crime it doesn't make the gun bad it makes the criminal bad for commiting a crime". I absolutely agree with your opinion. However, the gun helps the criminals commit a crime more effectively than other weapons (more people die, easy to use, easy to have). That is my main purpose to concern gun with crime and its consequence to the society.  

robertp

If the fear of punishment by the law doesn't stop a criminal from breaking the law it is up to us to stop the crime ourselves or be a victim.  The law can only take action after the crime is committed unless the police get there first.

I agree with your analogy but there is no way of getting rid of guns or weapons as long as criminals can get them.  I don't think we should protect ourselves by trying to stop other people from protecting themselves.

There is no right or wrong here just our opinions.  We each have to do what we feel we have to do. 

ThangNguyen

Agree with you that people have the right to own the gun to protect their self and I do not against this reasonable right, the only thing which I want to discuss is stricter gun control. "Stricter gun control" does not mean rob your right to own the gun,  but make you have to think carefully before buying a gun. For example "stricter gun control" requires you have to spend 48 hours in the classroom and practice to learn about gun safety and you have to pass it as an exam of driver license and you also need to pass a test about mental illness checking. Every gun owner has a responsibility with their right. Right now to own a gun you just need to go to the gun store to buy and also take a few minutes to run the background check on the computer.   

robertp

I do agree 48 hour of training would be great for any competitive defensive pistol shooter to have but not to just own a gun.  The good pistol courses cost about $500. for an eight hour day.  Once you learn the four gun safety rules (1- A gun is always loaded, 2- Never point a gun at anything or anybody you don't want to destroy, 3- Know your target and what is beyond it, 4- Never put your finger on the trigger or inside the trigger guard unless you are ready to shoot ), how to safely load and unload a gun and clear malfunctions you basically have it. 

I don't know much about mental illness but I don't think it is legal for a gun store to sell a gun to someone who is mentally ill.  I think that would show in the background check.

The gun laws are different in different states.

I am curious.  Do you feel a violent person would follow these stricter gun controls?  You can't force them to.  They are going to buy their guns illegally because they don't want the police to know they have them.

Stricter gun control only makes it harder for law abiding people to get them.  Then there will be less law abiding people with guns and more violent people with guns and the police can't be everywhere to protect us.

I am curious what your thoughts about this are.  I find it difficult following your reasoning and wish I could.