Preview

Second Amendment Research Paper

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1123 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Second Amendment Research Paper
America recently witnessed their largest mass-shooting in Orlando, Florida; which brought up many arguments over whether not America needs more laws restricting the use and ownership of firearms. Liberals have been arguing the Second Amendment does not grant citizens the right to bear arms, only militias. Another controversy would be that additional gun control laws are necessary to prevent gun violence. Conservatives believe in the opposite, and often argue the Founding Fathers made the Second Amendment so citizens may use guns for self-defense. Although many believed the Second Amendment does not grant citizens the right to bear arms, our Founders wrote the Constitution and viewed it as “a natural right, given by God and not to be impaired …show more content…
This is why some people are so vociferous about what they believe is necessary to achieve a less violent society. In addition to the Second Amendment dispute, liberals view it as reassurance that, “the federal government would not disband their militias” (Wasserman 1); henceforth not permitting the right for every individual to bear arms. They also conceived that when the Second Amendment addressed Americans as, “the people,” they do not mean individuals themselves, but the “people as a whole” (Wasserman 1). Some also proposed individuals do not need guns for protection and that, “it is the role of the local and federal government to protect the people through law enforcement agencies and the military” (Student News Daily 1).The people place great confidence within our government to defend us against any threats to the American people. It is also believed that if the militia had enough firearms to protect our nation, then the personal ownership of guns for “self-defense” would not be needed. Even if law enforcement agencies were the only ones able to bear arms, there would still be the concern of police brutality or abuse of authority. Another promoted conjecture is that, “additional gun control laws are necessary to stop gun violence and limit the ability of criminals to obtain guns” (Student News Daily 1). It is a widespread belief that the more laws the legislature passes on …show more content…
This statement would be invalid because, “(96.1%) of those inmates who were already prohibited from possessing a gun at the time of the crime obtained the firearm through an unlicensed private seller” (Universal Background Checks). Despite most guns being obtained illegally, it does not mean we need to enact more laws on gun restriction, but to make sure that all private sales of firearms have background checks. Another loophole that is frequently used, would be at gun shows. During gun shows there are no background checks; therefore, allowing people prohibited to own guns an easy way to obtain them without having to worry about a transaction record. Even if America did increase gun laws, it would be restricting the people’s ability to protect themselves from harm. “As many as 200,000 women use a gun every year to defend themselves against sexual abuse” (GOA 1); and “Every two minutes someone is sexually assaulted in America” (Victims of Sexual Violence: Statistics). The removal of guns will not fix all of America's violent issues because there are many weapons that we can not take away such as sexual assault. In fact, abolishing guns would do more harm than good to this country, this being a prime example. Even if we were able to take guns away from these violent people, it would not stop them from committing a violent

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    This however is not so due to the fact most people that commit violent crimes do not use a gun that they obtained legally. Of the guns used in violent crimes 39.6% were obtained from a friend or relative, 39.2 % from the street or an illegal source, 0.7% at a gun show, 1.0% from a flea market, and 3.8 % from a pawn shop (Olmstead, J. S.). All of these circumstances do not require the criminal to go through a background check which would most likely not allow them to obtain the weapon. With these numbers it only leaves 8.3% of criminals obtaining their guns legally (Olmstead, J. S.). This shows that by making it harder to obtain weapons it only hurts the law abiding citizens from being able to protect themselves.…

    • 2498 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    For years now our country has been in a heated debate on the second amendment. Some people feel that it is not safe to let citizens have and carry guns, while others agree it is their right as an american to own a gun. In America, there are approximately 270 million firearms possessed by civilians, and only 897,000 carried by police.Close to 33,000 Americans were victims of gun-related deaths in 2011 and an average of 268 citizens are shot every day. In the past decade our country has witnessed 142 mass school shootings and, in 2010 alone 19,392 people committed suicide with a gun. These frightening statistic are what I believe cuz some people to be against the second amendment.…

