Guns need to be controlled. Guns as an aggregation have slowly started to tear the constitution apart as time moves on and our lives become more modern. From the mass shooting at Virginia Tech in 2007 to Sandy Hooke elementary in 2012 guns have proved to be a problem (CNN). It seems that firearms are too much of a responsibility that America can’t handle.

As of today, guns aren’t used as much for “self protection” like they were intended to do. In America, someone takes their own life every 13.7 minutes (ASFP). Dr. Arthur Kellerman states, “guns in the home pose more risk than benefit: for every case of gun use for self protection, there are 43 instances where guns are used in suicides, homicides and accidental deaths” (Witkin). Also, during a study in Seattle, tests have shown that- over a six year period- there were 12 accidental deaths, 333 suicides and 41 murders using guns (GunCite). Since many guns have been used to accidentally hurt someone in many cases, more classes should be encouraged to teach gun owners owners and people of this generation how to use them safely and responsibly. We live in a time where guns are promoted in movies, TV, music and video games. It’s important that kids understand how they should and shouldn’t be used.

A possible solution to this mayhem may be to improve background checks, which legislate who can and can’t buy guns. According to Gabrielle Giffords- a senator who was shot in Tuscon, Arizona- many officials did not vote for laws that made it harder for the wrong people to get their hands on guns (Huffington Post). She states that the NRA paid “$25 million on contributes” or has spent money spreading untruths to capitol hill. This being the case, people that support gun control may outnumber the NRA (Newyorker). If such people got more organized, maybe their opinions would be heard and acted upon.

One of the main concerns in the subject of gun control is children. In Kentucky, a 5 year old boy named Kristian Sparks shot and killed his 2 year old sister with his child-sized rifle (Huffington post). The gun’s slogan read “My First Rifle” and it came in all sorts of appealing, candy-colored patterns just for kids. His parents forgot to take a bullet out of the gun before giving it to Kristian, and they were not supervising him at the time (Huffington post). It seems that child deaths- whether accidental or intentional- are due to a lack of supervision from their parents. Guns need to be regulated, especially for the sake of the future generations of America.

Technically, it can’t be proven that guns do all of these horrible things. Its not the gun’s fault for causing suicidal thoughts, and the gun usually doesn’t shoot itself. It is the owner’s responsibility to use their guns as intended, just like a knife is intended to cut an apple. According to the CDC, guns aren’t the only deadly thing in the world today. The NHTSA reported 29,757 auto fatalities in 2011, while the average firearm only kills 16,259 people yearly. This is absolutely no justification for all of the innocent lives taken through gun misuse.
Bringing up a greater point, what is the “proper use of guns”? Police use guns to defend people who need help, just like the military. Hunters use guns for sport and to feed many families. But what does the public need guns for?

Taking away these guns could destroy the heritage and tradition of gun use. Kristian Sparks’ parents claim that having guns at an early age is a “way of life” (Huffington post) and part of the Kentuckian culture. In Britain, guns were taken away from gun collectors, families and hunters, regardless of how they used their firearms (NRA/Buckeye Firearms Assoc.). It’s time that people have found a new culture and a new hobby that doesn’t involve killing. In America, there is no need to hunt for food- there’s a grocery store down the street. You don’t need a gun while walking on campus- that’s what the school cops are for!

Gun control does not mean gun elimination, but rather regulation. Guns need to be put into the hand of the right people, using multiple background checks, and added limitations on what types of guns should be used by the average public. Its up to the people to fix the mess we've gotten ourselves into.

Works Cited
"Buckeye Firearms Association." The Cost of Gun Control. 2005. Buckeye Firearms Association. 14 Dec. 2013 <http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/The-Cost-of-Gun-Control>.
CNN Library. "25 Deadliest Mass Shootings in U.S. History Fast Facts." CNN. 01 Jan. 1970. Cable News Network. 12 Dec. 2013 <http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/16/us/20-deadliest-mass-shootings-in-u-s-history-fast-facts/>.
Draper, Robert. "Inside the Power of the NRA." New York Times. 12 Dec. 2013. New York Times Company. 13 Dec. 2013 <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/15/magazine/inside-the-power-of-the-nra.html?_r=0>.
"Facts and Figures." American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. 12 Dec. 2013 <http://www.afsp.org/understanding-suicide/facts-and-figures>.
Gentilviso, Chris. "A Senate In The Gun Lobby's Grip." The Huffington Post. 17 Apr. 2013. TheHuffingtonPost.com. 13 Dec. 2013 <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/17/a-senate-in-the-gun-lobby-grip_n_3105833.html>.
"GunCite - Gun Control Web Site: A Gun in the Home." GunCite - Gun Control Web Site: A Gun in the Home. 9 Sept. 2004. GunCite. 13 Dec. 2013 <http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcdgaga.html>.
McLaughlin, Michael. "Kristian Sparks, 5-Year-Old, Fatally Shoots Younger Sister With Child's Rifle In Kentucky." The Huffington Post. 02 May 2013. TheHuffingtonPost.com. 13 Dec. 2013 <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/02/kristian-sparks-shoots-sister_n_3199807.html>.
Parker-Pope, Tara. "Suicide Rates Rise Sharply in U.S." New York Times. 2 May 2013. New York Times Company. 13 Dec. 2013 <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/03/health/suicide-rate-rises-sharply-in-us.html?_r=0>.