Guns and gun rights have been a big public debate for many years and will continue to be so since there are a variety of conflicting viewpoints and opinions regarding the topic. It is my opinion that guns do get used for evil, but the amount of times they have saved good and innocent lives should outweigh their role in crime.

In 2013, The National Rifle Association (NRA) reported in 2013 that, “studies indicate that firearms are used over 2 million times a year for personal protection, and that the presence of a firearm, without a shot being fired, prevents crime in many instances”.

A gun does not have to be used in a lethal way to be effective. In several instances, someone who is intending to do something of a criminal nature, such as robbing a bank or home, will see a gun, instantly turn back, and refrain from doing said crime. Taking away the right to own guns will not stop crime, but it will increase the ability of criminals to act without care whilst committing a crime.

Although I agree that law abiding citizens should be able to purchase their own weapons to protect themselves and their loved ones, I believe that common sense gun laws, such as instituting mandatory background checks to prevent putting a gun in the hands of a potential criminal, are necessary.

Clarenz Panesa a freshmen at Cam High, said that “Guns are deadly but if you take them away there will still be knives, bombs, or anything that can be used against someone to inflict pain while giving the victim no chance of surviving.”

I believe that taking away guns from people that follow the law will not stop crimes or deaths, and it is only giving the advantage to the criminals. Criminals would still be able to get their weapons from illegal places, such as the Black Market (a place to buy and sell things that are unsanctioned by the government) which would in turn leave the victim defenseless against them.

In the case of Wesley Chapel, Fla, there was a home invasion reported by Fox 13 in which three armed home invaders who were stopped by the homeowner, who used a gun to defend his home. I am not implying that having a gun in your home will save you from an attack, but it will at least give you and your family a chance to fight back. That chance could be the reason that you are still able to see your loved ones again and live another day.

Banning the Second Amendment, or restricting it until it has no reasonable use, will not help save more lives. For some people in America, having a gun to protect themselves is the only thing they can do to keep their family safe. The politicians who are trying to ban guns are protected by dozens of gun-armed personnel, yet they say that the regular citizen has no need for a gun.

What makes them more worthy of protection than us, the people of this nation?