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| Keeping and Bearing of Guns |
The Second Amendment which guaranteed the right of the people to keep and bear arms was ratified on December 15, 1791. It was the time when there was a high level of distrust against the federal government. There were reports that John Adams, the second US President, used the federal army to attack and invade the home of German-speaking families who were critical of his administration. There were rumors that individuals who challenged the federal government were subject to persecution and harassment. There were fears that the federal government will abuse its powers similar to what the British had done.
Because of fears that the federal government will use its army to harass and intimidate the people for the purpose of controlling them the framers of the constitution included the right to keep and bear arms in an effort to protect the public. The Second Amendment was considered as the only means by which the people can protect themselves against the abuses that may be committed by the federal government.
However, time has changed since December 15, 1791. The federal government has proven that it is the protector of the people. There is no longer truth to the fear that the federal government may abuse its vast powers to control and intimidate the public. There is now sufficient laws that will protect the public against any abuses by the federal government.
Instead of the federal government the public should be more afraid of teenage gang members who roam the streets carrying dangerous weapons. These gang members possess guns and ammunitions which they use to commit crime and to protect their territories against rival gang members who also possess high-powered guns. The public should be more afraid of individuals who manage to enter school campuses and to open fire on the helpless citizens.
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Nowadays, the right to keep and bear arms has no place in a democratic institution. Guns only lead to more violence, more crime and more victims. It does not stop crime but may even instigate crime.
However, it comes as a surprise that despite the dangers of the use of guns strict implementation of the law against guns is still a failure. According to AP Online, the whole country is split over the issue of gun control and the right of the people to bear arms (Allan Fram, 2007, p.2). According to Fram (2007), “women and minorities are far likelier than men and whites to view gun violence as a major problem. Six in Ten women think guns laws should be made stricter which is nearly double the proportion for men. Fifty-five percent (55%) of minorities also favor stricter legal requirements compared to the forty-four percent (44%) whites.” The Democrats and Republicans are likewise divided on this issue with 60 percent (60%) of the Democrats favoring stricter gun laws which is almost double than that of the Republicans.
In a study conducted by Professor Arthur Kellerman (2008), a professor of emergency medicine and public health at Emory University, he said that more than half the shootings in Seattle and King County, Washington took place at home where the firearm involved was kept (p.2). Only nine of the shootings were legally justifiable homicides or acts of self-defense. Guns kept at home were also responsible for 12 accidental deaths, 41 criminal homicides and 333 suicides.
Guns breed violence. It is suggested that all guns should not only be registered. No person should be allowed to carry a gun without permit. Moerover, there should be a stringent requirement before a person is given a permit to carry guns. The penalty of imprisonment should also be imposed against those who violate the restrictions against the carrying of guns.
