A Simple Guide to Key Politics

Gun Control

Much like immigration, gun control is a heated topic between the two parties. Republicans believe that Democrats essentially want to take away all guns, which would be a direct violation of the second amendment. Democrats lean more towards stricter gun laws and possibly banning assault weapons, which still doesn't sit well with right wing supporters.

Let's take a deeper look at some key issues associated.

Stricter Gun Laws

The Political Issues

Some people, primarily those belonging to the left, believe America should follow in suit with Australia when it comes to gun laws. Let me give you some background. In 1996, Australia had a mass killing occur that resulted in the murder of 35 people in Tasmania. This horrific act was committed with a semi-automatic weapon and urged Australia to completely change their gun laws.

Here's how it works now:

- Semi Automatic and Automatic weapons and shotguns are banned because they are believed to "kill too many people too quickly"

- There are 28 day waiting periods

- There are more thorough background checks

- You must present a justifiable reason to own a gun

It all sounds logical on paper, but some statistics in the U.S. suggest it probably wouldn't work here.

It is mentioned in Dave Rubin's Don't Burn This Book that "89% of guns used in U.S. crimes changed hands at least once before recovery by law enforcement, and only about 11% of these crime guns were purchased from federal firearm licensees."

Have you ever heard the saying "when a parent tells a child not to do something, it makes them want to do it even more?"

Well, that kind of applies here, too. Illegal gun purchases are already prominent in America as the above statistic suggests, but can you imagine the increase in black market sales if guns were completely banned, or even if just assault weapons were?

So, that is why a lot of people seem to think it's out of the question, but what if we did enforce stricter laws like Australia?

Well, since the stricter gun laws were put in place in Australia in 1997, the mass shootings have gone from 11 in the decade before 1996, to 1 since then. Though this action was primarily meant to reduce mass shootings, it has also reduced the homicides and suicides, from 69 in 1996 to 30 in 2012. This is all according to BBC (bbc.com).

Also, last recorded in 2009, the U.S. has approximately 101 guns per 100 people, while Australia, last recorded in 2016, has approximately 13.7 guns per 100 people.

So, the law has proven to have some results, at least that is what it seems like.

Here is what opposers are saying about similar gun laws in the US:

- While mass shootings are the main reason gun laws are being looked at so closely, they account for a strikingly low amount of gun deaths. According to the CDC, out of 36, 252 firearm-related fatalities in 2015, 61% were suicides and a large majority of the rest were ordinary homicides.

- Experts suggest that, while suicide and homicide deaths did go down in Australia, further analysis into the data proves the law itself probably had a negligible effect on this, and it may not have as large an effect as gun control advocates expect in America, according to the Los Angeles Times (latimes.com).

- It is believed that homicides were already going down in Australia when the NFA (National Firearms Agreement) went into place, hence the data not directly correlating.

- The decline in suicides in Australia could be partly credited to the nationwide youth suicide prevention program implemented in 1995, and the adult program implemented in 2001, according to researchers.

- Data proves that some of the American states with the lowest crime rates actually have the fewest restrictions on gun ownership, so the claim that making firearms more difficult to buy and banning some of them all together would make people safer could be false.

- According to newsday.com, only six states exist where 50% of the households own firearms, and those six states are Alaska, Arkansas, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and West Virginia. Based on gun control advocates' theories, these six states would have the highest crime rates, but it's actually the opposite. Four out of these six states have the lowest crime rates, as stated by the CDC.

So, now that you have the facts to form your own opinion, let's look at the opinions of influential politicians.

Joe Biden

Joe Biden supports a voluntary buy back of assault weapons, universal background checks, and is in favor of a national firearm registry, which would require individuals to obtain a license before owning a gun. This information is all according to Politico (politico.com).

Donald Trump

Donald Trump is in favor of removing guns from dangerous individuals, not all Americans, and arming public school employees to prevent school shootings. This information is according to On the Issues (ontheissues.org).