Sandy Hook
Elementary School. Oregon Mall. Aurora movie theater. Wisconsin Sikh temple.
Only four of the fifteen US mass shootings that have occurred throughout the
year 2012. These indescribable tragedies have captured the attention of
millions across the United States and the world, and the United States and the
entire world is wondering how can we stop these inexplicable shootings?
The recent Sandy Hook Elementary School
shooting has really sparked the debate about gun control laws in the United
States. Many people across the country believe that the United State’s allows
very easy access to guns, and this easy access calls for trouble. However, the
Second Amendment acts as a serious obstacle to the United States gun control
legislation.
Supporters
of the Second Amendment believe that the amendment has one interpretation and
that is that Americans citizens have the rights to bear arms. They argue that,
in contrast with the First Amendment that has very vague language, the Second
Amendment has very clear language that the Second Amendment right “shall not be
infringed”. Advocates for the Second Amendment believe that gun control laws do
not make communities safe. They believe that gun control laws take away guns
from righteous citizens and that if criminals want guns, they will get a gun
regardless of the laws.
Because of the recent shootings that have occurred,
there have been a lot of people throughout the United States that are calling
for a change in gun control laws that would infringe upon the Second Amendment.
New York City Mayor Bloomberg is calling for a change in gun control laws.
Bloomberg is a proponent of the Fix Gun Checks Act that would make it necessary
for a person to get a background check before purchasing a gun license. Bloomberg
claims that this act would not take all of the guns off of the street, but it
would “ go a long ways in limiting them”. There are many other strategies of gun control, including the act that would forbid sales of semi-automatic weapons. Semi-automatic weapons are very
powerful and should not be allowed in homes or for hunting. There are many different proposals that would limit and control guns, however the biggest obstacle that does not allow these proposals to pass is the Second Amendment.
Do you think the Second Amendment should be
infringed upon and new gun control laws should be instated into the nation? Why
or why not? How should guns be controlled in the United States that would
prevent massacres to occur in the future?
This is a really tricky debate and I think our country needs to come to terms with the fact that we are, and will forever be a gun country. I truly believe there are no actions that can be taken to eradicate gun violence completely but any program that reduces the number of guns on the streets can only be seen as a benefit. No matter what program you institute whether its a renewal of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, enact more stringent background checks, or a gun buy-back program, there WILL ALWAYS be guns on the streets. And millions of them for that matter. I thought what was said in class today regarding greater spending on mental health could prove to be beneficial. Also it wouldn't be a terrible idea to arm guards in schools. Wouldn't you feel safer if some of the New Trier parapros carried weapons as they guarded the doors. I think our nation also needs to educate its youth on the dangers of guns more adequately. Too many of us kids play these video games in which we are firing thousands of bullets with no seeming consequences. I'm sure this exposure to violent media has contributed to our nation's sharp rise in gun violence and would be an interesting topic to investigate...
ReplyDeleteI agree that more stringent guns laws will be beneficial, but we will never completely eradicate guns in America. I agree with the article, in that while Americans have the right to own guns there is no need to have automatic or semiautomatic guns in homes. I also think that those who argue that the second amendment gives us the right to own any and all guns we want to are taking the amendment out of context, and twisting it to support their own agenda. When the founding fathers wrote the constitution, America was only partially settled, many families lived in relative isolation, with Native American tribes- some of whom hardly liked Americans- and wild animals. The law was made to protect citizens, and prevent all power being held solely by the government. In twenty-first century America, there is hardly a need for guns to ensure safety. Sure, in some neighborhoods you might feel more comfortable armed, but the idea that the second Amendment means anyone can go buy any gun anytime is ridiculous. Times have changed, and so should our gun policies.
ReplyDeleteI actually wrote a post in September regarding assault weapon bans. From 1994-2004 there was a Federal Assault Weapons Ban. I definitely am an advocate for any plan that reduces violence but this was not the case with the FAWB. Please read my post below. If there was a new drafting which eliminated gaping loopholes, then those results may prove beneficial, but all I know is that there was a reason they did not renew the ban after 2004...
ReplyDeletehttp://noahquinn95.blogspot.com/2012/09/dont-renew-federal-assault-weapons-ban.html
I also think that firearm sales should be restricted. Like Christine said, using the Second Amendment to rationalize unrestricted gun sales is taking the amendment out of context. The colonists were able to win the war with the weapons they had at home, but we are not in that situation anymore. Also, the Second Amendment mentions a militia as the reason for the right to bear arms. However, people are clearly not using their weapons for a militia. I do not believe that measures such as background checks would infringe on the right to arms for a militia.
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