Gun Control Regulations are Pointless

I have said it before, and will say it again, that I do not know much about guns or the topic of gun control. Because of this, I cannot say that in the past I had a particular opinion as to whether or not guns should be restricted by the government, and I honestly did not see the importance of discussing it years ago, as it seemed arbitrary to me. However, in recent years, the issue of guns has become so prevalent in society that I will concede that it is a relevant topic and is something of importance within our society, enough so that I will share my thoughts.

I would like to begin by saying I believe there is importance in acknowledging the difference between laws and regulations. Laws are necessary limitations that the government has a right to enforce in order to maintain a just society. They must be carried out in society in order to protect the rights we have as individuals. Laws enable government officials to set boundaries that clearly define an act as legal or illegal, giving them the authority to deem acts criminal so that consequences can be carried out. Regulations, on the other hand, are rules that infringe on the individual rights of people within society. They are subjective in nature that give governments the ability to impede on individuals’ rights. Therefore, gun regulations are not something with which I am able to agree.

Ownership of guns is an individualistic pursuit. If someone wants to own a gun because it makes them feel safe, or because they enjoy the sport of hunting, then the government does not have the right to keep them from doing so. As discussed in my book, Virtue of Selfishness, the idea of achieving personal happiness is key in society as “man must live for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself”. I believe that it should be man’s highest moral priority to achieve happiness in and of himself.

Not only do I oppose government regulation on guns as it would strip certain individuals of their ability to be happy, I also do not see the point in imposing pointless rules on the members of a society. I have faith that if a personal is wanting to purchase a gun with the intent of using it in criminal ways, they will find a gun one way or another. Enforcing gun regulations will not going to stop criminals from having them. I do believe that guns are used as tools for murder, such as concealed handguns which are not carried with the intent of killing animals, but I do not think there is a way to decipher if that is the intent of the person buying the gun. Someone with a clean record is not immune to psychotic breaks, so even someone who passes a background check with flying colors could still use their gun in destructive ways. The argument could also be made that the gun is not for the intent of killing others, but for protection in the case of a dangerous situation. Handguns could be used to protect oneself from an attacker. This said, I cannot think of a way to allow individuals to protect themselves without inadvertently giving them the freedom to kill others.

In conclusion, I think that the government should not regulate guns because I stand firm in my opinion of government regulations in general. I believe that people do not have a right to murder, but they do have a right to self defense. I also believe that regulations will not keep criminals from obtaining guns. A gun is simply a tool. In its physical form it does not create any issues. It is the person using it that causes destruction, so regulating the object is not a practical way to prevent the issues that our society faces today. Because of this I am forced to refute the comment made that states, “more people would be safe from mass shootings and homicide” because I disagree that gun regulation would keep homicide and mass shootings from occurring.

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