“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.” This statement, endlessly quoted and debated and parsed, stands as one of the fundamental pieces of the Bill of Rights. Countless debates on the national level have tried to decipher what exactly the “right to bear arms” means. When more and more innocent people are being killed at the hands of gun violence, it is time to evaluate our current lack of restrictions and checks on guns in the United States. The lack of restrictions on guns coupled with the fact that ordinary citizens can own assault rifles and military-grade weapons is an impetus for the gun violence that has become seemingly ubiquitous in the past years. The United …show more content…
According to the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993, “if the FFL has not been notified within three business days that the sale would violate federal or state laws, the sale may proceed by default.” Three days is not a sufficient period of time to comprehensively assess someone’s mental condition and their ability to safely carry a gun. Another problem regarding mental health background checks is the number of mental health cases that go unreported. Without records detailing a prospective gun buyer’s mental health, there is insufficient evidence to prevent them from buying a firearm. In terms of criminal history, the three-day rule still applies. Additionally, background checks are only mandatory through federally licensed firearms dealers. If ex-convicts were to buy from private sellers, they could buy firearms unrestricted by legislation. The lack of legislation surrounding mental health and criminal history background checks increases the likelihood of firearms falling into the hands of those more likely to abuse
Guns are one of the most controversial and debated-upon topics in America today. In the Constitution, Americans are given “the right to bear arms,” and many Americans are proud of and believe strongly in that right. Though, that right has been constantly misused. Homicides by gun are at a higher rate in the United States than any other country in the world, mass shootings are at an all time high (many of which have occurred in the past two years alone), and terrorism has been at an all-time high. So, naturally, it is a topic that needs to be discussed. In the articles Change Your Gun Laws, America (1), author Fareed Zakaria provides the readers with some harrowing statistics on guns and insight over how the U.S. laws on guns need to be managed.
How about hunter where would we be without them? Can you imagine not being able to go
America needs to institute, and initiate gun control laws throughout the entire nation. But not everybody who inhabits the United States believes in regulating arms. Those who are against establishing gun laws argue that gun control directly infringes upon their “right to bear arms” granted to them by the 2nd Amendment. Anti gun control supporters, such as the National Rifle Association, often claim that the act of regulating guns is a sufficient reason why such an Amendment was introduced in the constitution; to protect themselves from any and all forms of violation of civil liberties and freedom. Supporters of anti gun laws are unwilling to welcome any interpretations of the 2nd Amendment that do not match up “word for word,” as was written in the Bill of Rights.
The right to own a fire arm is a currently a controversial topic in the United States, with many pros and cons to either side. However, it is a constitutional right that the Founding Fathers gave the citizens for a myriad of reasons. By taking away this right from the people, it is a violation of their constitutional rights and limits their freedoms, which goes against everything our country is founded on. One reason why citizens should be allowed to bear arms is that owning a fire arm gives owners protection in the event that an individual intends to do harm. Another reason, is that farmers need guns for their way of life. Lastly, having a gun enables you to defend the country in the event that we are invaded.
Only this month, 59 were killed and over 500 people were injured during a country music concert in Vegas in what is now known as the deadliest mass shooting in American history. Last year, 49 were killed and 58 were injured in a gay nightclub in Florida. In 2012, a mass shooting in Sandy Hook Elementary School took 27 lives, 20 of them being first graders. The list of these unthinkable and stomach-churning acts is quickly turning endless, forcing us to rethink why we truly have the right to bear arms. Many defend the second amendment by claiming we need this right for self defense, which is the most wretched part.When we look at what we have lost compared to what we have earned in this fight to keep the right to bear arms, this privilege does not seem worth the sacrifice of so many lives. In today’s world, we do not defense through guns but from them. Our policymakers keep trying to reach a compromise by putting in place certain regulations. “Some states require would-be gun owners to fulfill a firearms safety course in order to obtain their license.” “Such training courses, however, even when not required, are very advisable for the would-be gun owner, as they ensure that he or she has all the necessary information on liability issues, on safety, and even on care and maintenance of the gun” ( How to Get a Gun License 1). This lack of attention illustrates that despite the multiple tragedies that have taken place in our nation, some states do not even require a simple safety course that ensures the safety of our people. Furthermore, it is required that one must pass a background check. The questions asked on the test are the following:
"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 " (US Const). Although written over two hundred years ago, the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is still indispensable today. With thousands of innocent Americans murdered from the use of a firearm every year, there is a strong calling for stricter gun-control laws and regulations. Yet, every day United States citizens are forced to use their firearms for protective purposes, frequently saving their lives. While firearms pose a threat when in the wrong hands, restricting their use to only law enforcement is not the answer to ending gun violence. Though the rights granted under the Second Amendment are imperative and must not be stripped away, there are measures that should be taken in order to prevent gun violence, including the expansion of more stringent and thorough background checks and the increase in mental health screening.
