I stand on the edge of the field and make sure my gun safety is off. Taking aim towards the target twenty feet away, I pull back the hammer on the pistol. When I shoot, the gun kicks back in my hands and makes a loud bang. My first time at shooting is over; I am excited to try it again.

How did guns become synonymous with criminal activity? In 2011, close to 33,000 Americans were victims in gun-related deaths. 268 people are involved in gun-related crimes every day, leading to a total of 97,820 Americans affected per year.1 Is the reason for these crimes the guns themselves? Will creating strict gun laws help lower crime rates? How would Americans be able to protect themselves from criminals if they are not able to arm themselves due to strict gun laws?

Gun advocates hope that with legal concealed-carrier permits, and legal permission for gun holders, the possibilities of mass shootings would be reduced. John Lott, a political commentator and American economist says, “With just one single exception, every public shooting since at least 1950 in the United States in which more than three people have been killed has taken place where citizens are not allowed to carry guns.”2 By not giving legal American shooters a chance to defend themselves against illegal shooters with bad intent, the illegal shooters have an advantage. In a statement released to the public on Fox News, the National Rifle Association stated: “This [Obama] administration should get serious about prosecuting violent criminals who misuse guns and stop focusing its efforts on law-abiding gun owners.”3 Punishing all gun users for the mistakes of criminals who do not even legally own guns is simply wrong.

Back at the range a second time, I try a rifle. A trained professional helps show me how to work the safety, and how to hold the gun correctly. I have earplugs to protect my hearing as I prepare to take my first shot. Carefully, I aim and shoot; the gun kicks back into my shoulder, surely leaving a bruise for later. The pro helps me successfully put the safety on and unload my gun.

Creating tighter gun laws does not guarantee an end to gun-related tragedies. From 1982 to 2012, there have been sixty-one mass shootings in America, forty-nine for which the killers obtained their weapons illegally.4 Looking into a person’s past to check for any unsafe signs of their owning a gun targets the wrong audience. Anyone who applies for a gun permit will most likely not use his or her gun illegally. The National Rifle Association states, “Requiring background checks for corporations and trusts does not keep firearms out of the hands of criminals.”5 Why should law-abiding citizens be subject to extensive control because of the possibility of one nut case? “Where you have the most armed citizens in America, you have the lowest crime rate.” says Ted Nugent, a member of the NRA and a gun owner. Guns are a part of crime, but they also help stop crimes if people are given the chance.

States which allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed handguns have a sixty percent decrease from previous multiple-victim public shootings and a seventy-eight percent decrease in victims per previous individual attacks.7 Certain restricting gun laws help citizens learn how to be safe while using guns, and allow them to protect themselves. Bob Barr, a formal federal prosecutor, and a former member of the House of Representatives says, “It’s not a gun control problem; it’s a cultural control problem.”8 American citizens need the ability to protect themselves safely.

On our drive to the shooting range I think about what it means to know how to shoot a gun. I feel as though I can protect myself while being careful, all because I have gone through the proper training. When we arrive, I now know the routine to get ready to shoot, and quickly begin to follow it. Now that I know the basics, I will be spending much more time here, wanting to learn more.


1. 11 facts about guns; January 11, 2013; http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-guns

2. The Facts about Mass Shootings by John Fund; December 16, 2012; http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/335739/facts-about-mass-shootings-john-fund

3. Administration announces new gun control measure, targets military surplus imports; August 29, 2013; http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/08/29/obama-announces-new-gun-control-measures-targets-military-surplus-imports/

4. A Guide to Mass Shootings in America by Mark Follman, Gavin Aronsen, and Deanna Pan; February 27, 2013; http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/07/mass-shootings-map

5. Administration announces new gun control measure, targets military surplus imports; August 29, 2013; http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/08/29/obama-announces-new-gun-control-measures-targets-military-surplus-imports/

6. Administration announces new gun control measure, targets military surplus imports; August 29, 2013; http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/08/29/obama-announces-new-gun-control-measures-targets-military-surplus-imports/

7. 11 facts about guns; January 11, 2013; http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-guns

8. 23 Thoughts on Gun Control That We Should Probably Listen To Right Now by Brad Winslow; September 19, 2013; http://thoughtcatalog.com/brad-winlsow/2013/09/23-thoughts-on-gun-control-that-we-kinda-need-to-listen-to-right-now/