Affirmative Case
Handguns are the cause of many homicides, suicides, and unintentional injuries. It is
because of our lax gun laws that these tragedies have occurred. In order to stop these
criminal acts and misfortunes from happening, we must prohibit the ownership of guns,
specifically handguns. It if for this reason that I affirm the resolution resolved: in the
United States, possession of handguns ought not be an individual right.
Value and Criterion
The value I will be upholding for this round will be public safety. The criterion I will be
using to support my value of public safety will be consequentialism.
Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Chauncey Stillman Professor in Practical Ethics Department of
Philosophy, Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University, “Consequentialism,” Stanford
Encyclopedia of Philosophy, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/consequentialism/#WhaCon, May
2003, revised February 2006
Consequentialism, as its name suggests, is the view that normative properties
depend only on consequences. This general approach can be applied at different levels to different
normative properties of different kinds of things, but the most prominent example is consequentialism
about the moral rightness of acts, which holds that whether an act is morally right depends only on the
consequences of that act or of something related to that act, such as the motive behind the act or a general
rule requiring acts of the same kind.
Definitions
In order to clarify my case, allow me to offer a few definitions.
Possession: from Encarta World English Dictionary
The act or state of owning or holding something
Handgun: from Encarta World English Dictionary
A gun that can be held and fired in one hand
Ought: from Encarta World English Dictionary
Indicates that someone has a moral duty or obligation to do something or that it is
morally right to do something
Right: from Encarta World English Dictionary
An entitlement granted under law
Contention 1: Handguns are not frequently used as self defense mechanisms.
One main dilemma with banning handguns is self defense. Without them, we would be
left defenseless against violent criminals, or so it would seem. However, several studies
throughout the years have revealed that guns are rarely used in self defense, and can
actually be harmful to the victim in a dangerous situation.
Unknown, “Statistics, Gun Control Issues, and Safety,”
http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/GUNS/GUNSTAT.html, 2011
A
study of 626 shootings in or around a residence in three U.S. cities revealed that, for
every time a gun in the home was used in a self-defense or legally justifiable
shooting, there were four unintentional shootings, seven criminal assaults or
homicides, and 11 attempted or completed suicides (Kellermann et al, 1998). Over 50% of all
households in the U.S. admit to having firearms (Nelson et al, 1987). In another study, regardless
of storage practice, type of gun, or number of firearms in the home, having a gun in
the home was associated with an increased risk of firearm homicide and suicide in
the home (Dahlberg, Ikeda and Kresnow, 2004). Persons who own a gun and who engage in
abuse of intimate partners such as a spouse are more likely to use a gun to threaten
their intimate partner. (Rothman et al, 2005). Individuals in possession of a gun at the
time of an assault are 4.46 times more likely to be shot in the assault than persons
not in possession (Branas et al, 2009). It would appear that, rather than beign used for defense, most of
The issue of "home defense" or protection against intruders or assailants may well be misrepresented.
these weapons inflict injuries on the owners and their families.
Guns, especially handguns, are doing our society more harm than good. It is only logical
to keep them out of the hands of the public, as they are clearly doing nothing to impact
the defense of our citizens against violent criminals.
Contention 2: Handguns can easily be concealed and used by criminals to carry out their
acts of violence.
Legal Community Against Violence, “Regulating Guns in America,”
http://www.lcav.org/publications-briefs/reports_analyses/RegGuns.entire.report.pdf, 2008
Handguns are a particular focus of regulatory efforts – up to and including total
bans – because of their frequent use in violent crime as compared to other firearms.
From 1993 to 2001, an average of 737, 360 violent crimes were committed with handguns in the U.S. each
year, making handguns seven times more likely to be used to commit violent crimes than other firearms.
Although handguns make up only 34% of firearms, approximately 80% of firearm homicides
are committed with a handgun. Women face an especially high risk of handgun
violence. In 2005, 72% of female homicide victims were killed with a handgun.
These small guns are actually aiding criminals, especially in assaults against women.
They are very small and portable. This makes it easy to hide and conceal weapons that
could be used to assault or kill an innocent civilian. Handguns are also easy to obtain.
According to Philip Cook in 1997,
Philip Cook, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Research at Duke Stanford, “Guns in
America: National Survey on Private Ownership and Use of Firearms,”
https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/165476.pdf, May 1997
To date, little information has been available about gun flows in the United States. The potential
importance of this information is its use in evaluating regulation of firearms commerce. For example,
the
Gun Control Act of 1968 restricts interstate shipments to federally licensed firearm
dealers (FFLs), who in turn are required to follow laws regulating retail transfers.