    • 309 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Contrast, Supporters of the Second Amendment argue that restrictions on guns will not decrease crime and Americans have the right to protect themselves. Similarly, Pro-gun activists argue, without the right to keep and bear arms, we revert to humanity's default state of "law of the jungle," where only the strong survive, where the big rule the small, and where the weak die in a puddle of blood, flesh, and urine. In the constitution it states, humans have the right to protect themselves from people that are bigger and stronger than them. However, others argue that it’s not a gun problem it’s a culture problem. It's easier for many people to focus on an inanimate object than the person behind the gun.…

    • 1959 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    There has always been a debate about weather the 1st amendment is more important Than the 2nd amendment. In this article I will be talking about why I think the 2nd amendment is more important than the 1st, the reason I believe the 2nd amendment is more important is that it allows us to bear arms, this means we are allowed to own weapons such as guns, knives, brass knuckles, etc... Also even if the 1st amendment didn’t exist we would still have the rights to own a gun or other lethal weapons in use of protection, so in other words even through the 1st amendment…

    • 482 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The debate over the restrictions of gun control is centered on the Second Amendment to the Constitution, which gives people the right to bear arms. Gun control supporters believe that this explicit right does not extend to ownership of military-style firearms. For example, groups like the National Rifle Association argue that gun control infringes on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. Gun control is an on-going debate because each year more people are killed by the use of guns. However, guns are not the result in the number of homicides each year, the problems rests with the irresponsible gun users. Gun Control would do nothing but harm America because guns offer protection and security…

    • 1203 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Second Amendment 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." Proponents of more gun control interpret it as being meant for the militia and that the gun laws should be stricter for the average American citizen or ban guns altogether. However, opponents of more gun control believe that the amendment is protecting an individual’s rights right to own guns and protect themselves. However, gun control laws do not deter crime; gun ownership deters crime. Guns will still exist even if it’s not legal for civilians to own them because there is always a way for criminals to get a hold of them, it has been proven in history, and don’t prevent gun related deaths.…

    • 712 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Recently, public debates have been less focused on the safety and wellbeing of our youth and kids. Instead, the debate has been heavily focused on the meaning of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the proper use of guns by the adults. The Second Amendment reads, "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…

    • 1206 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Americans have a natural right with the Second amendment. Nelson Lund, a Professor at George Mason University School of Law, once stated how, “The right to self-defense and to the means of defending oneself is a basic natural right that grows out of the right to life and many gun control laws interfere with the ability of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves against violent criminals” (Gun Control - ProCon). People have a right to safety, and a right to defend themselves. Many citizens acknowledge and defend this right. By implements stricter gun laws the only thing being done is taking away some people's ability to defend themselves against others who won't follow any laws put into place. This walks hand in hand with the second amendment, which “protects an individual’s right to own guns” and states that guns are needed for self-defense from threats ranging from local criminals to foreign invaders. Along with the fact that gun ownership deters crime rather than causes more crime (Second Amendment). America was built upon freedom, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and even the freedom to own guns and protect oneself from whomever may pose a threat. Bad people with guns can only be fought against by good people with the same abilities to have guns. Along with this the Fourteenth Amendment incorporates the fundamental right to keep and bear arms for the purpose of self-defense (Second Amendment). The second amendment is not the only amendment that protects a humans right to bear arms, here are other amendments this country was built upon that protect an american's right to protect…

    • 1798 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Second Amendment Essay

    • 833 Words
    • 4 Pages

    One of the most highly debated amendments of the United States Constitution is the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment has been disputed for hundreds of years on exactly of its exact true meaning. The United States Constitution wrote the Second Amendment as “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."…

    • 833 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Thousands even cling to the idea that guns provide safety, while citing the second amendment. But that safety they speak of does elude us as a society which guns are the threat to that safety. Also, I feel that the second amendment is also being taken out of context regarding the issue of gun control. The text of the second amendment reads, “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” (U.S. Const. amend. II). Society must remember that this amendment was written over 200 years ago, when the United States was a brand-new country without a standing army to defend themselves. Today the United States does have a standing army, navy, air force, and police forces, so we as a country do not need a militia to defend. But even with this amendment gun controls still won’t take away the rights of people to buy a firearm, sell, and…

