America has the highest amount of gun related deaths each year in the world. “In Germany 381, in France255, in Canada 165 in the United Kingdom 68, in Australia 65, in Japan 39 and in the United States,11,127” (Moore Michael, 51:15-51:48). Since the United States has the highest number of deaths, it isimportant to have gun-control laws that restrict people from owning dangerous firearms like machine guns.Gun-control laws should support both sides of the debate. Of course, both sides will not be completelyhappy with the laws created, but America should have a balance. In 2008, a poll was taken stating: “Adultpoll respondents’ views on the meaning of the Second Amendment; An individual’s right to bear arms:Republican 51% and Democrats 41%” (The History of the Right to Bear Arms). Today, the United States ismore divided on gun-control than it has ever been. The Second Amendment states: “A well regulatedMilitia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shallnot be infringed”(Milestones in Federal Gun Control Legislation). Unless the Second Amendment is changed,we cannot take the right from others to own guns. However, the government should regulate the types ofgun Americans can own and who can own a gun because times have changed and American’s mentalhealth system is broken.

Decades ago, the United States was once a country where a gun was considered to survive and protect.“As Americans civilized the wilderness, they would eventually be able to rely not just on their own skills atindividual self-defense for protection, but on laws and civil authorities and the other institutions ofgovernment they were building ” ( Whitney, Pg. 103). The United States did not have the civil authoritieswe do today. Americans had to rely on guns to protect themselves as laws evolved. Times were different inAmerica and that is why the Second Amendment was ideal. Guns, like the AK-47, did not exist, firearms atthe time were too slow to load and that is one of the reasons gun control was not a serious issue. Guncontrol became necessary throughout history as different types of guns emerged and people becameinterested not only for civic duty but for entertainment or violence.

The National Firearms Act, enacted in 1934, “All gun sales and gun manufactures were slapped with a $200tax on each firearm, and all buyers were required to fill out paperwork subject to Treasury Dept. approval”(Milestones in Federal Gun Control Legislation). The National Firearms Act was not created to make money,but to lower the crime rate and make it impossible for people to buy and sell automatic-fire weapons.Today the government should create a different Act that will prevent certain guns from being sold toAmericans and avoid certain citizens from owning guns. It should depend on where the person resides, ifthe person has a clean background, and passes the psychological evaluation. Once they qualify for gunownership, they can be told what firearms they can and cannot own. For example, if an American wants toown a shotgun he should be able too. However, he has to have a clean background, be mentally stable andgive reason as to why he wants a shotgun. Another example is if an American wants to own a BrowningM2, the government should not be allowed him to own one. Machine guns should be banned although thearmed forces can be the only ones who own them. Also, having control of who can sell firearms isimportant because the government can monitor and control what types of guns are being sold.

Today the Federal Firearms Act would works for today even though it was enacted in 1938. “Anyoneinvolved in the selling of firearms was required to obtain a Federal Firearms License from the Secretary ofCommerce. They were also required to record the names and addresses of everyone they sold guns to andwere prohibited from selling to those people who were convicted of certain crimes or lack of permit”(Milestones in Federal Gun Control Legislation). The Federal Firearms Act is beneficial today because thegovernment can monitor who is selling illegal firearms. Requiring gun sellers to record the names andaddresses of the people they have sold guns to can help police track down suspects if the person causedharm with a firearm. Prohibiting gun sellers from selling guns to people who were convicted of certaincrimes can reduce gun violence because it would be harder for them to buy guns. Prohibiting guns to thepeople who lack a permit also reduce gun violence. By having a permit, it shows the person is mentallystable and responsible to own a gun because the person has a clean background and passed thepsychological evaluation. The Federal Firearms Act will not stop all gun violence, but it can monitor the gunsthat are being bought and if they are legal or not. The Federal Firearms Act can organize the gun controlsystem and lower the percentage of people who should not be allowed to own guns. It can also lead theway to preventing gun related deaths. Yet there still are Americans who believe the United States does notneed gun control laws.

Americans who are against the government restricting the types of guns civilians should have are not awaregun control is important because there are people who will take advantage of the power firearms. Amember of the Michigan Militia said in the documentary “This is an American tradition, it is an Americanresponsibility to be armed if you are not armed you are not responsible, who is going to defend you kids,the cops? The federal government? It’s your job to defend you and yours. If you don’t do it you’re indereliction of duty as an American. Period” (Moore Michael, 8:37-8:56). Being armed does not makeAmericans responsible; paying taxes, being a good citizen and helping the community makes an Americanresponsible. Owning firearms is a choice not a responsibility. Besides, the Second Amendment has neverbeen updated, before being armed meant being responsible because the United States did not have lawenforcement to protect Americans like today. If Americans need gun to defend themselves from otherAmericans it is because of fear and not because they are being “responsible”. In Canada people own asmany guns as the United States, but they lived peacefully and their gun related deaths are a hundred timeslower. Canadians have guns because a majority of them are hunters or own guns for their ownentertainment, like gun shooting ranges. They are not in fear and do not have a broken mental healthsystem. A Canadian man states “If more guns made people safer, then America would be one of the safestcounties in the world. It’s the opposite” (Moore, 82:26-82:36). We become fearful and believe we shouldown a gun for protection from criminals, which in fact every person who owned a gun in America in thedocumentary “Bowling for Columbine”, had never been assaulted. Fixing America’s mental health systemand gun control regulations would change America for the better. We should restrict the types of gunsAmericans can own, like military guns and give people who are capable of owning a gun a license.

I am not one hundred percent sure what side I am in. Sometimes I can be very opened minded about gunownership and sometimes I feel no one should own a gun. What I am sure of is that the people of theUnited States need to compromise. Compromise would make the United States able to focus more on othersocial problems like unemployment. America will always have guns and the fact is many Americans want toown guns. The United States government can change it the amount of guns and bullets that are being sold.They can decide what guns are not meant to be in the hands of an American citizen. Gun control isnecessary not only in the United States, but in the world.