We often come across disturbing reports of crazy individuals with assault weapons going on a rampage, killing several innocent people, including children, in public places or schools. Recently, former President of the United States Donald Trump was shot using an AR-style weapon during his campaign rally. While Trump survived, this attack resulted in the death of volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore and left two others critically injured. After this incident, US President Joe Biden renewed a call for Congress to ban assault weapons.
Assault weapons are semi-automatic firearms intended for military use. These weapons are lethal as they can fire quickly and with great power or force. These firearms come with large-capacity magazines, which can hold several bullets without reloading. While some large-capacity magazine holds more than ten bullets, few others can even hold more than 100 bullets. These weapons are used in war, and they can cause maximum destruction. They cannot be used for hunting or self-defense. Hence, there is no reason why Americans need to have access to these dangerous firearms. So, will the banning of such deadly firearms help Americans? Here are 32 reasons why they should impose a ban on assault firearms in the USA.
Ban assault weapons.
Require safe storage of firearms.
Require background checks for all gun sales.
Eliminate gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability.We can and must do these things now.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 17, 2023
Lethality
Assault rifles or weapons can hold high-capacity magazines, which allows shooters to fire bullets at high speed without even reloading. The increased speed and energy of these assault weapons compared to standard firearms might result in critical injuries and even fatalities. Such weapons are dangerous when in the hands of a common man.
Public Safety and Emergency Response
Such attacks in public involving such dangerous assault weapons can result in a large number of injuries and deaths, making it difficult for doctors and police to handle the situation.
Medical Emergencies
It becomes difficult for medical professionals to manage the situation as not only are there more people who get injured, but the damage caused by the bullets is also severe. The more energy the bullets have, the more damage and severe injury they can cause to the body. For example, an AR-15 rifle bullet can travel three times faster and have three times more energy than a handgun with a 9mm bullet. Also, this rifle can shoot 50 rounds of bullets rapidly without even reloading.
Safe Public Event
Banning these dangerous weapons can make public events safer by reducing the risk of mass shootings. These weapons can cause severe damage quickly, with huge causalities in crowded areas like music concerts or sports events, festivals, malls, or schools. By banning such weapons, the risk can be reduced, and the public can be protected.
Decrease Gun Violence
Serious gun violence usually involves the use of deadly assault weapons. Limiting or banning these dangerous firearms can reduce the number of crimes and injuries.
Public Anxiety
The presence of these firearms increases public fear and anxiety. Banning these can make people feel safer, creating a secure and comfortable environment.
Public Confidence
Eliminating these lethal firearms can make people feel safer and more confident, increasing their trust in the law and the government.
Gun Culture Glorification
Glorification of gun culture means presenting guns as heroic and cool in discussions or movies, which can lead people to view guns positively, overlooking the potential dangers or problems that they cause. This can make people resist bans, as they see such laws as a threat to their enjoyment of hunting, sport shooting, or personal expression. Hence, banning weapons can help counteract this glorification, helping to focus more on the safety of people.
Human Life Value
These powerful weapons can cause severe damage quickly. By banning them, tragic incidents that might result in death and even trauma in communities can be prevented. The ban prioritizes the safety of people or the public.
Moral Responsibility
It is our moral responsibility to protect people from unnecessary harm. Assault weapons can pose a serious threat to the public, and banning them can lower the risk of severe or deadly violence.
Hunting
For hunting, it is not suitable to use assault weapons, as these guns fire quickly and can overkill or lead to accidents. Banning these can make hunting safer and responsible.
Child Safety Or School Shootings
There have been frequent school shootings that have killed and injured several innocent kids. The ban on these dangerous weapons can reduce the risk of accidental or mass shootings or school attacks, enhancing security and ensuring child safety.
Suicide
Apparently, the majority of American suicide deaths involve firearms, which can be preventable. As per a report, over 195,000 Americans have died by firearm suicide. Most people attempt suicide during an acute period of mental crisis, using whatever means are available. It is said that if people attempt suicide by gun, there are 40% chances of death than other common methods.
Hence, by banning or limiting access to these lethal weapons to at-risk people during moments of crisis, the suicide rate can be reduced, and lives can be saved.
Enhance Protection For Government
Assault weapons are a major threat to government officials and institutions. Banning these firearms reduces the risk of attacks on government buildings and personnel. It also helps security forces protect public servants and maintain order.
Terrorism
Domestic extremists use assault weapons in their planned attacks. Easy access to these deadly weapons can cause devastating mass shootings. Banning these lethal weapons can control mass destruction or mass casualties.
Police Safety
Assault weapons are dangerous for police officials who might face criminals with powerful guns. Banning these weapons can help limit the amount of powerful firepower available to criminals, making it harder for them to commit violence or crime. This helps police protect themselves and the public so they are not outgunned in risky situations.
