In America today, any talk relating to guns and gun control can often get heated. Opinions on this topic often fall to polar extremes. Some people believe strongly that gun control is a must,  while others believe that it is their constitutional right.

In the same vein, some Americans think that background checks before purchasing a gun should be coded into law while others think that such actions tread dangerously close to violating the Second Amendment.

Those in favor of making background checks a national requirement do so on the back of the argument that these checks make it considerably easier to enforce federal and state gun laws. At the moment, several categories of individuals are prohibited from legally owning firearms. At the top of this list are fugitives, convicted felons, and people who are or have been committed to mental health facilities.

To these people, running a background check is arguably the only way to effectively keep guns in safe hands.

On the flip side, the argument can be made that making background checks mandatory before guns can be purchased effectively makes it harder for the average American to get their hands on a firearm. And, when you have to strive to get something that should be yours by right, some believe that tyranny and oppression are not far behind.

Beyond threatening one of the greatest legacies of the Founding Fathers, some believe that these background checks may be a colossal waste of time, even when conducted, as checks can be easily bypassed by determined crooks.

And so, the question that’s up for debate is, should there be a national requirement for background checks on the purchase of a gun?