Transactions not involving FFLs, known as the "secondary market," typically do
not require recordkeeping and are exempt from the Federal requirement (for
handguns) of a waiting period and criminal record check. Moreover, secondary
market transactions are not subject to regulatory oversight. Thus, knowing the volume of
informal transfers that do or do not involve FFLs would be useful.
According to this same article, 32% of handguns are not new at the time of acquisition.
This is 32% of the guns used most often in violent crimes that are acquired without a
proper background check.
Contention 3: Prohibiting the possession of handguns would reduce the crime rate.
Crime is a growing problem within the United States as gangs and organized crime
become more prevalent. Something must be done about this issue, and research from the
Legal Community Against Violence in 2008 suggests that prohibiting the possession of
handguns could help.
Legal Community Against Violence, “Regulating Guns in America,”
http://www.lcav.org/publications-briefs/reports_analyses/RegGuns.entire.report.pdf, 2008
Handguns are a particular focus of regulatory efforts – up to and including total bans – because of their
frequent use in violent crime as compared to other firearms. From 1993 to 2001, an average of
737, 360 violent crimes were committed with handguns in the U.S. each year,
making handguns seven times more likely to be used to commit violent crimes than
other firearms. Although handguns make up only 34% of firearms, approximately
80% of firearm homicides are committed with a handgun. Women face an especially high
risk of handgun violence. In 2005, 72% of female homicide victims were killed with a handgun.
Legal Community Against Violence, “Regulating Guns in America,”
http://www.lcav.org/publications-briefs/reports_analyses/RegGuns.entire.report.pdf, 2008
A 1991 study documented the effectiveness of Washington D.C.’s law banning handguns.
Following the enactment of the ban in 1976, there was a 25% decline in homicides
committed with firearms and a 23% decline in suicides committed with firearms within
the District of Columbia. No similar reductions were observed in the number of
homicides or suicides committed by other means, nor were similar reductions found in
the adjacent metropolitan areas in Maryland and Virginia. A recent study concluded that,
as a result of the District’s handgun ban, the District of Columbia had the lowest rate of
youth suicide in the nation – lower than any state.
Unknown, “Has DC’s Handgun Ban Prevented Bloodshed?” Washington Post,
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/14/supremecourt/main3941010.shtml, February 2009
Another study regarding the 1976 ban on handguns in Washington D.C. by the University
of Maryland, also in 1991, found that 47 deaths per year were prevented as a result of the
handgun ban.
Clearly, by prohibiting and banning handguns, we can increase the safety of the public
and save lives.
Contention 4: Prohibiting handgun ownership will reduce the number of gun-related
accidents and suicides.
Guns in the home are responsible for numerous injuries and even deaths every year.
According to Kyla Boyse in the article “Gun Safety for Kids and Youth” in 2010,
Kyla Boyse, Registered Nurse, “Gun Safety for Kids and Youth,”
http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/guns.htm, 2010
When researchers studied the 30,000 accidental gun deaths of Americans of all ages that occurred between
1979-1997, they found that preschoolers aged 0-4 were 17 times more likely to die from a
gun accident in the 4 states with the most guns versus the 4 states with the least
guns. Likewise, school kids aged 5-14 were over 13 times more at risk of accidental
firearm death in the states with high gun ownership rates. The findings indicate that
gun availability is associated with accidental death by shooting.
Gun related accidents are not only affecting children in the home. Another study has
found that adults are even more likely to suffer from an unintentional shooting or suicide
attempt.
Legal Community Against Violence, “Regulating Guns in America,”
http://www.lcav.org/publications-briefs/reports_analyses/RegGuns.entire.report.pdf, 2008
Several studies have documented the risks associated with guns in the home. Adults living in homes with
guns are at a significantly higher risk of homicide and suicide than adults in homes without guns. The
risk of unintentional firearm injury is also substantially higher for adults living in
homes with guns, with handguns in the home posing a particular threat. For every
incident in which a gun in the home is used in self-defense or in another legallyjustified shooting, there are 22 unintentional or criminal shootings or suicide
attempts using a gun kept at home.
Handguns are not only contributing to crime, they are causing deaths and injuries, many
unintentional, within our own homes. Only the prohibition of these weapons can solve
the problem.
