The Second Amendment As A Defining Characteristic of American Culture “I will get rid of gun-free zones on schools…and on military bases. My first day, it gets signed, okay? My first day. There’s no more gun-free zones,” Donald Trump said. At the campaign rally in Burlington, Vermont, in January 2016, Trump claimed that mass shootings in areas such as San Bernardino, Chattanooga, and Orlando could have been prevented if the victims “had guns on the other side.” The Second Amendment grants Americans the right to bear arms, which allows them to protect themselves. This freedom to use guns is a privilege, but one with many consequences. Mass shootings such as the Orlando shooting, which killed 63 people and wounded 75, may have very well been prevented if the victims were armed. However, that’s not the issue. The issue is that America has become a country where people must anticipate random acts of violence and be prepared to defend themselves. As a country, …show more content…
But the concept that the more weapons, the more secure America is, has shaped our nation since the formation of the Second Amendment and continues to be the factor inhibiting stricter gun control laws. According to Global Research, “In the late eighteenth century, the meaning of ‘bearing’ arms also referred to a citizen being part of a militia or army. It didn’t mean that an individual had the right to possess whatever number of high-capacity killing machines that he or she might want.” Although the original purpose of guns was to provide protection for American citizens, guns are now increasingly being used for recreational or sporting purposes, which increases the uses of firearms to the common citizen. Nearly an equal number of people use guns for recreational purposes (66%) compared with crime protection (67%). This shows that the Second Amendment grants citizens the freedom to use guns for purposes other than
The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the right of the individual to keep and bear firearms. When the Second Amendment was written it was for the right to arm oneself as a personal liberty to deter undemocratic or oppressive governing bodies from forming and to repel impending invasions. Furthermore, gun advocates proclaim that guns are for the right to self-defense. Some people try to participate and uphold the law. We have seen how guns in the hands of children can cause fatal accidents and people have committed mindless crimes leading to
These attributes of the second amendment must be protected and fought for. The second amendment
Proponents of more gun control laws believe that the Second Amendment was intended exclusively for militias, that gun restrictions have always existed, and that gun regulations would prevent criminals from possessing firearms. However, Opponents claim that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to own guns, that guns are needed for self-defense, and that gun ownership helps to dissuade crime. Because of this obvious difference, proponents of stricter firearm regulation demand more laws to help prevent mass shooting, and want reform in the area of background checks. Meanwhile, opponents of gun laws often accuse the proponents of manipulating a mass tragedy in order to further strengthen their fight. Gun ownership has been a tradition within the united states since before the country itself was formed.
The right to bear arms has been a controversial issue ever since James Madison established it as the second amendment of the constitution. The second 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” (US Const. amend. II). Those in favor of the second amendment, believe that arms are used for protection, dangerous situations, and sports.
Updating the Amendment 2.0 The right to bear arms has been a favoured constitutional law since its establishment in 1791, but as more gun related violence and accidents occur, there has been increasing debate on whether or not guns should be banned in the US altogether, and if not, what regulations should be required for the purchase and handling of them. While guns should not be completely banned from the country, the rules and regulations of gun laws should be tightened. In the 2nd amendment, it clearly states that “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” While this statement still holds true, the evolution of firearms and how they have become more dangerous throughout the years is a clear sign of why the laws should be changed.
The second 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.” Us americans don't need to “bear arms.” Some may say that many people use them to hunt but there are many other weapons you can use to hunt with as well as protecting yourself from danger. By having the second amendment, it gives criminals the right to go out and harm people, whether it be a family member, friend, someone you walk past. Statistics say that “The U.S. has an estimated 283 million guns in civilian hands.
The Second Amendment was never actually intended for everyday citizens. In the writing of the amendment it states militia meaning that it was only intended for them to bear arms. Citizens have found easy access to the weapons that they use in their shootings. Therefore, guns are put into the wrong hands, which means gun regulations should be stricter and allow a more detailed background check with mental health evaluations. There have been gun purchases where there has been a flaw in the background check system, allowing mentally ill or irresponsible people to obtain guns.
The directions gun control may take not only affect our nation and society but the future. Guns play a role in everyone’s lives to some degree, whether it be your own personal possession for hunting or home protection. Many consider a militia to be "necessary to the security of a free state" ("The Constitution of the United States," Amendment 2). Americans value the rights that freedom granted by the forefathers, which includes the
For advocates of the second amendment, the right to bear arms applies to all Americans for self-protection against dangerous criminals. Criminals will always have access to weapons, therefore citizens need self-protection using firearms. John Lott, in “More Guns, Less Crime,” explains that crime fell by 10 percent in Texas in the year after a law had passed letting citizens carry weapons ( Martin 10). This evidence shows that if more citizens were armed for example, the citizens in Texas, less crime would occur in America. Although those in favor of the second amendment believe that arms are used in self-protection, they also believe it is an individual right and oppose strict gun control laws as
Although the second amendment states all americans have the right to bear arms crime statistics show that we need tighter gun control to lessen the widespread shootings. Gun violence has existed in america
Solutions can be made to help the problems with death by guns in the United States, this in term may fix the problems with the second amendment. One solution that may help the situation of the second amendment is the accessibility to certain guns .Many mass shootings include military-style weapons ,such as assault rifles, which are more powerful than normal guns and prove to be highly lethal. In an article by Infobase Learning called "Assault Weapons: Should the government restrict access to assault weapons?" done in 2016 it talks about what happened in the Sandy Hook Elementary mass shooting it states, “...20-year-old Adam Lanza shot and killed 26 people, including 20 children aged 6 and 7, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, before killing himself. Earlier in the day, Lanza had killed his mother, a gun enthusiast, and taken several of her assault weapons, which he used in his rampage.”
The Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms. Statistics show that 60% of gun owners do so for personal protection. Only 15% of gun owners are women, Jenn Jacques, a former private detective, a longtime gun owner and ardent supporter of the Second Amendment, discusses the right to bear arms, “women who defend the Second Amendment know that a firearm is a power equalizer” (1). A firearm empowers women, making them not afraid to stand up for themselves and their rights. The women in modern-day America have been brought up to be proud of who themselves and their bodies.
The question on whether the 2nd Amendment in the U.S. should be changed or not has become a widely discussed and argued topic as of recent, due to recurring incidents of shootings occurring on U.S. soil by its own inhabitants. While many would be in support of the right to bear arms, including myself, I do believe that the current gun laws need to be made more restrictive than they are in their current state, for the sake of the country and the safety of its people. I’m well aware that I am not a U.S. citizen and that I have no say in what decisions are made there regarding the country’s constitution, but I feel that what I have to say is shared by many of America’s people and that it’s not only Americans that are affected by guns but also those who are visiting the country from abroad. There are many problems regarding America’s very unrestrictive gun laws at present, whether it’s the fact that there is no federal minimum age for possession of a long gun, or the fact that individuals don’t
A weapon in the wrongs hands is the maximum danger humanity can face. Nowadays, violence and delinquency in society are viewed as the maximum problem solver. Humanity is full of chaos; hate and envy seize our souls. Guns are the ultimate security for some citizens but for others, these add to a feeling of defenselessness. Throughout history, any topic related to guns means a plethora of problems.
The Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights is the right to bear arms, which gives American citizens a constitutional right to own and purchase guns. It states, "A well-regulated