Shooting Walmart’s AR 15, Essay Example

According to the evidence presented in both the video and news stories, it does appear that guns would prevent the most violent crimes. Having a gun in terms of protection makes you a greater target because individuals that also have guns are more likely to see you as a threat. Furthermore, we constantly hear about mass shootings of civilians that have been extremely detrimental due to the involvement of an automatic weapon. Even if these individuals wished to do harm to a large group of people, without a gun, they would be quickly detained and lives would be saved. I do support the concept that some people should be able to have guns because this is a constitutional right. However, there is a clear difference between those meant for sport and for harming others. Guns such as the AR-15 serve no practical purpose and can do more harm than good. It would be better to replace these with simpler weapons. Individuals that need guns for self-protection do not need a gun that is designed for mass killing. Furthermore, it is important to implement mental health screening for the purchase of a firearm. It would also be valuable to take this legislation a step further and require proper use education programs for individuals that wish to purchase firearms. Some unfortunate cases have resulted from a child accessing the weapon and using it to harm others. These children cannot be held responsible for the crime necessarily, but this is a clear case of negligence on the behalf of the parent. Thus, only those that understand responsible use should be given the right to possess a gun. It is important to protect constitutional rights, but when these rights go against the right of an individual to live, gun reform becomes necessary.