Gun Control and the Bill of Rights Essay - 710 Words

George Mason, a co-author of the Bill of Rights, said â€Å"To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them† If this is true, why would anyone try to ban firearms in the U.S? Guns have been a part of American history since we declared independence from Britain in 1776. Many people believe that removing weapons from the hands of citizens is the only way to stop criminals from shooting down people at malls and kids at schools, but this is not the case. Outlawing guns is not the answer for effectively reducing gun crime. According to Wikipedia, a firearm is a portable gun, being a barreled weapon that launches one or more projectiles often driven by the action of an explosive force. The first firearms were invented in†¦show more content†¦Murder by knives was first, followed by clubs, then strangulation. It seems that by banning guns, people used other ways to kill. On the other hand, Switzerland’s gun policy is very different than other nations. It requires all men to go through militia training at age twenty and issue an assault rifle when they complete it. Switzerland has the lowest gun crime rates in the world, despite giving everyone a high-powered, fully automatic firearm. Another hot-topic that politicians debate about is allowing assault rifles, or select-fire guns (capable of semi-automatic or fully automatic fire),which have the ability to shoot rounds as long as you can hold the trigger down, in the hand of American citizens. Currently, eight states have banned owning assault weapons in some sense. Some may argue that these guns are overkill, and aren’t practical for hunting or self-defense, whereas other firearms fill that position well. In some cases that might be true, but if multiple intruders enter your home armed, a pistol with a low-capacity clip may not suffice. Contrary to popular belief, gun crime has dropped significantly over the past 20 years. Since 1993, violence involving guns has gone down 49% according to Pew Research. The media is to blame for sensationalizing shootings and with the internet’s influence an argument that got out of hand can be seen as an all out battle. The SecondShow MoreRelatedBill Rights Essay : Gun Control 1025 Words   |  5 Pages2015 Bill Rights Essay: Gun Control In the past decade our society has contemplated whether guns should be permissible to be held at all times. Gun control is now one of the main political issues because of all the shootings in the past decade. It has shown that there have been about 30,000 gun incidents in the years between 2010-2015. Even though the law prevents guns from being possessed in the wrong hands, statistics still show thatRead MoreAgenda Setting : Missouri Gun Control1682 Words   |  7 Pages Agenda Setting: Missouri Gun Control Peyton Flewelling University of Missouri at Columbia Agenda Setting: Missouri Gun Control The efforts of gun control advocates have been undermined largely by the persistent presence of those arguing the 2nd Amendment protects their Constitutional right to bear the majority of arms in almost every setting. This has occurred despite an ever-changing social climate, where gun violence occurs daily. 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In order to protect its citizens, Canada’s legislature implemented a series of laws, throughout several decades, restricting firearms and requiring gun registra tion. AlthoughRead MoreAmericas Debate Against Gun Control1155 Words   |  5 Pages ï » ¿ The United States and the war on Gun Control The gun control issue has recently created a massive uproar throughout the U.S. due to some major horrific events such as the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, where 32 people were killed, the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012 where 27 people were killed, mostly children, and the Columbine shooting in 1999 where 13 people were killed, (CNN) as well as many others. To some, it is a crime issueRead MoreArgumentative Essay On Gun Control1397 Words   |  6 PagesConstitution protects the right of the people to bear arms and was adopted on December 15, 1791, as part of the first ten amendments located in the Bill of Rights. Since then there have been many attempts to create stricter gun control legislation and this leads to the argument whether or not this is an attack on the 2nd  Amendment? The Bill of Rights amendments adds to the Constitution specific guarantees of personal freedoms and  rights. The Second Amendment was originally based on the right to keep and bearRead MoreEssay An Argument For Gun Control1458 Words   |  6 PagesGun control is an issue that has been debated by Americans since the 1960’s (Dolan 1). The debate questions the right of Americans to bear arms, this including, handguns, shotguns, and rifles. Some say a simple restriction of these arms is in order while some think they should be banned altogether (Dolan 1). Both sides hold strong opinions often causing conflict in the matter and confusion among the citizens of the United States. However, the opponents do agree that a death rate of 30 millionRead MoreGun Control : Opposing Viewpoints1449 Words   |  6 Pages GUN CONTROL: OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS Introduction and Preliminary Research In a country where the people own more than 70 million handguns and perhaps one million automatic rifles and assault weapons, public opinion on gun control is understandably divided. Those opposed to gun control often cite the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, which appears to guarantee private citizens the unrestricted right to bear arms; less theoretical arguments include the practical need for self-defenseRead More Gun Control versus The Right to Bear Arms Essay886 Words   |  4 PagesWith the topic of gun control comes a widely split crowd. There are those that believe that gun control is necessary for decreasing crime and making a nation a safer place to live. And on the other end of the spectrum, they are those that speak of how anti-gun control is what would make our nation a safer place to live. After all, ?Would a person be as likely to break into another familys home knowing that the family has means of personal protection (Warren 308). ?Most everyone will agree thatRead MoreGun Control Essay536 Words   |  3 PagesConstitution give people the right, or should guns be restricted or banned because they are used in the commission of many crimes? Some argue that the right to bear arms is not as vital today as it was in the 1700s, or that it does not apply to individuals. Others argue that it is an individual right guaranteed by the Constitution to own a firearm. It is obvious that the nation does not want guns in the hands of convicted felons; however it is necessary that guns be not confiscated from law-abiding