Negative Case
Two hundred and twenty-two years ago, we were given the right to bear arms. Today,
that right is being questioned. Countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada
have all prohibited gun rights to their citizens, and many want the United States to follow
suit. However, in order to maintain a lower crime rate, stable economy, and self defense
mechanism for our country’s inhabitants, we must not remove this fundamental right
from our foundational documents. It is for these reasons that I stand in firm negation of
the resolution resolved: in the United States, possession of handguns ought not be an
individual right.
Value and Criterion
The value I will be upholding for this round will be the maximization of human rights.
The criterion I will use to support my value of the maximization of human rights will be
constitutionality. Constitutionality (from Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, 2011)
will be defined as “being in accordance with or authorized by the constitution of a state or
society.”
Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/constitutional, 2011
Contention 1: Handgun control does not reduce crime rates and would leave the public
defenseless against criminals
Many of those against the right to bear arms have said that prohibiting the possession of
guns would decrease the crime rate, however, research done by the Centre for Defence
Studies at Kings College in London has found that stringent gun laws actually increase
crime rates.
BBC News, “Handgun Crime ‘Up’ Despite Ban,”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1440764.stm, July 2001
A new study suggests the use of handguns in crime rose by 40% in the two years
after the weapons were banned.
The research, commissioned by the Countryside Alliance's Campaign for Shooting, has concluded that
existing laws are targeting legitimate users of firearms rather than criminals.
The ban on ownership of handguns was introduced in 1997 as a result of the
Dunblane massacre, when Thomas Hamilton opened fire at a primary school leaving 16 children and
their teacher dead.
But the report suggests that despite the restrictions on ownership the use of handguns in crime is rising.
The Centre for Defence Studies at Kings College in London, which carried out the
research, said the number of crimes in which a handgun was reported increased
from 2,648 in 1997/98 to 3,685 in 1999/2000.
It also said there was no link between high levels of gun crime and areas where there
were still high levels of lawful gun possession.
Of the 20 police areas with the lowest number of legally held firearms, 10 had an
above average level of gun crime.
And of the 20 police areas with the highest levels of legally held guns only two had
armed crime levels above the average.
Strict gun laws have not only increased crime in the United Kingdom, but in countries
like Canada and Australia as well.
Unknown, “Myth #3: Gun Control Has Reduced The Crime Rates In Other Countries,” Gun
Owners of America, http://gunowners.org/sk0703.htm, September 2008
2. Fact: Gun control has done nothing to keep crime rates from rising in many of the nations that have
imposed severe firearms restrictions.
* Australia: Readers of the USA Today newspaper discovered in 2002 that, "Since
Australia's 1996 laws banning most guns and making it a crime to use a gun
defensively, armed robberies rose by 51%, unarmed robberies by 37%, assaults by
24% and kidnappings by 43%. While murders fell by 3%, manslaughter rose by
16%."2
* Canada: After enacting stringent gun control laws in 1991 and 1995, Canada has not
made its citizens any safer. "The contrast between the criminal violence rates in the United States
and in Canada is dramatic," says Canadian criminologist Gary Mauser in 2003. "Over the past
decade, the rate of violent crime in Canada has increased while in the United States
the violent crime rate has plummeted."
Guns, especially handguns, are valued by American citizens because of the security and
self defense they provide. According to Larry Elder in 2005, research conducted by Gary
Kleck has suggested that using a gun in self defense has saved lives.
Larry Elder, earned J.D. from University of Michigan Law School, “How Often do Americans
Use Guns for Defensive Purposes?”
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46085, September 2005
Criminologist and researcher Gary Kleck, using his own commissioned phone surveys and
number extrapolation, estimates that 2.5 million Americans use guns for defensive
purposes each year. He further found that of those who had used guns defensively,
one in six believed someone would have been dead if they had not resorted to their
defensive use of firearms. That corresponds to approximately 400,000 of Kleck's
estimated 2.5 million defensive gun uses. Kleck points out that if only one-tenth of the people
were right about saving a life, the number of people saved annually by guns would still be at least 40,000.
Contention 2: Banning the ownership of handguns would have a negative effect on our
economy.
