The United State of America is one country known for many reasons. Other than being a superpower, the government of the united states has protected the public from their rights. The possession of a high degree of freedom has made the growth of revolutions in their history. The country legalized the possession of arms by the public on December 15th, 1791, in the Bill of Rights (the second amendment). It emerged as one of the first countries to protect the right of every individual to keep and bear firearms. The aftermath of allowing such freedom in the state came at a cost that made the second amendment to be revisited. Also, the interpretation of the bill became different as various states and districts had peculiar thoughts of how the second amendment worked. Multiple reviews have been done in the effort to try and control the alarming situation possed by the second amendment. The united states have seen turmoil by having citizens possess guns: assassinations, robberies, murders, and mass shootings being some of the examples. This essay aims at understanding more about gun control.
Gun control is the art of trying to enforce imitations and regulations that relate to the possession, acquisition, manufacture, trade, transport, and use of firearms. In 2019 alone, there were over 430 mass shootings all over the country, which led to the death of 517 people and injury of 1643 people (Borlaug 57). The issue of mass shootings has been dominating the headlines of international news. Questions raised aim at how the united states of America policies facilitate the occurrence of such ordeal. People have come out crying about the second amendment seeking to have a review. The second amendment, through mass shootings, has portrayed various weaknesses in the bill of rights.
After the passing of the bill of rights, 1791, there have been changes in the type of ammunitions one is allowed to own. Some of the reforms aimed at the kind of gun and ammunition; the state banned possession of assault rifles and high capacity magazines. The ban only lasted for ten years, 1994-2004. Since then, some states dropped the ban, while others reinstated it. Debates have erupted, thus narrowing down to the principles and practicality of the law. The discussions which talk about the second amendment comes from the quote, "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." (McKenna 138) The debate is a result of the differences between gun rights advocates and gun control advocates. The gun-rights advocates stand for the notion that the quote means that every individual has the right to gun possession while the gun control side believes that it is a people's collective right (via military). This debate has made the supreme court be in a dilemma as they try not to rely on either of the side.
When the second amendment was brought into existence, the nation needed military prowess. The founding fathers opted for people to have arms as all were devoted to fighting for their freedom. The justification of the second amendment was an opportunity for the Americans not to have a standing army as it was not a necessity (Levinson, Sanford 637-659). Sine situations have changed; the background principle of the bill of rights ought to have new interpretations. The part of collective or individual possession comes into place, and the real definition bear arms well evaluated.
In conclusion, the issue of finding the right interpretation of the law governing possession of arms is crucial and should be visited with caution. Also, since the nation has experienced numerous cases of mass shootings, it is high time the government comes up with solutions to curb the menace. The policies governing gun control must have strict regulations as it is a worm to the country.
