The US has a very open gun policy. Almost everyone can own a gun, as long as you`re not a felon, fugitive or a non-citizen. In fact, you can buy guns directly from gun-shows where the background check is often skipped. Thus everyone can get their hands on a firearm. For instance, the US has more civilian guns per person than any other nation.
Every year, we hear about new gun accidents or school shootings. Recently a 9-year old girl killed a gun instructor while shooting an Uzi in the firing range. Would you let a 9-year old handle an automatic weapon?
Banning firearms could reduce the murder and crime rate in the US dramatically. For example, 68% of all murder weapons in the United States are firearms.
Gun-lovers often say that since there are so many guns spread across the country, there is no way of making everyone hand their guns in and making the US gun-free. Well, after the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre in Australia where 36 people died, the Australian government banned all automatic and semi-automatic firearms and they started a buyback program of guns. 650 thousand firearms were handed in for 360 million dollars. The program was a success.
Do you think America should start banning firearms and starting a buyback program? Discuss.
Sources:
http://www.businessinsider.com/americas-gun-problem-explained-2013-4?op=1
http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/jan/10/gun-crime-us-state
Professor HS 