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Nayeli Faudoa Martinez

Ms. Figueroa

Senior paper

September 18, 2018

Who’s Behind the Trigger?

Death: it’s what guns bring. 35,141 people die from gun violence including murder,

suicide, unintentional or even legal intervention. Getting a gun is easy as 1,2,3. Anyone can buy

a gun if you’re old enough and not putting in consideration their mental stability. In certain states

even a felon can own a gun after a certain amount of years. Gun control is a set of laws that

regulate the sale, transfer, possession or use of guns by civilians. Gun control has been an issue

ever since guns were stopped being used for protection but to cause harm. There have been many

cases that triggered many people to push for more strict gun restrictions a couple examples is the

shooting at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Sandy Hook, Las Vegas, and the Florida school

shooting. There also many other shootings but they’re so common that they’re never aired

worldwide. It isn’t only the mass shootings that should be seen; everyday people die from gun

violence intentional or unintentional deaths. These problems can be solved by applying strict

firearm regulations.

However many say that a little more firearm laws won’t help but Finland and

Switzerland are a great example of a good use of strict gun laws. Finland has an act called The

Firearms act of 1998. This enforces that a license is always needed for possession of any gun.

Firearms are also only carried for a specific purpose like: hunting, and shooting ranges’. In the

article “Should More Gun Control Laws be Enacted? “ It states “The United States has 120.5
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guns per 100 people or about 393,347,000 guns.” On the other hand, Finland only has 1.6 million

and all 650,000 owners are registered with firearm permits. In 2016, Finland had a total of 63

murders in Finland by gun violence. In the year of 2016, America had 11,000 deaths related to

gun violence. The reason there is such a huge gap is because the U.S doesn’t have gun permits

and background checks like Finland. Therefore, if people who aren’t mentally unstable try to get

a gun will be denied and decrease the amount of people who want to cause harm by gun

violence. The article even says “Switzerland ranked number three in international gun ownership

rates with 45.7 guns per 100 people. In 2009 Switzerland had 24 gun homicides (0.31 deaths per

100,000 people)”. If we get background checks in the U.S then those who are trying to own a

gun to cause harm will most likely be opted because of their mental instability or criminal

records. When America decides to learn from their peers then we will have safer schools and a

safer environment.

People have easy access to guns which makes crowded places a target for mass

shootings. Those who are not mentally stable can have access to guns because there aren’t any

background checks to be taken. In the article Numbers show gun control laws are working they

state “All but two of the states (Iowa and Nebraska) are considered to have some of the strictest

gun laws in the nation by the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which ranks states annually.

States with strict gun laws generally require background checks, waiting periods before

purchase,” this article is trying to show that the state with the strictest gun control are the highest

ranking states with the least gun deaths and gun violence. Just like other states if all of America

becomes strict on gun laws then gun violence rates will decrease. The article also explains “We

just want to make it harder for criminals, the dangerously mentally ill and even al-Qaida to buy

guns,” if those who are actually wanting guns for recreational purposes shouldn’t worry because
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if there were background checks then they’ll just pass. Only those who are fighting against gun

control will worry because they won’t have access to guns and potentially cause harm like they

intended.

Not all people are mentally stable to have guns and doctoral background checks can help

by preventing a mentally unstable person having access to firearms. Those who have any sort of

mental illness shouldn’t have access to firearms. In the article from CBS NEWS by Arash

Javanbakht he states “In psychiatric disorders, concerns about harm to others typically arise in

acutely psychotic patients with paranoid delusions that convince them to harm others. This may

happen in, but is not limited to schizophrenia, dementia, severe psychotic depression or

psychotic bipolar illness.” People with mental illness are three to four more likely to be violent

then those who aren’t mentally ill. This quote supports my argument because it states that

mentally ill or unstable people have a higher tendency to be violent or dangerous; especially with

a gun. Therefore with doctoral background checks on a certain person can identify whether or

not they should be allowed to handle.

However, gun owners are getting scared at the thought of gun control but the people

aren’t fighting to take away guns they’re fighting for less guns or to make it harder to obtain a

gun. In the article Guns are the Problem: Activist Get Tough on Gun Control After Vegas

“Volsky does not say Americans should have no guns, simply that they should have “fewer

guns”, and that guns should be much harder to obtain. If all who want guns for protection or

sport want a license then they’ll pass all checks no problem but those who want to cause harm

will either not pass a background check or not try even attempt to get a background. Many

people use guns for self-defense against intruders, thieves or thugs. Firearms are a good way to

protect themselves but there are also many people that use guns to harm. The only way the
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government can find out whether people are using their guns for self-defense, recreational

purposes or for harm is by having background checks and preventing a tragedy from occurring.

In conclusion though everyone sends out their thoughts and prayers there isn’t any action.

The world won’t change if people don’t fight; fight for gun control. Though gun violence isn’t

going to end all together but the gun violence will decrease like it did in Finland and

Switzerland. Those who are mentally ill and trying to cause harm won’t have a chance to if the

government implies background checks. When the United States starts learning from their peers

and apply strict gun laws then that is when America will become even more prosperous. The

people who are fighting for gun control aren’t attempting to take all firearms away; it’s only to

make firearms harder to obtain for those who could try to bring harm to others. Guns are a

deadly weapon alone and could become even deadlier and dangerous in the wrong hands.
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Works Cited

Beckett, Lois.” article Guns are the Problem: Activist Get Tough on Gun Control after Vegas”

The Guardian, 5 Oct 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/05/we-need-

fewer-guns-the-activists-who-are-rejecting-half-measures-on-firearms

Javanbakht Arash.” Guns and mental illness: How do you judge who shouldn't get weapons?”

CBS NEWS, 1 March 2018, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/guns-and-mental-illness-

how-do-you-judge-who-shouldnt-get-weapons/

“Should More Gun Control Laws be Enacted” ProCon, 29 Aug 2018, https://gun-

control.procon.org/