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Gun control, and all conversations around it, is a contentious issue in the USA. While some support the ownership of guns by virtue of Second Amendment Rights, others are vehemently against unregulated gun ownership. Policymakers have struggled for decades to reach a unanimous decision on gun control policies and address the gun violence issue in the country.
The United States of America has an astounding 120.5 guns per 100 people, the highest number of civilian guns per capita. According to a Pew Research Center Survey, 4 in 10 American adults live in households with guns. It also stated that personal gun ownership is higher among Republicans and conservative-leaning people (approx 44%) than among Democrats and Democratic-leaning people.
In most developed nations, civilian firearms are strictly controlled through regulations and are non-politicized. However, conversations around gun control take a political turn in the USA. America’s pervasive gun culture has made gun violence ubiquitous across the nation. The country has the highest firearm-related homicides in the world.
Even then, millions still refuse to support meaningful gun control legislation under the guise of their right to bear arms, one of their most prominent civil liberties afforded by the Constitution’s Second Amendment.
The public refusal to accept the correlation between gun ownership and violence is a dangerous precedent for a country like America, where mass murders committed with guns, especially school shootings, are dangerously common. The frequency of these mass shootings is the highest in the developed world. In fact, mass shootings have become a peculiarly American phenomenon.
There were 34 school shootings in 2021 alone. To date, 3500 children have died due to gunfire on school grounds, while another 15,000 more have been shot and injured. It is estimated that an incredible 3 million American kids are exposed to gun shootings. The easy availability of assault rifles has made it possible for these tragedies to occur.
According to citizen groups and gun manufacturers, gun control measures threaten their constitutional right to own and carry arms. Gun rights organizations want to stop new legislation from being enacted and even reverse existing legislation if feasible. The National Rifle Association (NRA), which yields massive clout, has been lobbying for firearms manufacturers and gun owners for years. They financially support anti-gun control political campaigns, spending millions of dollars annually.
Organizations like Amnesty International and victims of gun violence have been campaigning to bring stricter gun regulations into action to reduce gun-related deaths and save lives. However, both the Republican and Democratic parties have failed to create effective gun reforms at the local, state, and federal levels. Critics primarily blame this deadlock due to the intervention of the NRA and other powerful gun lobbyists. However, it’s much more complicated than that.
On issues such as the causes of gun violence and even whether gun violence is a real problem in the country, Republicans and Democrats have sharp, fundamental differences. Republican states are expanding access to firearms. They are doing so under the argument that personal ownership is a vital American right that protects civil safety and individual liberties. Meanwhile, Democrats, being pro-gun control, want to impose a full-fledged ban on assault rifles and stricter background checks.
This ideological divide seeps into the American public as well. Most conservative Republicans share the same view as the party that personal gun ownership is not a threat to public safety. In contrast, most Democrats and progressives support tighter access to guns. The USA has a tough road ahead to bridge this cultural and political divide to prevent violent crimes.
Although gun violence is a global issue, it is particularly prevalent in the United States. This is because of multiple factors, including easy access to guns, lack of gun control, and a lapse in regulations. President Joe Biden has a difficult job to unite the two parties and the country to pass effective legislative and stricter gun control laws.
