Today one of the biggest threats to society is violence from its own people. In 2009 the population of the United States was 307 million people, and firearm manufacturer data shows us that a little under 300 million firearms were sold in the United States of America. About 30-34% adults own firearms, so that means 70-80 million adults have firearms, with 17-19% carrying around handguns on their sides. Guns are easy to obtain in America and the Regulations vary from state to state. In Wisconsin the people who are buying guns have to go through a 48 hour period of waiting for the state to approve of the buyer. If the buyer has a non-criminal past, then the state gives the okay to the gun dealer, which then gives the gun to the buyer. This makes guns readily available to the public, which sometimes leads to misuse.
On December 12th, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut; Adam Lanza stormed into Sandy Hook Elementary and murdered over 20 children not much older then 6 years old, as well as six staff members with his mothers Bushmaster MX15, then shot himself. Prior to this disaster, he shot and killed his mother with her own 22. He then took his mother's Bushmaster MX15 and several magazines of ammunition and drove to the elementary school. The event left the United States in shock. Many Americans started to question gun regulations in their states, but usually couldn't do anything about the laws already in place. The Second Amendment states “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.” “The right of the people to keep and bear arms,” meaning that United state citizens have the right to have guns in their homes and use them if necessary. Adam Lanza took advantage of his freedom and used his household guns to take the lives of innocent children. This is type of horror is happening more frequently as the years roll on, more and more people are holding guns on their sides for protection of their loved ones. |