It's the middle of the night; you heard croaks and crackles around the house, and then BAM! You hear a crash, you run downstairs only to see that a burglar has broken into your house and is holding you at gunpoint. What are you doing? Go get a bat? Maybe a knife? No. You need a gun. An already hot topic has become even hotter in recent years. A very controversial issue: gun control. Many people believe in the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms. Firearms have been in America for a long time and some people would like them to go away because they think firearms are no longer necessary. While other people believe that guns may be necessary for many reasons. There are arguments for and against gun control laws. Self defense and protection, but people also think we need gun control laws to prevent violence and shootings. Self-defense is a key issue for those opposed to strict gun control laws. The Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council state that "crime victims who use guns for self-defense have consistently lower injury rates than victims who use other strategies" (Cato), other strategies such as stalling, calling the police or use other weapons. “States that allow registered citizens to carry concealed weapons have lower crime rates than those that do not.” (Lightning). This is a not-so-well-known, but true, fact about gun control. The 31 out of 50 states that allow citizens to carry concealed weapons have, on average, a 24% lower crime rate, a 19% lower homicide rate, and a 39% lower robbery rate than states that do not allow citizens to carry concealed weapons. arm. Many people across the country and even around the world feel much safer with a gun. Some even believe that it is unconstitutional that... half of the paper... of the United States, is necessary for many reasons. Self defense, protection, second amendment rights of the American people. Firearms should not be banned. Not many criminals would follow these stricter gun control laws, that's why they are called "criminals". Considering all the other ways to cause harm, getting rid of guns does not and will never eliminate violence. “Gun control is ultimately the government's attempt to disarm American citizens, thereby making the public easier to control. Gun control is a violation of the rights that Americans have enjoyed for the past 250 years. of guns is simply another consequence of big government and its so-called leaders." Harsh, but true. Regardless of which side you're on, gun control is an issue that has both pros and cons, and it's an ever-growing key topic in modern America and for generations to come..