Workplace Safety
Workplace safety can be improved by banning these lethal weapons. Having these lethal rifles can turn disputes into deadly incidents if they are brought to the workplace.
Domestic violence
A ban on assault rifles can help reduce domestic violence by limiting access to these firearms. In such incidents, usage of such a powerful gun can cause severe injury or death. If these guns are inaccessible, the victim can have a chance to escape or seek help.
Balancing Rights Along With Public Safety
Banning assault weapons shouldn’t be a political issue. There might be people who might not agree on all aspects of gun control, but many people support the elimination of high-velocity, lethal weapons and high-capacity magazines from the market, which can reduce the incidence of mass murders drastically.
While no single law can eliminate violence completely, and just like other constitutional rights come with conditions for responsible use (such as freedom of speech having limits to prevent harm), Second Amendment rights should also have reasonable restrictions to ensure safety.
Prioritizing Public Safety Above Personal Gun Ownership
There may be people who don’t want a ban on such weapons because they enjoy hunting or using them for sport, but this cannot be prioritized over the safety of the public, especially children safety. Hence, rather than focusing on active-shooter drills to prepare children for emergencies, it is better to address the root cause of the problem by passing legislation to ban these lethal weapons from civilians.
Ban Can Impact Society- Evidence From Studies
In 2004, a study by the University of Pennsylvania examined the effect of the assault weapons ban. According to the study, the number of crimes involving assault weapons decreased, but crimes involving high-capacity magazines did not decrease. The study’s main author, Christopher Koper, noted that the impact was slow, which might be because not all existing weapons and magazines were covered in the ban. He noted that the effects are still in process and might not be felt for several years.
In 2004, the US Department of Justice observed that several cities and jurisdictions reported a decrease in the number of assault weapons recovered from crime scenes after the ban.
As per a study of public mass shootings from 1982 to 2011, both state and federal bans on assault weapons resulted in a decline in mass shooting fatalities. This is also linked to a decrease in the number of injuries caused by mass shootings.
Misuse of Weapons
These weapons can be dangerously misused. From accidental injuries, suicide, and violent attacks to criminal activities, these weapons can cause significant harm to the public if they fall into the wrong hands or are not handled carefully.
Criminal Activities
The misuse of these dangerous weapons can lead to an increase in several dangerous criminal activities like murder, mass shootings, robberies, home invasions, terrorism, and drug trafficking. Almost all these activities have an increased chance of severe harm. Hence, it is important to implement strict rules to prevent these weapons from falling into the wrong hands.
Accidental Injuries
Assault rifles can increase the risk of accidental injuries (especially in the case of high-capacity magazines) to both the owners and others. For instance, if the gun is not properly locked or handled carelessly, someone can pull the trigger accidentally, which might result in unintended injuries. Lack of proper training or malfunctions in the device might also cause it to fire unexpectedly.
State-Level Bans
Several states and Washington, DC, have laws banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. However, these efforts are less effective because of the lack of strong federal laws to implement national bans, as people can purchase such weapons in states that have fewer restrictions.
Federal and state regulations are Not Sufficient
The current federal and state regulations are not enough to solve the issue completely since they do not concentrate on limiting the large number of assault weapons already in circulation. Although laws may limit new sales, they don’t affect the existing weapons that civilians already have or own. So, the danger of such weapons being in the public is still present.
Comparing the Cost Of Doing Nothing & Taking Action
Spending money to buy back weapons from current owners, stop assault weapons from circulating, and ban them now can be worth it compared to the expenses caused by the violence it can create.
Deadly Mass Shooting
A mass shooting is a violent crime that involves one or more attackers killing four or more people in public or semi-public. A US non-profit research group, The Violence Project, reported that compared to other categories of gun crimes, firearms have been disproportionately used in mass shootings. In 1966, 52 of the 189 such incidents used assault weapons. The analysis also revealed that 17 of the 33 deadliest mass shootings in the US since 1966 were carried out with assault weapons.
Popularity & Distribution
The popularity and distribution of assault rifles, which are marketed as modern sporting rifles, have increased since the 1994 ban ended. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, at least 24 million of these rifles have been in circulation since 2022.
Public support
As per the 2013 Johns Hopkins University poll, 69% of respondents supported a ban on the sale of military-style assault rifles, and 68.4% supported a ban on large-capacity magazines that hold more than ten bullets.
As per a Gallup article (2019), about 60% of Americans support a ban on assault rifles, similar to the one that existed in the US from 1994-2004
Health and Safety Concerns
The League of Women Voters of the US and other organizations believe that having too many semiautomatic weapons is a serious health and safety problem. They support strict federal measures to control the accessibility and regulate private citizens’ ownership of these weapons.
Recent Legislative Action
In the current 118th Congress, there are bills that make it illegal to import, manufacture, transfer, sell, or possess a semiautomatic weapon or large-capacity magazine.
