The United States has become a Nation in which anyone can own a firearm. The Second Amendment, which constitutes the right for an individual to bear arms, has become controversial among the American people. Advocates have struggled to come up with a solution to the ongoing debate of how to reduce gun violence and how not to infringe on the Second Amendment Americans are guaranteed by their Constitution the right to bear arms with good reason; laws seeking to control guns have been ineffective to the point where every citizen in every state should have the right to carry a concealed weapon. In the article “Fundamental Rights And The Right To Bear Arms” Cynthia Stark claims that gun control supporters feel that specific types of firearms and components that make a gun dangerous should be banned. Stark reports how the National Firearms Act of 1934 and the Gun Control Act of 1968 are the two major federal statutes that regulate firearms. Stark argues about the right to own a firearm and if owning a gun is considered a fundamental right to the lives of people. Advocates and opponents of gun control argue the nature and status of the right to bear arms. Opponents of gun control feel that the right to bear arms is …show more content…
A poll was conducted by the Southern States Police Benevolent Association to find the leading cause of crime. They found out that sixty-five percent didn’t think that gun control was an effective method to combat crime (Bejlefeld). Only one percent thought that guns caused crime while forty-eight percent said drug abuse was one of the leading causes of crime (Bejlefeld). Twenty-one percent believed that one of the main causes of crime has to do with the failure of the criminal justice systems (Bejlefeld). This report proves that gun is not the leader in crime and the failure of the justice system is the leading cause of
In the book Guns, Gun Control, and Elections: The Politics and Policy of Firearms, Wilson discusses the complex issue of gun control and the many debates and controversies regarding the issue. Many people throughout the United States feel it is the right as a citizen in the United States to own a weapon, and the government should have no say in the matter. These people believe this because of the part of the Second Amendment that states, “The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.” People who are strong advocates against gun control use this part of the Second Amendment to drive their point across. Advocates against gun control believe that preserving the freedom of a state through a militia is not the only way it should be looked at, these people believe that the amendment also implies a clause that takes into account one’s right for self-defense.
Over the past five years Americans have seen many horrific tragedies related to gun violence. Each of these terrible events has been accompanied with scrutinizing media coverage, and subsequently, a push on government level for increased gun control. On the surface these movements to take away guns from Americans may seem justified because of these events. In reality the federal government is encroaching upon our Second Amendment, the right to bear arms.
The United States Constitution is regarded as the supreme law of the land. When it was drafted over two centuries ago, the goal of the founding fathers was to provide for the general welfare and common defense of all citizens, establish a more perfect Union and insure domestic tranquility for the United States of America. Unfortunately, this tranquility has been disturbed by unnecessary tragedies at the hand of armed individuals. Tragedies like the Sandy Hook shooting and the Columbine massacre, where armed individuals took the life of innocent civilians mercilessly, have shaken our communities and forced us to take a different approach when it comes to gun safety. Gun control has been the topic of many heated debated in recent years. We have, as a nation, become so accustomed to firearms in our everyday lives whether for protection, hunting, or self-defense, that we have forgotten that firearms are dangerous and deadly weapons. The second amendment of the Constitution grants all individuals the right to bear arm; however, this amendment continues to be used and abused by individuals who chose to interpret it differently than it was originally intended. It is our duty, as citizens of this great nation, to open our eyes wide and realize that this problem is not going to fix itself. Although the right for all individual to bear arm is granted and secure in our Constitution, it is imperative for the safety our population to regulate all gun purchases and tighten by the requirements necessary to purchase a firearm in order to prevent further tragedies from occurring.
America is the most well armed nation in the world, with American citizens owning about 270 million of the world’s 875 million firearms (Marshall). Indeed, this is more than a quarter of the world’s registered firearms. The reason why Americans own so many guns is because of the Second Amendment, which 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.” (Rauch) This amendment guarantees U.S. citizens the right to have firearms. Since this amendment is relatively vague, it is up for interpretation, and is often used by gun advocates to argue for lenient gun laws. Hence, gun control is a frequently discussed controversial topic in American politics.
In 1968 Congress passed the Gun Control Act. This act regulates interstate commerce in firearms, making it so that you must be a licensed manufacturer, dealer, or importer. The Gun Control Act was the first attempt at restricting easy access to a firearm. In 1976 the District of Columbia City Council prohibited it’s residents from owning a handgun. Dick Anthony Heller sued the district in 2007 for denying him the right to keep his handgun in his home on Capitol Hill. In June 2008, the Supreme Court ruled the District of Columbia’s handgun ban was unconstitutional. The people of this country believe in their reserved rights, Mr. Heller’s fought for his second amendment right and won, showing the spirit of democracy. Since the Columbine High School shootings in 1999, 27 separate mass shootings have left five or more people dead each time. These randoms acts of violence have taken place in schools (Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech), the workplace (Fort Hood), movie theaters(Aurora, CO) , and even in the church (Charleston, S.C.). Everyday seems to bring new tragedy involving guns, but is it the gun that is killing people or the operator? As with anything, there are pro and cons to the right of own a firearm. With a firearm in your possession, you can protect yourself and your family from just about any threat. Having a gun gives you power over your own life, but this power also extends over someone else life
For years proposals for gun control and the ownership of firearms have been among the most controversial issues in modern American politics. The public debate over guns in the United States is often seen as having two side. Some people passionately assert that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to own guns while others assert that the Second Amendment does no more than protect the right of states to maintain militias. There are many people who insist that the Constitution is a "living document" and that circumstances have changed in regard to an individual’s right to bear arms that the Second Amendment upholds. The Constitution is not a document of total clarity and the Second Amendment is perhaps one of the worst drafted of all its amendments and has left many Americans divided over the true intent.
Americans participated in a great debate through the 60's, 70's, 80's, and into the 90's. It is the argument of whether handguns, shotguns, and rifles should be restricted or banned. This debate over ownership of a firearm has produced strong emotions through the past years and does not seem to be abating. Does the U.S. Constitution give people the right, or should guns be restricted or banned because they are used in the commission of many crimes? Some argue that the right to bear arms is not as vital today as it was in the 1700's, or that it does not apply to individuals.
In the United States today, gun control has become a very big issue in the lives of its citizens. People arguing with each other over whether it is our constitutional right to be able to obtain and bear any kind of arms that we choose or that it only belongs to the militia. Many arguments come up over whether or not just average people can show up at a gun show and sell a gun to any person without giving them a background check first. Not only do they want back ground checks they want restrictions, and bans. Should there be bans on certain kinds of weapons? If so what kind of weapons? Should any person be able to buy a gun anytime or any place? Are people getting the right picture on what guns do for the country or are they getting deprived of information? It was shown that, “Out of 300 evening news segments, anti-gun stories outnumbered pro-gun stories by 164 to 20” (Dickens 1). This is an outstanding number that shows that the media plays a huge role in what people think about the issue of gun control. If all they see is guns involved with murders, and not involved with self-defense; how much longer will we have our guns? All of these things are factoring in to the issue of gun control and how important it is to some people and hated by others. In this paper I will lay out different views, arguments, and issues that could affect gun collectors, hunters, and the every day citizen for years to come.
Gun control is an awfully big issue in the United States today. Many people in America don’t agree with the gun control laws that they have today. Gun control laws only take guns and freedom away from law-abiding citizens. Many citizens have their own reasons for owning a gun. Why would the government want to make it harder for people to own a gun? People that own guns aren’t very likely to be attacked by criminals. Owning a handgun is one of the best ways of protection when used correctly. The second amendment states “the right to bear arms”; does this grant everyone the right to own a gun? Gun control laws have not been proven to do anything for citizens. Gun control laws just make it harder for the good guy average Joe to own a gun. Gun control laws are not a good idea, and are taking part in the loss of our freedom that was given to us.
With the recent increase in gun-related tragedies, politicians have adjusted their stumping to address America's gun laws. Taking a strong position on the gun laws is understandable, as a majority of the American people find themselves on one side of a political dichotomy; the two sides of which seek either to preserve the current gun laws, or to restrict the American people's right to bear arms. The answer to the current hysteria surrounding gun laws lies not on the side of restriction, but on the side of preservation.
Central in the arguments against gun control is its ability to restrict any citizen of the United States the right to own guns which is protected under the constitution. Specifically, due recognition is made to its connection to the 2nd Amendment wherein it seeks to protect the individual liberties of people. This facet also applies to gun ownership regardless of the original objective and intention. “The second amendment from the Bill of Rights grants private citizens the right to bear arms. Thus, people who stand firmly against gun control insist that no legislation, technically, should have the right to take away a citizen’s guns without first repealing the amendment in question” (Groberman 1). A good approach to consider in highlighting this part comes from depriving the citizen of his basic right on the basis of specific presumption that it would be used for violence or crim...
Liberty – the state of being free from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority – is a defining element of American values. The right to liberty from tyranny was a central motivation that fueled the American Revolution and the subsequent founding of the United States. The implications of and limits to liberty have been continually debated and evolved since the revolutionary era and are perhaps more relevant than ever today. One prominent issue pertaining to liberty is gun control. Established by James Madison in the Bill of Rights, the Second Amendment gave citizens “the right to bear arms.” Since then, some lawmakers and citizens have sought to restrict the right to bear arms in an attempt to preserve safety for all. As a result of such
From an ethical standpoint will the use of a gun be morally right or wrong? The answer will depend on what the gun is used against and its purpose for its use. I would think most people would agree that less shooting and gun violence is a good thing, also these people would agree that protecting yourself and feeling secure is surely a good thing. The problem of courses rises when trying to achieve these goals without conflicting ideas. The United States has over 89% of firearms for each 100 individuals, or around 270,000,000 weapons, which is the most noteworthy aggregate and per capita number on the planet. 22% of Americans own one or more weapons; that is 35% of men to 12% of ladies. Since 2013 the support of gun rights in America
Argument Essay Outline I. Introduction After the shocking massacre in Sandy Hook Elementary school, Connecticut, people nationwide had been focused on the debate over gun control. Statistics from “Poll: Support for tighter Gun Checks Ebbs” published by The Wall Street Journal shows that over half of the people support stricter gun controls. President Obama has recently announced twenty three mentioned major executions in his speech: “Now is the Time” to prevent more gun violence. Despite the concern of the people, articles such as “One Year after Newtown, Congress Still Stalled on Gun Control” from the CBS news shows that the Congress had been reluctant on passing such regulations.
“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”). Every American is familiar with this sentence from the United States (U.S.) Constitution, which gives all American citizens the essential right to own and use a firearm. However, many people are challenging this right at this very moment. In fact, it is a constant debate whether guns should be completely banned, restricted, or left alone as they are already. Many people are now questioning how much control the American people should have when it comes to firearms. Guns are definitely a hot topic for our nation right now and people should be informed on the options there