Gun Control vs. Crime Rate
Jessica Vickers
Dr. Jonne Akens
Engl 1302
25 February 2013
Gun Control vs. Crime Rate According to the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, “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 this very amendment lies the main issue of gun control. “To many, the language of the amendment appears to grant to the people the absolute right to bear arms. However, the U.S. Supreme Court has held that the amendment merely protects the right of states to form a state militia.” (Kimberlin) Gun control, or the controlling of firearms, is any act or proposal by any local, state, or federal agency to inhibit, deter, or prohibit the possession of firearms by any law abiding U.S. citizen. Some believe that by controlling the people’s possession of firearms, the violent crime rate will decrease. However, this is not the case. The controlling of firearms, also known as an infringement of the second amendment, is irrelevant to the reduction of violent crime. Instead, further investigation into the criminals’ motives and state of mind will better resolve the rate of crime in our country. The Second Amendment is a mere twenty-seven words long. However, both campaigns of the gun control debate obtain such different interpretations from those words. “The gun-control campaign interprets the Second Amendment as if it is specifically referring to militias. The Gun-rights supporters say all the other amendments focus on individual rights, as does ““2A.”” The Second Amendment helps protect what is promised in the other nine and that it is a line the government is forbidden to cross.” (Kimberlin) Kimberlin also states that, “not many nations have firearms enshrined into their constitutions, but in 1789 the Founding Fathers thought that guns were important enough to deserve one of 10 amendments that make up the Bill of Rights.” If the possession of guns
Dr. Jonne Akens
Engl 1302
25 February 2013
Gun Control vs. Crime Rate According to the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, “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 this very amendment lies the main issue of gun control. “To many, the language of the amendment appears to grant to the people the absolute right to bear arms. However, the U.S. Supreme Court has held that the amendment merely protects the right of states to form a state militia.” (Kimberlin) Gun control, or the controlling of firearms, is any act or proposal by any local, state, or federal agency to inhibit, deter, or prohibit the possession of firearms by any law abiding U.S. citizen. Some believe that by controlling the people’s possession of firearms, the violent crime rate will decrease. However, this is not the case. The controlling of firearms, also known as an infringement of the second amendment, is irrelevant to the reduction of violent crime. Instead, further investigation into the criminals’ motives and state of mind will better resolve the rate of crime in our country. The Second Amendment is a mere twenty-seven words long. However, both campaigns of the gun control debate obtain such different interpretations from those words. “The gun-control campaign interprets the Second Amendment as if it is specifically referring to militias. The Gun-rights supporters say all the other amendments focus on individual rights, as does ““2A.”” The Second Amendment helps protect what is promised in the other nine and that it is a line the government is forbidden to cross.” (Kimberlin) Kimberlin also states that, “not many nations have firearms enshrined into their constitutions, but in 1789 the Founding Fathers thought that guns were important enough to deserve one of 10 amendments that make up the Bill of Rights.” If the possession of guns
Cited: Kimberlin, Joanne. "The Second Amendment: two interpretations." Virginian Pilot. 02 03 2008: n. page. Web. 3 Mar. 2013. Wicked, Joe, ed. "Does Gun Control Reduce Violent Crime?" Cold Dead Hands. Cold Dead Hands, 30 Jan 2013. Web. 2 Mar 2013.