Gun Control: If not now, when? Essay

The Second Amendment protects an individual right to take in a composition unconnected with service in a militia, and to implement that artillery unit for traditionalisticly lawful purposes, such(prenominal) as self-defense deep down the home. When it comes to protecting freedom, Americans, including those on the Supreme Court, recognize that personal liberties must often be special for the safety and protection of others. Yet todays gun rights advocates invariably honorable mention the Second Amendment of the Constitution, the right to bear arms, when threatened by attempts to limit, except non eliminate, modern-day ordnances. Piggybacking on this idea is our right to free reference it is frequently regulated through obscenity and decency laws. Slander, libel, pornography we argon hush up both last(predicate) of the time. Our rights to assembly and religion are compromised in the process, however. The debate over gun control continues to plague our country. On unit ary side, at that place is the interior(a) pop off Association (NRA) and 2nd Amendment-citing citizens who intake their firearms for hunting and self-defense. On the other, at that place is the Handgun Control Inc.(HCI) and followers of the Brady Campaign who want to prohibition era guns on the basis that they are dangerous. The Brady Administration take issueed a bill that requires individuals proposeking to sully a gun at a licensed dealer pass a background check. Beca utilize guns are especially lethal weapons, it makes sense that onwards someone can own one, he or she meets the legal requirements for ownership. This truthful step protects everyone, gun owners and non-gun owners, from the danger of high-risk nation gaining access to lethal weapons. Both sides have strong arguments, anchored in historical precedent and statistical analysis. Anti-gun control lobbyists arguments include the guarantee of the 2nd Amendment, the definition of militia as any adult male, s elf-defense, the relative uselessness of permits and regulations, and court cases in raise of firearm self-denial. Pro-gun control activists argue using the survival of the 2nd Amendment, the traditional definition of militia as a government-authorized army, the multitude of gun-related deaths, the need for stronger regulations, and the modeling England has set with their forbidding of handguns.Opponents of gun control legislation often cite the 2nd Amendment, which states that a well regulated Militia, being necessary to the trade protection of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. This portion of the Bill of Rights has been repeatedly upheld by court cases in the Senate and House of Representatives. On June 26, 2008, the Supreme Court ruled through territory of Columbia vs. Heller that the Second Amendment protects an individuals right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditional ly lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home. in a 5-4 vote. Despite all of the incidents during the past decade and a half, Americans have, in general, become less likely to say that the country unavoidably stricter gun control laws.In February 1999, the last poll before the columbine shooting, 60% of Americans said the nation needed stricter gun control laws. indoors days of Columbine, an April 26-27 survey showed a slight increase to 66% in 1999. From that point on, the more strict percentage began to decline. It fell below 50% for the first time in October 2008. Last year it was 43% in October, the lowest its ever been. Gun control is a zippy necessity to the welfare of our nation. For example, even President Obama is strongly advocating changes to gun control. On Wednesday, January 16, he proposed background checks on all gun sales and bans on military-style attaint weapons and high-capacity magazines as part of a plethora of steps to sign up gun violence as a result of the Newtown school thrashing last month. With relatives of some of the 20 children killed in the Connecticut rampage watching, Obama sign 23 executive actions (presidential decrees that dont require congressional approval), to spike existing gun laws and take related steps on psychical health and school safety.He also forcingly encouraged Congress to mend the assault weapons ban that expired in 2004, to restrict ammunition magazines to no more than 10 rounds, and expand background checks to anyone buying a gun, whether at a stores, private sales, auctions, or gun shows. Many people out there are supporting the anti- gun control cause with the explicate of self-defense. Not everyone pull up stakes acquire a gun for self-defense. Some olfactory property that having a gun is a sign of power. One of the bigger ambitions that one has is to obtain power the easier it is to get a gun, the faster a abominable will gain that power over an innocent, non-gun-wielding person. When one is in possession of a gun, that person has complete control of their actions and whitethorn act upon the weapon however the person pleases, even if they know that their actions will cause slander to defenseless people. There are many deaths caused by guns that could have been potentially stopped by controlling the ownership of guns. Theres no technical definition of an assault weapon, however there are fully-automatic weapons, which fire continuously when the trigger is held down.These have been strictly regulated since 1934. Then, there are semi-automatic weapons that reload automatically but fire only at once each time the trigger is pulled. Semiautomatic pistols and rifles come in all shapes and sizes and are extremely common in the United States. Congress didnt want to ban all semiautomatic weapons, because that would ban most guns in this country. So, firearm writing the 1994 ban, lawmakers focused on 18 specific firearms, as well as certain military-style attachme nts. Certain models of AR-15s and AK-47s were banned, along with any semi-automatic rifle with a pistol grip or bayonet mount. But, a semi-automatic rifle with just a pistol grip was okay. Its demo and word choice was complicated, however, and this made it easy to evade. For the 10 years that the ban was in force, it was illegal to manufacture the assault weapons described above for use by private citizens as well. The law also set a limit of 10 rounds on high-capacity magazines.As in almost every legal document or decree, there was an important loophole. Any assault weapon or magazine that was manufactured before the law went into effect in 1994 was perfectly legal to own or sell. At the time, there were about 1.5 million assault weapons and more than 24 million high-capacity magazines owned by normal citizens. An anonymous gentleman was once quoted saying unreliable laws created by well-intentioned people today, can be used by dangerous people with evil intentions tomorrow. It is understood that there may be different points of view on everything from everyone. Eppers quote could be construe in two different ways, but the way most see it is in favor of gun control. The well-intentioned people are the people out there trying to allow others to own a gun in order to use it as a self-defense tool, while the people with evil intentions are the criminals or mentally disturbed citizens that use guns because they were brainwashed to kill.If the well-intentioned people were to go against gun control and ban gun laws, this decree would make guns accessible to everyone. Whenever a criminal decides that he or she wants to assault someone, they will be able to do so readily. Once gun control is taken away, violence will increase. race will have the ability to walk around daily with guns, which will in turn cause more deaths and violence. If gun control laws such as banning of assault rifles, mandatory registration of all firearms, and careful background checks pr ior to each sale are strongly implemented however, hopefully this will cut down on the availability of guns to criminals and mentally disabled citizens, thus limiting ease of access and dropping the take of injuries, deaths, and tragedies overall, such as the recent Newtown, Connecticut episode. 1 . National Rifle Association (NRA) Statistics Statistic Brain. 2012 Statistic Brain Research Institute Statistic Brain. 2/23/12 http//www.statisticbrain.com/national-rifle-association-nra-statistics/ 2 . Gun Control 210 Carefully Selected Quotations Divided into 8 Sections. compiling Copyright MCR Agency, LLC, 12/27/11http//www.quotations.com/gun_control.htm