The latest deadly shooting incident in the US, the Orlando nightclub shooting leaving 50 killed and 53 injured on June 12 2016 also adds to the doubt raised on how effective is the present US gun laws. The gunman Marteen, who was an FBI suspect, was able to legally purchase a handgun and assault rifle days before the massacre. This is an example which shows the ease with which a person can get hold of firearm in the US. This is not a singled out incident, the San Bernardino shooting incident leaving 14 dead and 22 wounded in December 2 2015, the Colorado Spring (Planned Parenthood) shooting leaving 3 dead and nine injured on November 29 2015, the Oregon (Harper Mercer) incident leaving 9 dead and 9 injured on October 1 2015 is only naming a
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The Second Amendment of the US Constitution in 1791, the Fourteenth Amendment 1868 and the landmark decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2008 and 2010 governs the status of these laws. 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”. In District of Colombia v. Heller , the Supreme Court held that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess and carry firearms. In McDonald v. Chicago , the court clarified its earlier decision and held that the Fourteenth Amendment applies the Second Amendment to state and local Governments to the same extend it applies to the Federal Government. A number of federal laws were passed in the US from the 20th century to regulate the manufacture, trade, possession, transfer etc of firearms and ammunition. The National Firearms Act 1934 which mandates the registration of Title II weapons, The Gun Control Act 1968 which regulates interstate commerce in firearms, The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act 1993 which started the national background check system to prevent restricted person from owning, purchasing etc of firearms, The Firearm Owners Protection Act 1986 which prohibits the sale of automatic firearms to civilians etc are part of the US gun …show more content…
It is also interesting to see that the US seems to be better equipped to tackle terrorism which kills only small fraction of its population when compared to an ordinary gun crime. The right enshrined in the Second Amendment of the US Constitution and the wide interpretation given by the US Supreme Court makes the task of regulation even more difficult for the Government. New laws can be enacted making the process of acquiring firearms more difficult and foolproof, but this may seem like a precious little amidst the huge tasks lying ahead for the United
The Second Amendment of the US Constitution in 1791, the Fourteenth Amendment 1868 and the landmark decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2008 and 2010 governs the status of these laws. 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”. In District of Colombia v. Heller , the Supreme Court held that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess and carry firearms. In McDonald v. Chicago , the court clarified its earlier decision and held that the Fourteenth Amendment applies the Second Amendment to state and local Governments to the same extend it applies to the Federal Government. A number of federal laws were passed in the US from the 20th century to regulate the manufacture, trade, possession, transfer etc of firearms and ammunition. The National Firearms Act 1934 which mandates the registration of Title II weapons, The Gun Control Act 1968 which regulates interstate commerce in firearms, The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act 1993 which started the national background check system to prevent restricted person from owning, purchasing etc of firearms, The Firearm Owners Protection Act 1986 which prohibits the sale of automatic firearms to civilians etc are part of the US gun …show more content…
It is also interesting to see that the US seems to be better equipped to tackle terrorism which kills only small fraction of its population when compared to an ordinary gun crime. The right enshrined in the Second Amendment of the US Constitution and the wide interpretation given by the US Supreme Court makes the task of regulation even more difficult for the Government. New laws can be enacted making the process of acquiring firearms more difficult and foolproof, but this may seem like a precious little amidst the huge tasks lying ahead for the United