This is an aspect that is not often considered by those working to ban the possession of
guns. By outlawing the ownership of handguns, companies would suffer and possibly be
forced out of business.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, “Annual Firearms Manufacturing and
Export Report,” http://www.atf.gov/statistics/download/afmer/2010-interim-firearmsmanufacturing-export-report.pdf, 2010
A report by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has found that
slightly more handguns were manufactured in 2010 than rifles, shotguns, or other types
of long guns. Over half of the demand for guns would suddenly be non-existent. This
could cause many handgun and handgun ammunition companies to go out of business
and others to suffer significant loss because of the reduction in demand for handguns.
Manufacturers of handguns would also be put out of business and workers would be laid
off. An affect as significant as this cannot be beneficial to the economy, especially in the
state it is in currently. In order to maintain a stable economy, we cannot consider a ban on
handguns.
Definitions
The definition of possession, meaning something owned or held
Encarta World English Dictionary, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 1999
The act or state of owning or holding something
The definition of possession, meaning ownership
Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/possession?show=0&t=1311035093, 2011
The act of having or taking into control
The definition of handgun, meaning a gun that can be held in the hand
Encarta World English Dictionary, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 1999
A gun that can be held and fired in one hand
The definition of ought, meaning moral duty
Encarta World English Dictionary, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 1999
Indicates that someone has a moral duty or obligation to do something or that it is
morally right to do something
The definition of individual, meaning particular person
Encarta World English Dictionary, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 1999
A particular person, distinct from others in a group
The definition of right, meaning given by the law
Encarta World English Dictionary, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 1999
An entitlement granted under law
The definition of right, meaning a legal claim
Dictionary.com, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/right, 2011
Sometimes, rights. that which is due to anyone by just claim, legal guarantees, moral
principles, etc.
The definition of consequentialism as determining the morality of an action based on its
consequences
Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Chauncey Stillman Professor in Practical Ethics Department
of Philosophy, Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University, “Consequentialism,”
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy,
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/consequentialism/#WhaCon, May 2003, revised February
2006
Consequentialism, as its name suggests, is the view that normative properties
depend only on consequences. This general approach can be applied at different levels
to different normative properties of different kinds of things, but the most prominent
example is consequentialism about the moral rightness of acts, which holds that whether
an act is morally right depends only on the consequences of that act or of something
related to that act, such as the motive behind the act or a general rule requiring acts of the
same kind.
The definition of constitutionality as authorized by a constitution of a society
Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated,
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constitutional, 2011
Being in accordance with or authorized by the constitution of a state or society
Affirmative Evidence
Handguns are not likely to be used for self defense
Unknown, “Statistics, Gun Control Issues, and Safety,”
http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/GUNS/GUNSTAT.html, 2011
The issue of "home defense" or protection against intruders or assailants may well be
misrepresented. A study of 626 shootings in or around a residence in three U.S. cities
revealed that, for every time a gun in the home was used in a self-defense or legally
justifiable shooting, there were four unintentional shootings, seven criminal assaults
or homicides, and 11 attempted or completed suicides (Kellermann et al, 1998). Over
50% of all households in the U.S. admit to having firearms (Nelson et al, 1987). In
another study, regardless of storage practice, type of gun, or number of firearms in
the home, having a gun in the home was associated with an increased risk of firearm
homicide and suicide in the home (Dahlberg, Ikeda and Kresnow, 2004). Persons who
own a gun and who engage in abuse of intimate partners such as a spouse are more
likely to use a gun to threaten their intimate partner. (Rothman et al, 2005).
Individuals in possession of a gun at the time of an assault are 4.46 times more likely
to be shot in the assault than persons not in possession (Branas et al, 2009). It would
appear that, rather than beign used for defense, most of these weapons inflict injuries on
the owners and their families.
Most gun-related crimes are committed with handguns, especially homicides
Legal Community Against Violence, “Regulating Guns in America,”
http://www.lcav.org/publications-briefs/reports_analyses/RegGuns.entire.report.pdf,
2008
Handguns are a particular focus of regulatory efforts – up to and including total bans –
because of their frequent use in violent crime as compared to other firearms. From 1993
to 2001, an average of 737, 360 violent crimes were committed with handguns in the
U.S. each year, making handguns seven times more likely to be used to commit
violent crimes than other firearms. Although handguns make up only 34% of
firearms, approximately 80% of firearm homicides are committed with a handgun.
Women face an especially high risk of handgun violence. In 2005, 72% of female
homicide victims were killed with a handgun.
