The United States constitution has an amendment process that has been included in the Bill of Rights. The amendment allows Americans to make changes to the September 17, 1789 United States Constitution, that was ratified and made law (Zink 450). The amendment process has made it possible for the constitution to change moderately, than to be overhauled, and it has been changed to adhere to the current times and changes. The Second Amendment to the US constitution is part of the Bill of Rights that guarantees all American citizens the right to keep and bear arms. This amendment gives citizens right to own a firearm.
The right to bear arms and gun control is the most controversial amendment that has raised heated debate, among Americans. The right to bear arms has remained a hot issue in the United States. Every American citizen feels that; they got a right to gun ownership as guaranteed to them in the Bill of Rights. I totally agree that all American citizens should be granted their constitutional right to bear firearms. Nonetheless, there should be certain restrictions on this constitutional right.
After a number of reported cases on the mass shooting of innocent people, American citizens have decided to fight for their right to gun ownership. The Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting is the recent saddened mass shooting case that outraged the public. In this shooting, 26 innocent lives were lost, including twenty children. After this mass shooting, the president called on Congress to pass stricter laws on gun control. What should be known here is that, a gun is a tool and not a cause of crimes, and, therefore, Americans should not be denied their rights to gun ownership, because of such cases. In finding a solution to such violence, guns should be issued to citizens with stricter laws so that they can be able to protect the public when such cases arise. In addition, enough screening should be done on individuals before the issuance of guns instead of denying them this right.
In addition, Americans are constitutionally protected to own guns for legitimate purposes. Their right to gun ownership should not be compromised due to cases of violence in the community. In fact, when citizens are allowed to own guns, the gun related violence cases will be on the decrease because, individuals will be in a position to protect themselves and their loved ones from any attacks. Disarming citizens do not help to curb crime, rather, it leads to an increase in crime because individuals will acquire these guns illegally and use them illegally since they are not registered under anyone’s name.
The law at times violates the people’s constitutional right to firearm ownership, given that this right is guaranteed in the constitution. Levinson (14) argues that, “If we make guns illegal, only the criminals will own them,” therefore, all citizens should be allowed the right to firearms as guaranteed by the constitution; this way, the safety of all American citizens will be guaranteed, because they will be protected. The right to firearm ownership has been granted to all Americans, they should not be denied their constitutional rights. All Americans should be able to own licensed guns as their constitutional right.
One of the reasons as to why there should be stricter laws to the right to bear arms is that, it will help to protect the societal needs. When regulations on the right to bear arms are put in place, the citizens will be able to defend themselves and their property. Criminals will be afraid to attack the citizens because, they will be uncertain if they are carrying concealed guns or not. Additionally, it will help reduce gun related crimes, since these crimes are on the increase (Levinson 12). If the guns are issued with more restrictions those, who own firearms will use them with much care, to avoid their firearms being confiscated. Moreover, people will acquire guns in the right way because; most of them acquire firearms illegally, because their rights to own firearms are infringed. If the citizens are given this right, there will be a reduction of violent crimes because, people will be able to defend themselves, and also criminals will fear attacking people aimlessly because, they will know that they are armed.
American citizens have been given the right to firearm, and this right should not be infringed. Opponents of this right to firearms argue that, citizens should not be allowed the right to firearms. Their main reason is that, it will help curb violence cases by guns. This has been challenged because; criminals will still acquire firearms illegally and continue terrorizing citizens because, they are fully aware that, they are not armed. Moreover, according to Winkler (89), “Guns do not kill people; it is people who kill people,” and so, denying citizens the right to own guns will not stop any violence. Likewise, the society will not be safe as there will be an increase in violence and criminal activities because the citizens have no firearms to defend themselves.
Furthermore, opponents on gun restrictions argue that, the government should not control gun ownership to the extreme, but give them freedom town guns since it is their constitutional right. They argue that, gun control does not help reduce crimes; instead, gun related crimes would likely go up. According to them, criminals to steal and even murder will target helpless citizens without a firearm. However, if they are allowed to use guns, this will be the most effective way of self-defense (Carter 102). Therefore, all citizens should be given the right to own a firearm for the purpose of defense, but still there should be a number of restrictions before they are issued.
In conclusion, the Bill of Rights gives Americans constitutional rights, such as, the right to bear arms. All Americans should be granted this right, but with restrictions on how and when to use the firearms. This will keep the community safe and protected from gun related violence, since all citizens will be in a position to defend their property and family. There have been many issues raised on this amendment on the right to bear arms. As much as the citizens argue that, they have the right to bear arms, there should be some restrictions and regulations on this right, for obvious reasons. Citizens should be in a position to defend themselves if need arises, and they can only do this if they are allowed to own guns. There have been many cases, of firearm attacks on innocent citizens, and this can be avoided, if the citizens can have firearms to defend themselves, and even the public. Every citizen has been given the right to bear arms by the Bill of Rights; however, there should be stricter laws and regulations on the right to bear arms. The control of gun ownership and issuing restrictions on those who own firearms will help curb the massive killings and violence in the American society.
Works Cited
Levinson, Sanford. Guns and the Constitution: A Complex Relationship. Reviews in American
History, 36.1 (2008):1-14. Print.
Zink, James. R. The Language of liberty and law: James Wilson on America’s written constitution. The American Political Science Review, 103.3 (2009): 442-455. Print.
Winkler, Adam. Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America. Norton: W. W. Norton & Company, 2013. Print.
Carter, Gregg Lee. Guns in American Society: An Encyclopedia of History, Politics, Culture, and the Law. New York: ABC-Clio, 2012. Print.