Since I was a little girl, I remember hunting season; Dad and Katlyn, my sister, would come home to say they killed a deer. Even though I did not enjoy hunting, I still see how much they love to go; hunting great bonding time for them. My dad taught my sister and me how important gun safety is. He has shown us how to carry a gun properly, never to aim it at anyone, never put our finger on the trigger until ready to shoot, and always leave the safety button on until ready to shoot as well. In my house guns are always hidden or locked up in a safe, only Dad knows the combination, so no intruder can get to them. Guns are a very serious item. I was raised to understand guns are not something to joke around about; if they are in the hands
According to The Second Amendment of the Constitution, the citizens of the United States have the right to own and bear arms, in order to form a well-regulated militia for the security of the states. This right has been discussed for decades as an important issue for the American society, and it has been one of the most controversial issues in the second half of the twentieth century until nowadays. This right germinated with the threat to freedom that the standing army of professional soldiers brought to the Americans. Some argued that the right to bear arms is mainly concerned with self-defense while others argued that this right was implemented to avoid militia disarmament and protect the Free State. This right was
In America guns have been a part of the country’s society since it’s birth. Throughout history the citizens of the US have used firearms to protect the nation, protect their families, hunt for food and engage in sporting activities. The issue of Guns and gun control is complex. Weighing the rights and liberties of the individual against the welfare and safety of the public has always been a precarious balancing act. In the United States, gun control is one of these tumultuous issues that has both sides firmly entrenched in their positions. Those parties in favor of gun ownership and the freedom to use and keep arms, rely on the fact that the provision for such rights is enshrined in their constitution. In this climate of
Taking away guns from a country boy is like taking candy from a kid, it’s just not right! More often than not there are posts on social media about how “Obama is taking my guns.” Furthermore, Obama is not going to take your guns! President Obama talked about creating a stricter, safer environment. This topic often gets people fired up. Have you ever heard someone say that it is their right to own guns? They are referring to the Second Amendment and the Right to Bear Arms.
and liberties are in jeopardy. There are threats that come from all around whether it be local or worldwide it should be our right to bear arms against terrors that we might encounter. The military defends us against worldly terrors, however if the military and other defense forces were the only ones who had the right to bear arms what kind of protection will that leave? There is not enough cops in the United States to protect every individual from the crime that happens in their city. For example, if guns are to restricted to the point of being banned safety would become a concern. Cops can only be in so many places at once, when people do not have the opportunity to protect themselves the criminals will see these as opportune targets. “In Connecticut (1643) and at least five other colonies, required "at least one adult man in every house to carry a gun to church or other public meetings" in order to protect against attacks by Native Americans; prevent theft of firearms from unattended homes” (Procons
The right to keep and bear arms was considered a fundamental, individual right in the original 13 colonies from the pre-Revolutionary period through the ratification of the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution in 1791. The 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. The right to keep and bear arms has been a topic of extreme controversy in this century and can be argued equally from both sides. The first side says that it is our constitutional right to keep and bear arms. On the flip side, it is too dangerous and would increase the number of violent crimes. No matter which side is
Deciding what college to choose makes this year monumental in my life, but hopefully not as controversial as the March 1789 in our United States of America. The second amendment of The Bill of Rights is the “right to bear arms”, and was passed by Congress in March 1789. After recent tragic events in our country the controversy surrounding the Second Amendment is just as debatable as ever. It reminds me of a Rahm Emanuel quote I learned in Government class, “You never let a serious crisis go to waste.” But with popular conversations, I believe that we should consider the fact that our founding fathers put this in The Bill of Rights for a reason. They should consider that when creating The Bill of Rights they believed that this amendment was
One of the greatest things about being a United States citizen is that we have freedom thanks to the United States Constitution. A lot of people disagree with the amendments in constitution. The biggest issue people have with the United States Constitution is the second amendment, the right to bear arms. West Virginias Constitution also states “A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home and state, and for lawful hunting and recreational use.” Because of the crime rate in the past decade people want to ban guns and take away peoples right to bear arms because they think if guns were banned that the crime rate would go down. However, if people lost their rights to bear arms, and
The right to bear arms is a wonderful thing. The law is great for multiple reasons and should not be taken away by Obama. Reason one for the right to bear arms is to be used as self defense in case of an attack by another person. Reason two for the right to bear arms helps citizens to save their own life and live a safe life. Reason three, in order to get a gun the person must go under a background check. Reason four, people are excluded if they have a criminal act against someone. Reason five, this law does not carelessly let a person own a firearm.