The topic of guns and gun control has been discussed all over the news and media in recent years. It has sparked much controversy among different political parties due to the increase in mass shootings and terrorist attacks at popular events. Many people disagree on how to address this problem and come to a solution to put an end to these horrible acts that occur on innocent people. This issue has caused a divide within the United States of America between liberals and conservatives. Many liberals advocate for greater gun control and a ban on military-grade assault weapons, such as the infamous AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. They also want stricter controls and longer waiting periods to prevent further shootings from occurring. Many conservatives, however, argue that it is not guns that cause the problems, but people. They fight liberals by saying we are punishing those who did everything correctly and deserve to respect their constitutional right to bear arms. This disagreement caused a lot of tension across the country which led to many political debates. As a result, the various political parties cannot agree on a solution to all these problems. Several states have passed their own laws to prevent gun-related problems, however some states such as the governments of Alaska and Illinois have very conflicting opinions on how to safely handle guns. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Many drastic events that have taken place over the years have led to the idea of ​​implementing greater gun control. Many gun rights advocates were left furious believing their constitutional rights were being taken away and limiting their ability to continue practicing the 2nd Amendment. Supporters also believe it is unfair that they are unreasonably limited in their right to bear arms when it comes to protecting themselves and their property. However, the influx of mass shootings over the years has created fear in a number of people, leading them to fight for greater gun control. Gun control is structured to restrict some people from legally obtaining firearms who are deemed unfit to own a weapon such as a pistol or rifle. This is done on the basis of one's own protection and, above all, the protection of others. It is believed that with these gun control laws we would be able to prevent mentally unstable people from committing suicide or murder. While on the contrary many conservatives believe that having gun control cannot prevent those people from illegally obtaining a gun and having this control would be useless. Furthermore, the fight for gun control has become much more vigorous in recent years. Due to many attacks, a debate among many liberals that has occurred is whether or not a common person or civilian should be allowed to obtain a military-grade assault weapon, such as the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. This gun has become infamous for its use in many recent mass shootings such as the Parkland High School attack in which 17 people died and 17 people were seriously injured. This attack sparked many protests across the country, such as the well-known “March For Our Lives” movement. Many high school students participated by striking during school to draw attention to the issue of lack of gun control. The attack created fear nationwide, especially among theyoung students. Another deadly terrorist attack where the AR-15 was used was during the Las Vegas shooting in 2017. During this attack 59 people died and 413 were seriously injured. However, the gun used in the Las Vegas shooting was modified into a fully automatic rifle with the addition of a bump stock. This explains why so many people were killed in a short period of time. People have become very fearful of bump stocks due to the amount of power the mod can give to a gun and the damage it is capable of causing. Since, soon after the attack, stock trading was made federally illegal for most civilians under the Trump administration. However, the AR-15 still remains federally legal, although some states now restrict it and have even imposed some bans on the weapon. Previously, however, assault weapons were illegal from 1994 until 2004, when the ban expired and was never lifted. In 2019 there were 15,208 deaths due to gun violence in the United States of America, a slightly increased figure compared to the past. years. There were also 418 mass shootings and 31 were mass murders. As a result, the number of deaths increased slightly compared to previous years. Due to the increased death rate, many states have implemented increased gun control. Across the country, the state that has the strictest gun laws is Illinois. Illinois takes more precautions than the rest of the country when it comes to gun laws, especially due to the well-known amount of gang-related violence and crime within the city of Chicago. Specifically, they require a Firearms Owners Identification Card, also known as the acronym FOID. This allows someone to own and use firearms and purchase ammunition, which in comparison to many other states like Alaska do not require. In Illinois they also have a 72 hour waiting period before purchasing the gun after purchase. The state government passed this law to prevent someone who is in a blind rage or experiencing extremely unstable emotions from calming down before receiving the gun. In order to conceal and carry a firearm, you must apply for a license or permit through the state police department and undergo an intensive 16-hour training course. Being required to have a permit and training course will help teach gun safety and ensure a person is qualified to handle a gun. You must also be over the age of 21 to acquire a concealed carry license. While on the other side, Alaska has some of the weakest gun laws in the United States of America. In Alaska you don't have to register a gun or even get a permit. Additionally, no background check is necessary when purchasing a gun at a gun show or from a private party. This is being called the “gun show loophole” that many liberals are trying to end. Liberals argue that the state of Alaska is too lax with its gun laws and that the government doesn't want to have enough control over who receives guns. This is mainly due to the fact that registration of the weapon is not always required. Open carry laws in Alaska also conflict with federal laws that say someone can open carry starting at age 16. In contrast, at the federal level the minimum age to open carry is 18. However, similar to Illinois, a person must have a permit to carry concealed and attend a training course. They also must be over 21 to receive thispermit. At first glance, many people assume that the city with the highest number of gun-related deaths and homicides is Chicago, Illinois, but this is not true. The place that actually has the highest murder rate per capita is surprisingly the state of Alaska. In 2017, Alaska ranked 1st with the highest violent crime rate of “829.0 per 100,000 residents” and 6th place for homicide rate with “8.4 per 100,000 residents.” In contrast, Illinois has the 17th highest violent crime rate at "438.8 per 100,000 residents" and the 10th highest homicide rate which is "7.8 per 100,000 residents." Another important aspect of firearm-related deaths is suicide. In 2016, there were 177 gun deaths in Alaska, and 113 of those were suicides. While in Illinois, out of 1,490 gun deaths, 506 were suicides. Making Alaska the No. 1 state in Illinois for suicide rates. However, compared to the states of Alaska and Illinois, Maine has the fewest firearm-related violent suicide deaths in the United States of America. Maine is more lenient when it comes to gun laws unlike Illinois, but not as lax as Alaska. In Maine you are allowed to carry a gun in some places without a license. However, concealed carry requires obtaining a license and meeting several criteria after receiving the CCW, also known as a concealed carry permit. You must "be at least 21 years of age, knowledgeable about firearm safety, not have within the last 5 years been engaged in reckless or negligent conduct that has been investigated by a government agency, or convicted in a Maine court within the last 5 years of any drug-related crime.” These specific qualifications are established so in Maine, if you have been a resident for 5 years, you only have to wait 30 days after receiving your concealed carry permit and 50 days if you have not resided longer. of 5 years. Considering gun laws, the state of Maine in 2017 has the lowest violent crime rate with "121.0 per 100,000 residents" and the third lowest homicide rate with "1.7 per 100,000 residents" Considering the high number of gun deaths in Alaska, the leading cause is suicide. Suicide accounts for 72% of the number of gun-related deaths statewide fire are suicides and 21% are homicides. This compares to 61% and 35% nationally, respectively. In the number of suicides, 64% are children and adolescents. Many people believe that the high number of suicides among children and adolescents is due to the easy access they have to firearms. The understanding also centers on the fact that Alaska has such long winters and limited amounts of daylight hours that it leaves people depressed. Gun suicide is most likely due to the abundance of firearms owned in the state. Unlike Alaska, Illinois has a much higher homicide rate than suicide rate. “In Illinois, 40% of gun deaths are suicides and 57% are homicides. This compares with 61% and 35% nationally, respectively.” As for children and adolescents, the use of firearms during homicides is the second leading cause of death. Among these children and adolescents, Black children are 13 times more likely to die from firearms than any other race. In Illinois, the majority of gun-related deaths are known to have occurred in the city of Chicago. Many people consider this violence an epidemic in Chicago and causes great fear among residents and tourists. People often blame the high number of gangs and drug trafficking in the city, as well as the high poverty rate18187.