With increasing gun violence in the United States, gun control has become a major topic of discussion. Whether for political or personal reasons, Americans continually debate this issue as it continues to rage across the country. After the Sandy Hook massacre, many people called for a stricter interpretation of the Second Amendment. After the Boston Marathon bombing, Americans felt they had to maintain some form of self-defense since the government clearly could not protect them. The Second Amendment states: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” (“Second Amendment”). The debate will continue, but for many, the issue is clear. Americans are guaranteed the right to keep guns in their homes and on their person; therefore, the government should not try to prevent people from having this right. Among gun owners, the reasons for owning a gun have changed. One reason to oppose gun control is protection. National survey finds nearly half of gun owners (forty-eight percent) say the main reason they own a gun is to protect themselves, and most (fifty-eight percent) fear that new laws make it more difficult to protect their guns. homes and families (“Why own a gun?”). According to a U.S. Department of Justice study based on crime data, forty-two percent of Americans will be victims of a violent crime (assault, robbery, rape) during the course. In their lifetime, eighty-three percent of Americans will be victims of an attempted or violent crime, and fifty-two percent of Americans will be victims of an attempted or violent crime more than 'once (United States, according to a survey). data study...... middle of paper ......n the pro-gun control movement wants to see some guns removed from shelves, while others believe they should be banned altogether. Most gun control supporters. believe that "regulations can be developed if gun owners collectively recognize the civic responsibility which, since the earliest days of colonization, has always been inseparable from the civil right to keep and bear arms" (Shultz). It goes without saying that most Americans want to reduce shootings as well as other types of violence. The problem lies in how we should go about reducing the problem. In light of recent mass shootings in the United States, it is no surprise that citizens are in uproar over the issue of gun control. It is important to keep in mind, however, that it is difficult to determine what effect gun control has on reducing crime. That being recognized, our 2nd Amendment right should not be challenged..