The Second Amendment: The Right To Bear Arms

The right to bear arms has been topic of discussion among people since ancient times. Political theorist John Locke viewed possession of arms as a personal freedom one should abstain. The Second Amendments purpose and meaning has been a key controversy. The Amendment adopted in 1791, was constructed so each state maintained a militia, composed of everyday citizens who served as part time soldiers which were well regulated. People feared the federal government would use its standing army to go against its will on the states, the authors of the second amendment intended to protect the states militias’ right to bear arms. Some will claim the amendment protects the general public. Among industrial nations, the United States is the leader in per-capita gun deaths. Gun control laws serve as several functions. “They may be designed to hinder certain people from gaining access to any firearms. The laws may limit possession of certain types of weapons to the police and the military. A person who wants to make a gun purchase or obtain a gun license may be subject to a waiting period. Gun-control laws vary from country to country.” In the United States, there’s a severe lack of agreement on gun control which has led to a variety of state and local laws pertaining to licensing and registration of handguns. As long as a person has not been convicted of a felony, he or she can receive a permit to possess a loaded and concealed handgun. About 50 percent of homes in the United States hold at least one firearm. The first major gun law came about in 1934 which restricted the sale and ownership of high-risk weapons. Congress passed the Gun Control Act in 1968 in addition to ending mail-order sales of all firearms. This law banned the sale of guns to felons, fugitives from justice, minors, the mentally ill, those dishonorably discharged from the armed forces, those who have left the United States to live in another country, and illegal aliens. Legislation did have some effect on gun violence but the loopholes allow people who do not meet the criteria to still obtain guns (Gun Control). Collage is the next obstacle in my life and for many of my loved friends as well, and quite frankly I’m scared to go. Not only because of the change of scenery, and the thought of becoming an adult and having to live on my own, but because of the terror in my mind that I could be a part of the next college campus shooting. There is no way we could completely shed all guns in America because they aren’t always used for the wrong reasons; they help protect in positive situations as well. I strictly believe the process of attaining this weapon shouldn’t be so modest. Banning the use of firearms to the public would create many solutions and I believe America’s society would become altogether a safer environment. “What started off as a typical day in a small town school in southwest Virginia, soon further expanded our definition of the worst mass-shooting in US history. Midway through my 9:00 am French class, we began to hear muffled banging noises coming from somewhere outside of our classroom. As soon as our teacher went to investigate the sounds, she slammed the door shut and told us to get under our desks and for someone to call 911. I took out my phone and, as I later found out, placed the only call to the police by someone in the building. The next 10-minute period was the longest 10-minute period of my entire life. It felt like hours (Goddard).” Colleges and universities fill a distinct habitation in American society today. The …show more content…
There is no longer a need to protect ourselves by using guns. We have strong police forces and other protections to shelter Americans in this century. The only other reasons one would want to obtain a gun is for protection because of the fear of another having a gun or to cause harm on purpose to others. It’s a cycle and if we halted it, the craving of wanting a gun in the home would surely decrease. Allowing guns to be open to the general public isn’t reassuring, it makes some nervous. Guns should solitarily be available to military personnel or police officers and