Right To Bear Arms Essay

Mehak Saini
Expo-E15
Anthony Cashman
April 1, 2014
Essay 1.3

Imagine sitting at home one day, relaxing with your loved ones, watching your favorite TV show, all of a sudden you hear gun-shots, not intended towards you or any of your family members; a bullet accidentally pierces through the door and kills someone that had no part in that violent attack. They were as innocent as the many that have been victims of gun violence in The United States of America. The spread of handguns, and assault riffles in the country is growing every year, “More than 8.57 million guns were produced in 2012, up 31 percent from 6.54 million in 2011”(1), according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
This concept stems due to the second amendment, which states, “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.”(5). Majority of Americans focus on “bearing-arms”, however the key to that amendment is “militia”. Arms are military weapons, firearms used by a well-regulated militia, at the time the Second Amendment was written, were mostly long arms that, like a smaller stockpile of pistols, could discharge only once before they had to be reloaded. Back in 1791, when the Amendment was put in place, it was to make sure; a citizen’s militia can defend the principles of the constitution. In 2014, guns are being used for “apparent” self-defense. Many believed that the case of Zimmerman vs. Martin was a discriminative incident. Zimmerman was proven not guilty, as he, an armed Latin-American male felt threatened for his life, from an unarmed African-American teenager. Yes, Americans should have their fundamental rights, however “the right to bear arms” shouldn’t be considered as a fundamental right. Americans enjoy guns, just like a lot of them enjoy illegal drugs, which does not mean, that drugs should be legally accessible, and be part of the constitution. Just like drugs are an issue in the country, so are Guns. The second amendment, should not defend citizens for
From mass shootings, carried by mentally unstable pupils, to the Second Amendment being one of the most cherished fundamental rights for American citizens, followed by a large group of racist America targeting the African-American society. These arguments uphold a significant debate for the federal and state regulations to bring change in the policy of owing a handgun or riffle. Most countries, with ban on gun ownership have next to eliminated crime in their nations. Countries like Japan, that enforced strict Gun Laws, have almost wiped out gun crime, "Having a gun now is like having a time bomb," one Yakuza (Japanese mafia) boss told The Japan Times ' Jake Adelstein. "Do you think any sane person wants to keep one around the house?" (6). Furthermore, American citizens, shouldn’t have to be fearful of their safety when going to school, watching a movie, or just going to the mall to shop. Every individual in the United States of America has the right to roam freely without fear of accidently or intentionally getting shot. This is their fundamental right according to the American