Small Arms in the States

Ian Grant

12/3/2014

Small Arms in the U.S.

     With the right to own firearms in America, there has been a growing occurrence of civilian casualties from misuse of these firearms. Wars and conflict provide firearms that last for decades without decay or getting rid of them. This growing availability of weapons has been the cause for over 90% of civilian casualties in the last two decades. Gun control must be implemented soon if we want to see improvements to these figures and to protect our civilians from dangerous firearms.

The growing availability of small arms has been a major factor in the increase in the number of conflicts, and in hindering smoother rebuilding and development after a conflict has ended. It is estimated, for example, that there are around half a billion military small arms around the world. Of that half a billion, some 300,000 to half a million people around the world are killed by them each year. They are the major cause of civilian casualties in modern conflicts. "Modern conflicts claim an estimated half a million people each year (iansa.org). 200,000 of these civilians are killed from homicides and suicides and over eighty percent of all these casualties have been civilian. Ninety percent of all civilian casualties are caused by small arms (Oxfam.org). These figures are far higher than the casualty count from conventional weapons.  War related weapons such as tanks, bomber jets or warships. 

Black market trade is also adds to the amount of military weapons put on the streets. "An estimated $2-10 billion U.S. dollars are spent a year on small arms traded through the black market" (iansa.org) Civilians purchase more than 80% of all the firearms that are currently manufactured worldwide each year. There are at least 639 million firearms in the world today, of which 59% are legally held by civilians. What does this say for the people causing the casualties? The main people purchasing these firearms are the civilians whom are also the main victims. We may have the right to bear arms but these figures show that maybe owning guns isn't a proper way of solving this causality issue. We must find a way to regulate these weapons being poured into our society, the more available they become, the harder it will be to protect ourselves from the growing rate of deaths caused by small arms related deaths

     A few solution can be related to gun control, but ultimately it is up to the civilians to regulate themselves and be cautious of those owning firearms. The police and government are doing there part to take as many guns off the streets as possible. Further actions will be needed to crack down on black market purchases and other illegal deals providing guns. Civilians must do their part along side of the police to bring awareness of the dangers and harm that firearms have on our society.