Why is gun control so controversial?

Answer 1

Gun control is dangerous because prohibiting gun ownership prevents law-abiding citizens from carrying weapons, therefore leaving them unable to protect themselves.

You see, it's not the law-abiding citizens who are the problem. Criminals who commit violent crimes acquire their weapons illegally, which means they don't have to worry about any sort of waiting period, or whether they're even old enough to have one.

Criminals are going to break the law. Why would we expect them to suddenly deviate from their law-breaking to obey a gun law? That's silly. In a report by John Stossel for 20/20, hardened criminals revealed that gun control laws are irrelevant to them, since they get their weapons from illegal sources. In fact, they said they preferred to rob someone who they knew was NOT carrying a weapon.

Studies by the Department of Justice, among other entities, have revealed that states and municipalities that have enacted tough gun laws not only see no decrease in violence, but violent crimes actually increase after stricter gun laws are enacted (e.g. Washington DC, et al). This is because fewer law abiding citizens are allowed to defend their homes, property, and lives.

"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws only make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assassins; they serve to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."

- Thomas Jefferson

Answer 2

Because this tends to be an emotional issue. When people are basing their decisions on emotions, they tend to have very strong beliefs. When strong beliefs differ from each other, there tends to be controversy.