• Is it understandable that Americans would want to possess guns such as shotguns and
rifles for the popular sport of hunting? However, is it ridiculous that our government
would allow people to carry handguns?
• Should handgun possession be strictly limited, because they are made solely to kill
people? Have they increased the murder rate in the U.S., and have they even
allowed children to easily kill other children?
• Is it their main purpose is simply to kill other human beings? Why would our country
allow us to have the right to own an object that is deadly?
• Does our government want to protect us? For example, seatbelt laws and
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforces pollution laws to keep us safe and
healthy. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspects food and tests drugs to
make sure American citizens are not harmed by bad food and dangerous drugs. Are gun
laws in place to make us safe as well?
• Should we ban the possession of handguns? Consider some of the points in the movie,
Bowling for Columbine. The homicide and robbery rate in the U.S. is much greater
than in Canada where there are stricter handgun laws. From 1987 to 1996, 52% of all
homicides in the U.S. involved handguns whileonly14% of all homicides in Canada
involved handguns. Also, between 1987 and 1996, firearm homicide rates increased by
2% in the United States but decreased by 7% in Canada. Furthermore, handgun
homicide rates inthe U.S. are 15.3 times higher than in Canada.
• Also, firearm robbery rates in the U.S. are 3.5 times higher than in Canada. Obviously,
-homicide and robbery rates involving handguns are higher in the U.S. where handgun
laws are not as strict as in Canada. Is our high crime rate is another reason handguns
should be banned.
• What about how handguns can easily get into the hands of little children? Remember
The boy in the film who took a loaded handgun to school and shot and killed a six year
old female classmate. This young boy may not have understood the concept of death.
However, because he had easy access to a handgun, he was able to hurt someone. This
has happened all over the country, like at Columbine High School and many other
places.
• Crime and guns. The two seem to go hand in hand with one another, but are the two
really associated? Do guns necessarily lead to crime? And if so do laws placing
restrictions on firearm ownership actually stop the crime or leave the citizens
unprotected? Do we need guns for protection? If handguns were banned, would only
criminals have them?
• Is this a constitutional right that should not be compromised in any way?
• Should we consider when the Constitution was drafted and put this amendment into
historical context?
• How is gun control a politicized issue today?
• Should gun laws be left alone.
• Should they be changed? If so, how?