Gun Control Debate Essay

The Debate

The cornerstone of the gun control debate lies within the 2nd Amendment of the constitution. The Amendment reads as follows: "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" (Madison, 1791) Throughout history, the Amendments for the United Sates has guided the nation in providing specific rights to the people that cannot easily be changed; thus, with any changes in the constitution, creates a concern that the rights of the people are being taken away. It’s known that the Government was formed for the people, so it is the standard that "The most important reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, if necessary, at last resort to protect themselves from tyranny in

This is an interesting case because all of the guns were purchased legally. So this raises a question on whether our legal system is adequate enough to stop purchases like this, or if there is even a way to tighten the laws without infringing on individual rights. A few of the better known shooting are the 1999 shooting in the Columbine High School. Two students opened fire on their peers killing twenty one students. Through investigation, it was determined that these students had planned this attacked for over a year. Originally they had planned to bomb the High School, but after a failed attempt they went in with guns. The students purchased the guns from adults who sold the guns to the teens prior to the shooting. There was no conclusion as to the motive behind the killing spree, but there were theories tied to the students being bullied in school and were looked at as outcasts (Los Angelas Times,