Gun Politics in the United States Despite the United States having the strictest law on guns, yet mass shooting is still taking place in all states. Not only the country, but also the states have their own laws, which lawmakers and other jurisdictions around the country have passed. All fifty states have their own laws regarding guns. For example, Chicago has had a handgun ban for more than thirty years, yet it is one of top states with shooting murder on rise. Although heaps of rules and regulations are in place, they still aren’t being enforced in a correct matter. Guns indeed are very powerful firearms, which can cause extreme damage such as death. Even though, a plethora of individuals have guns from safety purpose, but when the …show more content…
The second amendment was adopted in 1791 and added to the U.S. Constitution to defend themselves from the enemies; Indian, Spanish and especially British who had tried to overturn the activities of the Militia. Americans during that time looked for a written right that allowed them to keep weapons to defend their families and their country. Even though many argue whether guns should be banned or not in Washington D.C., but in 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court stated in a case known as “District of Columbia v. Heller”. The ruling established that the Second Amendment to the Constitution -- "the right of the people to keep and bear arms" -- means that individuals, and not just the police and military, may own guns. This rule by the U.S. Supreme Court basically stated that it is ones right to keep a gun at home for self-defense, but didn’t state anything about controlling guns. According to Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), the Gun Control Act of 1968 indicates that it is banned to sell firearms to numerous categories of individuals, which includes people under eighteen years old, those who have criminal records, the mentally incapacitated, illegal immigrants, dishonorably discharged military personnel, and others. The website also states that in 1993, the law was improved by the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which basically stated that it was important to have authorized background checks
Out of all Constitutional Amendments, the Second is without a doubt one of the most controversial and debated alterations made to the United States Constitution. A majority of citizens in modern society are familiar with Madison's famous words that allow all individuals to own weapons and in part also guarantees their protection. Ratified on December 17, 1791, the Second Amendment grants citizens the right to possess their own weapons. Additionally, the amendment restricts the government from overstepping this right guaranteed to the people. When this amendment was ratified the nation lacked a standing army. By ratifying this amendment, the Founding Fathers established a militia who would possess weapons and essentially gave the United States a stronger defense. The Second Amendment is very much still in play today, however; there are some changes, regulations, and restrictions placed on gun control. In the Supreme Court Case District of Columbia v. Heller, it was decided that the amendment was not intended to mean the right to carry any weapon no matter the circumstance. Some regulations placed on the purchase of firearms are felons and individuals with mental illnesses cannot purchase guns. Also, there is a zero tolerance of firearms in schools and government areas. (
The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is a part of the Bill of Rights that guarantees the right of the people to keep and bear arms. This amendment, adopted on December 15, 1791 along with the rest of the Bill of Rights was created or several reasons. One is to ensure citizens’ rights to own a firearm. This topic has become one of the most controversial topics over the last century. It has led more debates over the rising violence in society today. For example, what role firearms play in violence, how to control the sale of weapons, and how to put an end to all violence involving guns. Guns are regulated by federal, and state, legislation. There is little, if any uniformity state versus state. The major regulatory issues are child access and prevention laws, concealed weapon carry laws, regulation on private sales to minors, regulating all secondary used market sales, ownership or purchase of ‘assault” type weapons, one handgun a month law, ban on Saturday Night Specials and others of this type, preemption, and waiting periods of ownership. The key question to control is when will it be enough. How many laws are they going to make before they ban gun sales to law-abiding citizens altogether. The Second Amendment was written for specific reasons. It was not written for them to come back and add all these provisions to it. These
When the writers of the constitution wrote the historic document, they wanted to give us equal rights to satisfy all americans. The second amendment of the constitution gives us the right to hold a firearm. It 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 Bill of Rights:A Transcription”). An exceedingly powerful phrase is present in the quote; shall not be
The Second Amendment states that "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 amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms, an interpretation that was supported by the Supreme Court in its 2008 ruling in District of Columbia. V. Heller. This Bill of Right has always been one of the most debatable talking point in the United States for years. Many people did not understand it, others did not pay too much attention, and it was not often used it in court. The Second Amendment is
The Second Amendment grants a United States citizen right of gun ownership to individuals for purposes that also include self-defense. In today’s modern day, citizens debate about whether the Second Amendment protects a private right of individuals to keep and bear arms, or a right that can be exercised only through militia organizations such as the National Guard. However the Amendment was effectively acknowledged in light of. that the government should not have the ability the privilege of the general population to keep and carry weapons, any more than it to have the ability to shorten the right to speak freely or restrict the free practice of religion. The Second Amendment initially connected just to the national government, leaving the states to direct weapons as they saw fit.
In the world we live in today, the debate about gun control and the banning of assault weapons has been an ongoing battle with the people and the government. Assault weapons are defined as any automatic and semiautomatic military firearms utilizing an intermediate-power cartridge, designed for individual use (“Assault Weapon”). This controversial topic has been around for decades and is not only an issue in the United States, but all around the world. The Second Amendment (Amendment II) to the United States Constitution protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms and was adopted on December 15, 1791, as part of the first ten amendments contained in the Bill of Rights. The Second Amendment was based partially on the right to keep and bear arms in English common law and was influenced by the English Bill of Rights of 1689. It 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 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution”). This amendment allows citizens the right to purchase and own firearms, but many people believe that assault weapons should not be included within this right.
In the world we live in today, the debate about gun control and the banning of assault weapons has been an ongoing battle with the people and the government. Assault weapons are defined as any automatic and semiautomatic military firearms utilizing an intermediate-power cartridge, designed for individual use (“Assault Weapon”). This controversial topic has been around for decades and is not only an issue in the United States, but all around the world. The Second Amendment (Amendment II) to the United States Constitution protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms and was adopted on December 15, 1791, as part of the first ten amendments contained in the Bill of Rights. The Second Amendment was based partially on the right to keep and bear arms in English common law and was influenced by the English Bill of Rights of 1689. It 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 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution”). This amendment allows citizens the right to purchase and own firearms, but many people believe that assault weapons should not be included within this right.
Gun control laws have been surrounded by controversy since The Bill of Rights, including the Second amendment was passed in the congress. "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 founders wrote. Until recently there was considerable argument over just what the founders intended by their words. Did they mean to provide only for armed units to protect us from invasion, or did they mean that each individual has a right to a gun? However, in the District of Columbia v. Heller case, the Supreme Court made a landmark ruling upholding the right of individuals to bear arms for hunting
The Second Amendment (Amendment II) to the United States Constitution protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms and was adopted on December 15, 1791, as part of the first ten amendments contained in the Bill of Rights. The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that the right belongs to individuals, While also ruling that the right is not unlimited and does not prohibit all regulation of either firearms or similar devices. State and local governments are limited to the same extent as the federal government from infringing this right per the incorporation of the Bill of Rights. (Wikipedia)
Gun control a very heated debate in the u.s. Many people want to take away all fire arms from everyone. This is not a very good solution because the people not allowed to have fire arms still will be able to obtain them how they have always obtained them illegally. Leaving the ordinary citizens defense less to the criminals with fire arms and the government. We must take fire arms out of the wrong hands and leave them in the right hands. Doing this would mean not allowing criminals with a past of violent crimes obtain guns or have a menatally ill person obtAIN A FIRE ARM. iN DOING THIS WE WILL SEE A DRAMATIC CHANGE IN FIRE ARM VIOLENCE.
Guns have been a part of America since the founding of the nation. During colonial times, colonists originally brought guns for hunting, but soon were forced to use the guns as protection against the Native Americans. Some colonies even went to the extent of making it mandatory for each household to own a gun, and every able-bodied man to join the militia. In order to continuously have the right to create a militia, the founding fathers inserted the 2nd amendment to the constitution. When the founding fathers applied this amendment to the constitution, there was no argument between individual rights and collective rights because the two were inseparable. It was one’s duty to serve in the militia, therefore, gave the citizens right to bear arms (“Gun Control”). However, as America continued to grow, the interpretation of the second amendment became more ambiguous than the creators had intended (Bjorklund 7). Opponents of gun control argue that the second amendment was created to protect the individual’s rights to own guns, yet, the amendment does not state that guns cannot be restricted (“Gun Control”). When the constitution was first written, guns took a lengthy time to load, and their accuracy and range were poor (Doeden
The gun control debate has dominated US history, and it has been a controversial issue in itself considering that the right to bear and keep arms is one among the few bitterly divisive issues of American constitutional law. The Second Amendment is significant in this debate, providing the basis upon which those supporting robust gun regulation as fundamental, collective, and civic right and in particular its preamble concreting the usefulness of a well-regulated militia. Emphasis has been placed by gun rights advocates, comparing this to press freedom in enabling citizens to possess "firearms for self-protection, hunting, or to wage revolution against the government itself" in
In 1791, the second amendment, proposed by James Madison, was ratified stating that “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. amend. III, sec. II). As time progressed, more and more laws about guns were passed,
In the Second amendment of the bill of rights, it 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” (archives.org). Borade gives an analysis on this by stating “Gun lobbyists hide behind the 'Second Amendment' saying that it gives them a constitutional right to own and bear arms, however, if we take a closer look at the Second Amendment itself, it talks about 'militia', an army or a fighting force that will protect the 'state' and has rights to bear arms for this specific purpose, not individuals claiming their own defense from imagined enemies.” But Joe Messerli counters this statement by saying “Banning guns will take away yet another piece of our liberty, which is one more step to socialism and totalitarianism.” This is why protecting law abiding citizen’s guns rights is important and makes us different from many other nations with fewer rights. Don B. Kates from FreeRepublic.com. states “…to take civil liberties seriously requires respecting the Second Amendment no less than freedom of speech and religion and the other rights in the First Amendment.” Lastly, according to the Legal Information Institute “in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller (07-290). The plaintiff in Heller challenged the constitutionality of the Washington D.C. handgun ban, a statute that had stood for 32 years. Many considered the statute the most stringent in the nation. In a 5-4 decision, the Court, meticulously detailing the history and tradition of the Second Amendment at the time of the Constitutional Convention, proclaimed that the Second Amendment established an individual right for U.S. citizens to possess firearms and struck down the D.C. handgun ban as violative of that right.” This court decision has made it clear that the second amendment is not just about a ‘states’ gun rights but also the gun rights of the
Have you ever thought about what the Second Amendment of the Constitution really means, and why all of the sudden it has became such a debate? The Second Amendment states, “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” (1789). Guns have always been around, and as time passed, the Amendment has lost meaning. Sandy Hook and the Las Vegas shooting are prime examples of the hole that is in the second Amendment. We are continuing to push back these problems