A634.8.3.RB - Gun Control What is the Answer?

Yes, citizens have a right to bear arms to a certain extent and not the extreme.

The US Constitution and specifically 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.” No other passage of the US Constitution is as intensely debated and scrutinized as the Second Amendment. (Morris, April 21, 2013)

Most debates, arguments and discussion focus on the "bear arms" part, however, the most important and key word is "militia." In 1791, no one knew if the whole "Union" thing was going to work out. Most people distrusted the government and many of the States distrusted one another. Many feared an invasion from Europe and the Second Amendment was enacted to make sure that a citizen's militia could defend the principles of the constitution. (Morris, April 21, 2013)

However, what the Second Amendment didn't do was allow any person on drugs, with medical conditions, a criminal convicted felon, etc. the right to walk into a store or gun shop and purchase arms without a background check. In 1939, the Supreme Court ruled:  

“The Second Amendment must be interpreted and applied with the view of its purpose of rendering effective Militia.” (Morris, April 21, 2013)

By 2008, the Supreme Court extended that to cover self-defense in the home—something else that doesn’t require a high-capacity magazine along with the right and the ability to kill everything within a three block radius. However, that's all they extended it to. There’s no constitutional “right” to carry a concealed weapon, no “right” to use armor-piercing bullets—just the right to defend yourself against intruders. Stephen King famously said: “if you can’t kill an intruder with ten rounds, you need to go back to the shooting range.” (Morris, April 21, 2013)  

And honestly, a very small number of those supporting gun control guys want a complete ban on weapons. From my own point of view and thought (critical thinking), if someone wants to buy rifle and go sport hunting, it's their business and has nothing to do with me. And if you feel safer knowing that you have a shotgun in your home to defend yourself and family, fair enough.

For a fact, at least 54% of Americans support strict gun laws with this percentage rising to an incredible 91% including common sense stuff like background checks. Unfortunately, Congress recently shot this down in what could be assumed as an effort by political lobbyists, e.g., the National Rifle Association (NRA) and an effort by Congress to become even more unpopular. This support for gun control, by the way, is pretty bipartisan: even with controversial stuff like reinstating the assault weapons ban, roughly half of Republicans are in favor, along with a majority of Democrats and Independents. In summary, people are largely pro-gun control—it’s the politicians who aren’t. (Morris, April 21, 2013)

Gun control critics argue if the government is to start monitoring citizens at this level, then what would stop them from monitoring other aspects while further intruding and violating civil liberties? Political lobbying including from the NRA and gun manufacturers, e.g., Smith & Wesson, Remington etc., to Congress provides a foundation that weapons will be available to anyone who wants one. And then there is the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) too whose mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution  and laws of the United States (Wikipedia, 2015)." And most of their staff is made up of attorneys too. So, based on strong lobbying efforts, gun control will be split for years in Congress.

 

References

Gun Laws: Make Sure You Know Your Gun Control Arguments For and Against. Retrieved http://listverse.com/2013/04/21/10-arguments-for-gun-control/

LaFollette, Hugh (2007). The Practice of Ethics. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Morris, M. (April 21, 2013). 10 Arguments for Gun Control. Retrieved http://listverse.com/2013/04/21/10-arguments-for-gun-control/

Wikipedia (2015). Retrieved http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_Liberties_Union