    • 671 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The interpretation of the second amendment has been the backbone to the arguments on both political sides of the gun control argument.The Second Amendment reads that ”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(Pro Con).” Additionally “America's pervasive gun culture stems in part from its colonial history, revolutionary roots, frontier expansion, and the Second Amendment(Pro Con).” “Marco Rubio has commented that the 2nd Amendment is “a cornerstone of our democracy,” and GOP frontrunner Donald Trump called Obama’s plan “no good” and promised to “unsign” it if elected president(Financial…

    • 1080 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    American Gun Rights

    • 1359 Words
    • 6 Pages

    In the world that humanity has constructed it has left itself vulnerable to threats that nobody could comprehend: terror, mass murderers, chemical warfare, and numerous others. These fears have caused a vast rift in the population of the United States. People just do not feel safe anymore and how the population is dealing with their fear is coming across numerous fields; the biggest area under siege is the Second Amendment. In this debate on United States citizens gun rights, there are two main groups, the gun rights supporters and the ones who argue for gun control/ban measures. What gun control advocates fail to understand is that crime is decreasing as gun density is increasing, the amount…

    • 1359 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Some people hold the opinion that extraditing the use of firearms for citizens will reduce the amount of criminals in their community, and even the whole country. However, this is not the way it actually turns out to be. If citizens want their community to have reduced crime levels, they should not be fighting the rights to bear arms. Some of the deadly crimes that occur could be preventable if someone were carrying a weapon to assist in preventing it. For instance, that one person is carrying a firearm does not guarantee that any crime will be halted because of the presence of a weapon, it just means that the firearm can be an asset to stop a crime being committed. For a reference to show the brutality that occurs in the United States, “The murder and nonnegligent manslaughter rate [in the United States] is 63.3 percent” (Bureau of Justice Statistics. 2001). In the years between Washington DC’s Gun Ban Law and Trigger-Lock Law, which was a law stating that all firearms when unattended must be put on safety, or disassembled, were in effect, the crime rate increased by 76 percent (Pub Med. 1994). This percentage shown about the increased crime rate even while a gun ban law was in effect is a very satisfying number to those who oppose the strict aspects of gun control. 76 percent indicates a clear example of how crime in the United States does not subside when there are laws in effect to prevent citizens from owning their guns; in fact, the 76 percent increase shows that with this law, the crime rate has worsened. Crime does not stop just because law abiding citizens get their firearms taken away by the government; A survey conducted in 1997 showed that more than 18,000 prison inmates found that among those serving time for a violent crime, "30% of State offenders and 35% of Federal offenders carried a firearm when committing the crime.”…

    • 907 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    One of the biggest controversial topics in America today is Gun Control, whether we should or should not have gun control. The Government claims that if they take the guns away, that there will be a drop in deaths and crimes. The Second Amendment state that every citizen of the United States of America has a right to bare arms(ProCon#1). The Gun Control Law will take away that right completely, along with some of our freedom. If the Gun Control Law is enforced in the United States, our hunting right will be removed, our self-defense right will be taken away, and it will amplify the problem.…

    • 822 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Are you willing to sit back and become a victim of violent crime or allow the government to tamper with your civil liberties? In recent years, anti-gun politicians have attempted to control guns in the name of crime prevention this is an assault on the Second Amendment rights of US citizens . The Second Amendment 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." Not only did our Founding Fathers focus their debate on the right of people to keep and bear arms, they devoted energy to encouraging future generations to defend theses freedoms. In defense of gun ownership, Alexander Hamilton said, "If circumstances should at any time oblige the government to form an army of any magnitude, that army can never be formidable to the liberties of the people while there is a large body of citizens, little if at all inferior to them in discipline and the use of arms, who stand ready to defend their rights and those of their fellow citizens." During our country's development hundreds of law-abiding citizens were able to take up arms against lawless mobs to defend themselves, their family, their homes, and their businesses. They did the job law enforcement simply could not do. Lives were saved. Robberies were prevented. Homes and businesses were defended and left intact, all thanks to the Second Amendment to our constitutional, the right to keep and bear arms.…

    • 1122 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays