As a country, we need to reevaluate our views on guns. Some people like to use the saying “it’s not the gun that kills, it’s the man holding the gun that kills”. While that is true, that murderous man should not be able to access guns. In addition, more restrictive gun laws would prevent someone from being able to get their hands on these killing devices. Furthermore, several countries around the world have successfully banned guns, and have only benefitted from this decision. The United States should adopt more restrictive gun laws because there are currently enough guns in our country for every man, woman, and child to possess their own and just this year, over 30,000 people have died from gun related incidents (Gun Law and Policy).   

Currently, there are too many guns in the U.S. Our population, as of 2014, equals almost 319 million. The number of guns owned in the U.S., as of 2013 is estimated at about 347 million (Gun Law and Policy). This means that every single person in America can have their own gun, with a surplus. Meanwhile, in 1996, after one of the world’s worst mass shootings, the Australian government collected and destroyed over 600,000 guns (Clark). Since then, there has not been a single mass shooting in Australia. Could the U.S. learn from Australia? The citizens in Australia have no guns, and seem to be doing just fine. Americans have 347 million guns, and have lost more and more lives to these guns every year. Nevertheless, U.S. citizens against restrictive gun laws often use the Second Amendment as an argument for their case. However, this argument holds no weight. The Second Amendment states that “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” (Law Center To Prevent Gun Violence). All this says is that the people of America have the right to form an armed militia in the event the government becomes tyrannical. In this day and age, if our government became tyrannical, the citizens alone would not be able to overthrow this government. The Second Amendment and any weight it once held in the gun laws argument, is obsolete. Laws need to be updated as society advances. After all, it is an amendment.

Unless more gun laws are implemented in the United States, more people will die every year. The U.S has the highest  gun death rate in the world. 32 people per one million people die in the U.S. every year because of guns. The next highest rate goes to Chile, with only 20 per million citizen firearm deaths (Fisher). When looking at these statistics, we must remember that 300 million more people live in the U.S. than in Chile, so our 32 per million holds more significance than Chile’s 20 per million. Additionally, in 2015, there have been 208 mass shootings in America (Gun Violence Archive). A mass shooting is defined as any gun related event during which 4 or more people die. That means at least 832 individuals have died because of mass shootings. Opponents of gun laws argue that in the big picture, 832 deaths is not that big of a number. However, that number, 832, represents human lives. 832 human lives taken in mass shootings. And that’s just mass shootings. The Gun Violence Archive states that there have been 10,843 firearm deaths just in the 300 days that have passed in 2015. When calculated, that turns out as over 36 gun deaths a day. 36 families lose a member each day because of guns. 36 last breaths are taken each day because of guns. 36 human beings cease to exist every day because of guns.

How do we, as a society, change our perspective on guns and gun legislation? We look at the facts. As of 2010, gun violence was the third leading cause of death. More people have died of gun violence in two years than the number of soldiers that died during the Vietnam War, a 20 year long event. 70% of all homicides are gun related (Law Center To Prevent Gun Violence). Tens of thousands of human beings die each year because America is too ignorant to understand the consequences that guns bring to our world. Unrestricted gun violence has gone on long enough in the United States. It’s time for a change.

Works Cited:
Clark, Helen. “Could the U.S. Learn From Australia’s Gun-Control Laws?”. Christian Science Monitor 24 Dec. 2012: N. Page. Ebsco. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.

Fisher, Max. "Chart: The U.S. Has Far More Gun-Related Killings Than Any Other Developed Country." The Washington Post. N.p., 14 Dec. 2012. Web. 27 Oct. 2015.

“Gun Control Overview”. Congressional Digest 92.3 (2013):3. Ebsco. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.

"Gun Violence Archive 2015 Toll of Gun Violence." Gun Violence Archive. Gun Violence Archive, 2015. Web. 27 Oct. 2015.

“Law Center To Prevent Gun Violence.” Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence RSS. Web. 28 Oct. 2015.

“Gun Law And Policy: Firearms and Armed Violence, Country by Country.” Gun Law and Policy: Firearms and armed violence, country by country. Web. 29 Oct. 2015.