Pro and anti gun control

Pro gun control

http://partners.nytimes.com/library/national/082699poll-watch.html

Against gun control

http://againstguncontrol.net/

 These websites reveal the opposing views of gun control in America today.

The first website shows an article from the 'New York Times' by Marjorie Connelly and  reveals  how 'two-thirds' of the American people, particularly following incidents involving gun ownership, wish for stricter gun control legislation. Interestingly, this article was written in 1999 and as predicted throughout, no actual change within American politics has occurred. The interpretation of the second amendment is also considered, with those Americans who own a gun subsequently believing the second amendment gives them the freedom or right to do so. Meanwhile, those who disagree and do not believe they are constitutionally allowed to own a gun by the second amendment, obviously did not. The article also raises the question of whether, even if stricter gun controls were passed, this would decrease the level of violence and crime across America. This, most likely, is an issue that is still discussed today, in particular when gun violence continues to occur and innocent people are put in danger. This article seems to me, to state what many people are thinking about gun ownership and believe that gun control legislation should definitely be made stricter.

The second website, called 'againstguncontrol.net' reveals strong and impressive arguments against gun control in America. The statistics given within the website show how guns are not as prevalent in gun violence as many seem to perceive. However, as I read more and more of the articles on the website, what becomes most troubling was the subtle excuses given to those gunmen that we frequently see on the news. For example, "one thing they do mostly have in common is that they have all been depressed" and similarly, that the statistics for gun related suicides were "almost twice as many" than for homicides. Consequently, I feel, arguing that in the right hands, guns are great; however, as with the previous article, what I think needs to be considered more in America is what happens when guns are in the wrong hands.