Gun Laws
What is the Second Amendment to the Constitution?
According to the United States Constitution, the Second Amendment states that individuals have the right to have possession and bear any arms. Other than that, the amendment also protects individuals’ right since they are not prohibited from owning firearms. According to the Second Amendment, the right supports self-defense among individuals who own any firearms (Blocher & Miller, 2016).
How do you interpret this Amendment?
The Second Amendment allows people to have possession of any firearms, as long as it is for protection purposes. However, people have ended up misinterpreting the amendment since it allows them the right to have firearms. In other words, the Second Amendment allows people to be in possession of arms, but still, the firearms should be licensed and legal.
What kind of America do you think the Founding Fathers imagined when they wrote this? How is the United States different now than it was in 1789 when the second amendment was written?
Before writing the Second Amendment, the Founding Fathers thought that the people needed a militia to protect them from rebellious features. In this case, the Founding Fathers ensured that the militia would help people from any coup or standing army. Compared to 1789, the United States is different since the Second Amendment was written. During 1789, there were fewer cases reported on the misuses of firearms, since arms were allowed for protection. Currently, United States has recorded the highest number of cases of guns shootings since most people are in possession of firearms.
Explain the main arguments FOR gun control.
The main argument is that it leads to a safe community since not most people will be in possession of any firearms.
Explain the main arguments AGAINST control.
The main argument is that the process does not appear to control the use of firearms. Other than that, it does not reduce crime and murder rates since more people will still be in possession of firearms.
What do you think of toughest gun control law passed by the state of Connecticut following the April 2013 Newtown school shooting incident?
According to the State of Connecticut, the laws passed is to help reduce the use of firearms. However, the laws do not necessarily guarantee an effective gun control since it applies to the Connecticut state. I believe that the passage of the law was appropriate in curbing further incidences of shooting.
How do U.S. gun laws compare to those of other countries?
Compared to other countries, the United States gun laws are not to be tight since it is easy for people to have access to firearms. In other words, people’s rights to own firearms are not limited to anyone. However, certain types of firearms are limited to different categories of individuals in the US.
What role do special interest groups, such as the National Rifle Association, in the creation of gun laws?
The National Rifle Association is a controversial group because it does not support the issue concerning gun control. The NRA advocates for the use of more guns in the country since they result in a safety. Besides, the NRA also defends the Second Amendment since it supports the right of every citizen to own firearms.
What are some of the loopholes in existing gun control laws? How can such loopholes be eliminated, and if so, would their absence reduce illegal firearm purchases? Explain.
The existing gun control laws face some loopholes in that it will not guarantee safety among every individual. First, most people including young people can have access to firearms in the United States because there are no strict laws that ensure the possession of firearms among different age groups. While seeking to reduce these loopholes, the US government should ensure that before issuing of any guns or firearms, all people should be of sound mind and without any criminal records. By doing so, the government is likely to reduce the purchase of illegal firearms in the country.
Is it possible to create gun control laws that would not be considered unconstitutional? Explain.
Yes, it is possible to create gun control laws that may end to be considered unconstitutional. The reason is that the gun laws can end up favoring people to have more access to firearms instead of protecting them.
How do political views make a difference in how people view the issue of gun control?
The political views make a difference on the issue concerning gun control since they tend to influence people. Laws can be passed through political views since they can influence the government on the enhancement of the policies.
References
Blocher, J., & Miller, D. A. (2016). What is gun control? Direct burdens, incidental burdens, and the boundaries of the Second Amendment. The University of Chicago Law Review, 295-355.