Gun-related child deaths occur most often in states with the most gun ownership
Kyla Boyse, Registered Nurse, “Gun Safety for Kids and Youth,”
http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/guns.htm, 2010
When researchers studied the 30,000 accidental gun deaths of Americans of all ages that
occurred between 1979-1997, they found that preschoolers aged 0-4 were 17 times
more likely to die from a gun accident in the 4 states with the most guns versus the 4
states with the least guns. Likewise, school kids aged 5-14 were over 13 times more
at risk of accidental firearm death in the states with high gun ownership rates. The
findings indicate that gun availability is associated with accidental death by
shooting.
Adults living in a home with a gun are at a greater risk of being injured or killed
unintentionally or committing suicide
Legal Community Against Violence, “Regulating Guns in America,”
http://www.lcav.org/publications-briefs/reports_analyses/RegGuns.entire.report.pdf,
2008
Several studies have documented the risks associated with guns in the home. Adults
living in homes with guns are at a significantly higher risk of homicide and suicide than
adults in homes without guns. The risk of unintentional firearm injury is also
substantially higher for adults living in homes with guns, with handguns in the
home posing a particular threat. For every incident in which a gun in the home is
used in self-defense or in another legally-justified shooting, there are 22
unintentional or criminal shootings or suicide attempts using a gun kept at home.
Handgun bans have been shown to substantially reduce crime rates – specifically
homicides
Legal Community Against Violence, “Regulating Guns in America,”
http://www.lcav.org/publications-briefs/reports_analyses/RegGuns.entire.report.pdf,
2008
A 1991 study documented the effectiveness of Washington D.C.’s law banning handguns.
Following the enactment of the ban in 1976, there was a 25% decline in homicides
committed with firearms and a 23% decline in suicides committed with firearms within
the District of Columbia. No similar reductions were observed in the number of
homicides or suicides committed by other means, nor were similar reductions found in
the adjacent metropolitan areas in Maryland and Virginia. A recent study concluded that,
as a result of the District’s handgun ban, the District of Columbia had the lowest rate of
youth suicide in the nation – lower than any state.
The District of Columbia’s handgun ban saved 47 lives per year, according to a study
from the University of Maryland
Unknown, “Has DC’s Handgun Ban Prevented Bloodshed?” Washington Post,
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/14/supremecourt/main3941010.shtml, February
2009
Yet that year, a study released by University of Maryland criminologists in the New
England Journal of Medicine suggested the gun ban had saved lives in the decade before.
They argued the ban had prevented 47 deaths per year in D.C., both suicides and
murders. Surrounding areas in Maryland and Virginia had not seen a corresponding drop
in gun crime.
In the United States, guns can be bought and sold privately between individuals, meaning
they are sold without a background check
Philip Cook, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Research at Duke Stanford, “Guns in
America: National Survey on Private Ownership and Use of Firearms,”
https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/165476.pdf, May 1997
To date, little information has been available about gun flows in the United States. The
potential importance of this information is its use in evaluating regulation of firearms
commerce. For example, the Gun Control Act of 1968 restricts interstate shipments
to federally licensed firearm dealers (FFLs), who in turn are required to follow laws
regulating retail transfers. Transactions not involving FFLs, known as the
"secondary market," typically do not require recordkeeping and are exempt from
the Federal requirement (for handguns) of a waiting period and criminal record
check. Moreover, secondary market transactions are not subject to regulatory
oversight. Thus, knowing the volume of informal transfers that do or do not involve
FFLs would be useful.
Negative Evidence
Guns provide the public with a self defense mechanism
"Gun Control Facts." James D. Agresti and Reid K. Smith,
http://justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp#crime, September 13, 2010, revised December 22,
2010
Based on survey data from a 2000 study published in the Journal of Quantitative
Criminology, U.S. civilians use guns to defend themselves and others from crime at least
989,883 times per year.
Strict handgun laws, like those in the United Kingdom, are not effective at reducing the
crime rate
BBC News, “Handgun Crime ‘Up’ Despite Ban,”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1440764.stm, July 2001
A new study suggests the use of handguns in crime rose by 40% in the two years
after the weapons were banned.
The research, commissioned by the Countryside Alliance's Campaign for Shooting, has
concluded that existing laws are targeting legitimate users of firearms rather than
criminals.
The ban on ownership of handguns was introduced in 1997 as a result of the
Dunblane massacre, when Thomas Hamilton opened fire at a primary school leaving 16
children and their teacher dead.
But the report suggests that despite the restrictions on ownership the use of handguns in
crime is rising.
The Centre for Defence Studies at Kings College in London, which carried out the
research, said the number of crimes in which a handgun was reported increased
from 2,648 in 1997/98 to 3,685 in 1999/2000.
It also said there was no link between high levels of gun crime and areas where there
were still high levels of lawful gun possession.
Of the 20 police areas with the lowest number of legally held firearms, 10 had an
above average level of gun crime.
And of the 20 police areas with the highest levels of legally held guns only two had
armed crime levels above the average.
Crime rates in other countries – like Australia and Canada – have increased as a result of
stringent gun control laws
Unknown, “Myth #3: Gun Control Has Reduced The Crime Rates In Other Countries,”
Gun Owners of America, http://gunowners.org/sk0703.htm, September 2008
2. Fact: Gun control has done nothing to keep crime rates from rising in many of the
nations that have imposed severe firearms restrictions.
* Australia: Readers of the USA Today newspaper discovered in 2002 that, "Since
Australia's 1996 laws banning most guns and making it a crime to use a gun
defensively, armed robberies rose by 51%, unarmed robberies by 37%, assaults by
24% and kidnappings by 43%. While murders fell by 3%, manslaughter rose by
16%."2
* Canada: After enacting stringent gun control laws in 1991 and 1995, Canada has
not made its citizens any safer. "The contrast between the criminal violence rates in the
United States and in Canada is dramatic," says Canadian criminologist Gary Mauser in
2003. "Over the past decade, the rate of violent crime in Canada has increased while
in the United States the violent crime rate has plummeted."
Using a gun in self defense has been shown to save 400,000 lives per year
Larry Elder, earned J.D. from University of Michigan Law School, “How Often do
Americans Use Guns for Defensive Purposes?”
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46085, September 2005
Criminologist and researcher Gary Kleck, using his own commissioned phone surveys
and number extrapolation, estimates that 2.5 million Americans use guns for defensive
purposes each year. He further found that of those who had used guns defensively,
one in six believed someone would have been dead if they had not resorted to their
defensive use of firearms. That corresponds to approximately 400,000 of Kleck's
estimated 2.5 million defensive gun uses. Kleck points out that if only one-tenth of the
people were right about saving a life, the number of people saved annually by guns would
still be at least 40,000.
More handguns are manufactured in the United States than rifles and shotguns
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, “Annual Firearms Manufacturing
and Export Report,” http://www.atf.gov/statistics/download/afmer/2010-interim-firearmsmanufacturing-export-report.pdf, 2010
MANUFACTURED
PISTOLS
TO .22 372,710
TO .25 21,375
TO .32 39,777
TO .380 665,510
TO 9MM 629,995
TO .50 498,504
REVOLVERS
TO .22 129,970
TO .32 8,464
TO .357 MAG 126,518
TO .38 SPEC 209,556
TO .44 MAG 43,619
TO .50 28,791
TOTAL 2,227,871
TOTAL 546,918
RIFLES 1,825,774
SHOTGUNS 743,362
MISC. FIREARMS 59,789
Affirmative Response to “handgun ownership decreases the crime rate”
- Legal Community Against Violence, “Regulating Guns in America,”
http://www.lcav.org/publications-briefs/reports_analyses/RegGuns.entire.report.pdf,
2008
A 1991 study documented the effectiveness of Washington D.C.’s law banning handguns.
Following the enactment of the ban in 1976, there was a 25% decline in homicides
committed with firearms and a 23% decline in suicides committed with firearms within
the District of Columbia. No similar reductions were observed in the number of
homicides or suicides committed by other means, nor were similar reductions found in
the adjacent metropolitan areas in Maryland and Virginia. A recent study concluded that,
as a result of the District’s handgun ban, the District of Columbia had the lowest rate of
youth suicide in the nation – lower than any state.
Affirmative Response to “handguns are an effective self defense mechanism”
- Unknown, “Statistics, Gun Control Issues, and Safety,”
http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/GUNS/GUNSTAT.html, 2011
The issue of "home defense" or protection against intruders or assailants may well be
misrepresented. A study of 626 shootings in or around a residence in three U.S. cities
revealed that, for every time a gun in the home was used in a self-defense or legally
justifiable shooting, there were four unintentional shootings, seven criminal assaults
or homicides, and 11 attempted or completed suicides (Kellermann et al, 1998). Over
50% of all households in the U.S. admit to having firearms (Nelson et al, 1987). In
another study, regardless of storage practice, type of gun, or number of firearms in
the home, having a gun in the home was associated with an increased risk of firearm
homicide and suicide in the home (Dahlberg, Ikeda and Kresnow, 2004). Persons who
own a gun and who engage in abuse of intimate partners such as a spouse are more
likely to use a gun to threaten their intimate partner. (Rothman et al, 2005).
Individuals in possession of a gun at the time of an assault are 4.46 times more likely
to be shot in the assault than persons not in possession (Branas et al, 2009). It would
appear that, rather than beign used for defense, most of these weapons inflict injuries on
the owners and their families.
Affirmative Response to “prohibiting gun ownership will not reduce gun-related
accidents”
- Kyla Boyse, Registered Nurse, “Gun Safety for Kids and Youth,”
http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/guns.htm, 2010
When researchers studied the 30,000 accidental gun deaths of Americans of all ages that
occurred between 1979-1997, they found that preschoolers aged 0-4 were 17 times
more likely to die from a gun accident in the 4 states with the most guns versus the 4
states with the least guns. Likewise, school kids aged 5-14 were over 13 times more
at risk of accidental firearm death in the states with high gun ownership rates. The
findings indicate that gun availability is associated with accidental death by
shooting.
- Legal Community Against Violence, “Regulating Guns in America,”
http://www.lcav.org/publications-briefs/reports_analyses/RegGuns.entire.report.pdf,
2008
Several studies have documented the risks associated with guns in the home. Adults
living in homes with guns are at a significantly higher risk of homicide and suicide than
adults in homes without guns. The risk of unintentional firearm injury is also
substantially higher for adults living in homes with guns, with handguns in the
home posing a particular threat. For every incident in which a gun in the home is
used in self-defense or in another legally-justified shooting, there are 22
unintentional or criminal shootings or suicide attempts using a gun kept at home.
Affirmative Response to maximization of individual rights and constitutionality
- Michael Beard, Executive Director National Coalition to Ban Handguns, “National
Coalition to Ban Handguns Statement on the Second Amendment,”
http://www.guncite.com/journals/senrpt/senrpt27.html, June 1981
The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution 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." Some people claim that this amendment prohibits the federal
government from interfering with their private "right to bear arms." However, in every
instance where the Supreme Court has ruled on the Second Amendment or
discussed it in a footnote or dicta their position has been uniformly in favor of
interpreting the Second Amendment as a collective right of the several states and
not as an individual right.
- Kyla Boyse, Registered Nurse, “Gun Safety for Kids and Youth,”
http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/guns.htm, 2010
When researchers studied the 30,000 accidental gun deaths of Americans of all ages that
occurred between 1979-1997, they found that preschoolers aged 0-4 were 17 times
more likely to die from a gun accident in the 4 states with the most guns versus the 4
states with the least guns. Likewise, school kids aged 5-14 were over 13 times more
at risk of accidental firearm death in the states with high gun ownership rates. The
findings indicate that gun availability is associated with accidental death by
shooting.
- Legal Community Against Violence, “Regulating Guns in America,”
http://www.lcav.org/publications-briefs/reports_analyses/RegGuns.entire.report.pdf,
2008
Several studies have documented the risks associated with guns in the home. Adults
living in homes with guns are at a significantly higher risk of homicide and suicide than
adults in homes without guns. The risk of unintentional firearm injury is also
substantially higher for adults living in homes with guns, with handguns in the
home posing a particular threat. For every incident in which a gun in the home is
used in self-defense or in another legally-justified shooting, there are 22
unintentional or criminal shootings or suicide attempts using a gun kept at home.
(Constitution is there to be amended if something needs fixed. Handguns cause more
harm than good, so the individual right should be taken away and the Constitution
amended.)
Negative Response to “handgun ban would reduce the crime rate”
- BBC News, “Handgun Crime ‘Up’ Despite Ban,”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1440764.stm, July 2001
A new study suggests the use of handguns in crime rose by 40% in the two years
after the weapons were banned.
The research, commissioned by the Countryside Alliance's Campaign for Shooting, has
concluded that existing laws are targeting legitimate users of firearms rather than
criminals.
The ban on ownership of handguns was introduced in 1997 as a result of the
Dunblane massacre, when Thomas Hamilton opened fire at a primary school leaving 16
children and their teacher dead.
But the report suggests that despite the restrictions on ownership the use of handguns in
crime is rising.
The Centre for Defence Studies at Kings College in London, which carried out the
research, said the number of crimes in which a handgun was reported increased
from 2,648 in 1997/98 to 3,685 in 1999/2000.
It also said there was no link between high levels of gun crime and areas where there
were still high levels of lawful gun possession.
Of the 20 police areas with the lowest number of legally held firearms, 10 had an
above average level of gun crime.
And of the 20 police areas with the highest levels of legally held guns only two had
armed crime levels above the average.
- Unknown, “Myth #3: Gun Control Has Reduced The Crime Rates In Other Countries,”
Gun Owners of America, http://gunowners.org/sk0703.htm, September 2008
2. Fact: Gun control has done nothing to keep crime rates from rising in many of the
nations that have imposed severe firearms restrictions.
* Australia: Readers of the USA Today newspaper discovered in 2002 that, "Since
Australia's 1996 laws banning most guns and making it a crime to use a gun
defensively, armed robberies rose by 51%, unarmed robberies by 37%, assaults by
24% and kidnappings by 43%. While murders fell by 3%, manslaughter rose by
16%."2
* Canada: After enacting stringent gun control laws in 1991 and 1995, Canada has
not made its citizens any safer. "The contrast between the criminal violence rates in the
United States and in Canada is dramatic," says Canadian criminologist Gary Mauser in
2003. "Over the past decade, the rate of violent crime in Canada has increased while
in the United States the violent crime rate has plummeted."
Negative Response to “handguns are not a useful self defense mechanism”
- Larry Elder, earned J.D. from University of Michigan Law School, “How Often do
Americans Use Guns for Defensive Purposes?”
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46085, September 2005
Criminologist and researcher Gary Kleck, using his own commissioned phone surveys
and number extrapolation, estimates that 2.5 million Americans use guns for defensive
purposes each year. He further found that of those who had used guns defensively,
one in six believed someone would have been dead if they had not resorted to their
defensive use of firearms. That corresponds to approximately 400,000 of Kleck's
estimated 2.5 million defensive gun uses. Kleck points out that if only one-tenth of the
people were right about saving a life, the number of people saved annually by guns would
still be at least 40,000.
Negative Response to public safety and consequentialism
- BBC News, “Handgun Crime ‘Up’ Despite Ban,”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1440764.stm, July 2001
A new study suggests the use of handguns in crime rose by 40% in the two years
after the weapons were banned.
The research, commissioned by the Countryside Alliance's Campaign for Shooting, has
concluded that existing laws are targeting legitimate users of firearms rather than
criminals.
The ban on ownership of handguns was introduced in 1997 as a result of the
Dunblane massacre, when Thomas Hamilton opened fire at a primary school leaving 16
children and their teacher dead.
But the report suggests that despite the restrictions on ownership the use of handguns in
crime is rising.
The Centre for Defence Studies at Kings College in London, which carried out the
research, said the number of crimes in which a handgun was reported increased
from 2,648 in 1997/98 to 3,685 in 1999/2000.
It also said there was no link between high levels of gun crime and areas where there
were still high levels of lawful gun possession.
Of the 20 police areas with the lowest number of legally held firearms, 10 had an
above average level of gun crime.
And of the 20 police areas with the highest levels of legally held guns only two had
armed crime levels above the average.
- Unknown, “Myth #3: Gun Control Has Reduced The Crime Rates In Other Countries,”
Gun Owners of America, http://gunowners.org/sk0703.htm, September 2008
2. Fact: Gun control has done nothing to keep crime rates from rising in many of the
nations that have imposed severe firearms restrictions.
* Australia: Readers of the USA Today newspaper discovered in 2002 that, "Since
Australia's 1996 laws banning most guns and making it a crime to use a gun
defensively, armed robberies rose by 51%, unarmed robberies by 37%, assaults by
24% and kidnappings by 43%. While murders fell by 3%, manslaughter rose by
16%."2
* Canada: After enacting stringent gun control laws in 1991 and 1995, Canada has
not made its citizens any safer. "The contrast between the criminal violence rates in the
United States and in Canada is dramatic," says Canadian criminologist Gary Mauser in
2003. "Over the past decade, the rate of violent crime in Canada has increased while
in the United States the violent crime rate has plummeted."