Gun Control

Gun Control

“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.” Does our second amendment really give rights to civilians to carry guns, which are a mechanical device that expels a bullet which can accurately travel colossal distances? As the U.S. sees it today, guns are legal to anyone who fits their criteria. Guns have been used for hundreds of years in the history of our world and nation. However, gun control has been a major debating issue during the past few decades. On one side, there are those who completely agree with the control laws and on the other there are those who oppose gun control laws all together. Gun control opponents provide many justifications for carrying a gun, such as the second amendment, self-defense, hunting, or target practice.

Guns are not for everyone. Certain individuals cannot handle a firearm safely, and some individuals choose to use firearms unsuitably. Our society has passed laws regulating the possession and use of firearms, and more legislation is being considered. Most of this legislation restricts, to some degree, the rights of individuals to possess or use firearms.

“Some limitations may be necessary, but some modern legislation has gone too far. Society benefits from firearms in the hands of conscientious citizens. Attempts to keep firearms away from these citizens do more harm than good.” (stated by the NRA)

In the construction of our government we were given the right to bear arms in our Bill of Rights because they feared the federal government might oppress the population if the people did not have the means to defend themselves as a nation and as individuals. As of today, this seems to be out-of-date, our government takes actions to bring the constitution and any form of law harmonious with today’s society.

As mentioned earlier, crime is not the only issue associated with firearm ownership. Hunting is an accepted sport and, in some parts of the country, also an important source of food. On the surface, it might appear that hunting is harmful to wildlife and the environment. The fact is that the opposite is true, well managed and synchronized hunting programs are beneficial to wildlife. If the wildlife population becomes too large, food becomes scarce and the population starves to death. Wildlife biologists take counts of game animals in a given area and study the habitat to determine the population level it can support. Then they make recommendations to State Game and Fish officials who set hunting seasons and bag limits. Hunting is a tool used by these officials to manage wildlife under their care. By having this program we are able to keep the animals of our nation healthy so that no animal becomes too dominate or extinct.

Although there are two sides of the issue, I heavily support gun control. While breaking down the words of the second amendment the average person would start to see that there is a flaw in the modern interpretation