Encyclopedia of Opinion
Question
Should we have gun control?
Position1 of 3›
Gun ownership should be controlled
Argument‹3 of 6›

Mandatory training should be required for gun ownership

All gun owners should be effectively trained on how to be a responsible gun owner

The argument

Teaching gun owners the best practices surrounding gun ownership, like checking the firearm to see if it is loaded, keeping one's finger off the trigger until you intend to shoot, and safe storage practices would significantly reduce gun-related accidents and prevent accidental discharges. It would also keep the Second Amendment intact. Switzerland has a stringent firearm training programme and, correspondingly, a far lower rate of gun deaths than the US.

Context

We need to undergo training to use a potentially dangerous power tool on a construction site. We need driving lessons before we can drive a car. Given how dangerous guns are, it only seems right that we should have training for those too.

Premises

[P1]Mandatory training in firearm handling and safe storage would significantly reduce gun-related accidents and accidental discharges. [P2] Requiring training regulates gun ownership without infringing on the Second Amendment right to bear arms. [P3] Switzerland's stringent training programme corresponds with a far lower rate of gun deaths than the US, showing the policy works. [C] Therefore, gun ownership should be controlled by requiring mandatory training.

Counter-arguments

It would violate the Second Amendment by imposing economic restrictions. Not many people can afford a $100+ training course. If the government makes these course a mandatory part of gun ownership, it would only be the middle-class and the wealthy that would purchase guns. This is against the spirit of the Second Amendment.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P3] This would amount to a violation of the Second Amendment.

Framing

- Individual rights are not unassailable. - Only certain people can be trusted with certain rights.

Further reading

Rudolph, Kara E., et al. “Association Between Connecticut’s Permit-to-Purchase Handgun Law and Homicides.” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 105, no. 8, 2015, pp. 49–54. Crossref, doi:10.2105/ajph.2015.302703.