Gun Control? by Bronte

Gun Control? by Bronte - July 2017 Scholarship Essay

One of the most controversial debates during my adolescent period of life has been on gun regulations. Based on my roots deeply entangled in the south with its conservative, republican views, this topic, quite literally, hits home for me. Additionally to growing up surrounded by the southern way of life (of which I might add, somewhat revolves around the free usage of guns), I also observe (from the safety of my own living room) the violent atrocities which happen not only around the United States, but around the world as well. Because of my outside perspective on these events, I am able to contemplate the subject matter at hand. Due to this and my extremely strong, stubborn view on gun bans, it is only appropriate that my educational TED Talk would be solely composed of this matter.
The rights of the American Citizen that have been instilled in me by my parents, my teachers, and my government only help to fuel my desire to share with the audience at this TED Talk my complete argument against harsher gun regulations. The main reason for my absolute opposition of gun bans is just that: all American Citizens’ Second Amendment right. The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution claims, “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” Most gun ban advocates jump at and shout out the first four words of this statement, “A well regulated militia…” However, the literal definition of the word militia is a military force from the common population which is used to aid the regular army in the case of an emergency. In most common cases in the United States where a militia was actually needed, the men supplied their own weapons. So, what if at any time in the future there is a need for a militia in a society where guns are banned? How would the citizens be able to fulfill this cry for help from their country? Looking around at the troubled state our world is in right now, I feel the need to inform people of their right to bear arms, and how important it is to keep this right in mind.
Seemingly since the beginning of time, guns have been the scapegoat of all violence. I believe the American people desperately need to hear the statistics of crimes throughout the United States. My TED Talk would strive to open the audiences’ eyes that guns are not the only weapon used to commit acts of violence. Bill Whittle, an american author, gave a thoroughly researched speech on the fact that guns are not the biggest cause of homicides in the United States. He revealed that according to the FBI, the total number firearm murders was 8,583. The killings with rifles was 323, which is only 3% of all murders. Hammers and clubs were used in half as many murders as rifles. Hands and feet killed twice as many people than rifles. Knives were used to kill 5 times more Americans than all rifles combined. Medical errors cause 98,000 deaths per year. This is more than 12 times the number of homicides in the United States. Although, despite the obvious evidence about how many things other than guns aid in murder and death, no one ever speaks about limits on hammers, clubs, hands, feet, knives, or doctors. Why is this? In these situations the good outweighs the harm according to most. But, firearms actually prevent 800,000 to 2 million crimes. One hundred times more violent crimes were prevented with firearms than the total murders with firearms.
Knowing these statistics, I can only push my opinion in one direction on the topic of harsher gun restrictions: they do not accomplish the task in which they are put in place for. On some level even hardcore advocates of gun control realize that America can never take away guns and still have a safe society. They still want people with guns defending them. The White House will never be gun free, the military will never give up their weapons and start protesting non violently, and the police will never disarm themselves. But what happens when the police, the military, or the Secret Service are not there, when someone is in desperate need of help and they have no way to defend themselves? Guns will be the difference between living and dying or even just being hurt or not. Guns can be the difference between saving someone’s child and seeing their lifeless body. The saving grace of America, guns, can never be taken away without the effect blowing up in everyone's faces. If the citizens right to own guns is taken away, our society will become one that is not even livable. Hopefully, this TED Talk would lead citizens to understand that they must protect themselves and their right to own guns.