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The right to bear arms debate
Right to bear arms argumentative essay
Opposing viewpoints on the right to bear arms
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The right to carry a concealed handgun has been a sensitive subject for years, however, due to recent acts of gun related violence, the issue has become a political controversy. Although the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution which states, “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”, guarantees citizens the right to bear arms, the argument is based on the interpretation of when and where Americans are permitted to exercise this right. All 50 states allow the general public to practice concealed carry; however, The District of Columbia permits concealed carry licenses only to active and retired law enforcement officers (Concealed Guns 1). States that allow concealed carry licenses may have a lower crime rate than those that do not; therefore, the District of Columbia should adopt private citizen’s concealed carry laws. Illinois (specifically Chicago) is notorious for crime. The state is ranked number twelve out of fifty-one (the fifty-states and District of Columbia) as of 2008 for violent crimes and ranked number five out of fifty-one in armed robberies by the FBI (United States Dept. of Justice 3). In turn, the District of Columbia reported a forty percent increase in violent crimes for the year 2012 (Noble). Gun rights activists view concealed carry licenses as a crime deterrent based on the reasoning that criminals will not attack someone who may be armed (Concealed Guns 2). The Chicago Gazette published “Gun rights groups challenged the [Illinois] law banning concealed weapons” in 2009. Acitivist with funding fromthe National Rifle Association sued on behalf of an Illinois woman who had been attacked while volun... ... middle of paper ... ...ns of defending themselves and or others in the event of an attack. The District of Columbia should develop a new law that allows private civilians to carry permits and educate them on gun safety and training. Works Cited “Concealed Guns.” Concealedguns.procon.org. Procon.org, 5 Feb. 2013. Web. 21 March 2014. “Guns on the Bus? Bad Idea.” Chicagotribune.com Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2013. Web. 21 March 2014. Lorenzi, Neal. “Concealed Carry Gun ruling Stirs Controversy: Aldermen opposed.” GazetteChicago.com. Gazette, 1 Feb. 2013. Web. 22 March 2014. Noble, Andrea. “Violent Crime in D.C. Surges in 2012.” Washingtontimes.com. The Washington Times, 19 Feb. 2012. Web. 21 March 2014. United States Dept. of the Justice. Office of Public Affairs. “Illinois Crime Rates 1960-2011” Disastercenter.com. Federal Bureau of Investigation. 2012. Web. 21 March 2014.
Many Americans are now applying for a license to carry licensed concealed arms with them. The rate at which licenses are being approved is worrying. This development is concerning law enforcement authorities. Putting so many firearms at the disposal of the public is counterproductive to the gains that are being made on improving security and especially in the cities where incidences of gun crime and violence are on the rise.
The Second Amendment says people have the right to carry concealed handguns. Judge Richard Posner said “must be interpreted to include a right to have a concealed gun in public, to have it ready for use, and have it for self defense”. The Second Amendment also says “a well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right to the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”. The Supreme Court has made a landmark that states ruling upholding the right of people to bear arms for hunting and self defense. The NRA argue that law bringing citizens who have gun can decrease the numbers of crimes, rates, and are safer from criminals. Since Virginia passed a right-to-carry law, more than 50,000 permits have been issued, not one crime had been dropped. Criminals are less likely to attack someone if they believe the...
In Louisiana, gun ownership is one of the most valued rights because many see it as the only means for self-defense. Though it is a right, if crime rate increases due to gun violence, should self-defense hamper with the enforcement of gun-control laws? Currently, gun related crime is at “18.9 [...] deaths for every 100,000 people [...]” (“States With The Most Gun Violence: 24/7 Wall St.”). This statistic places Louisiana in one of the top spots for gun related crime, thus reminding us that gun-control is necessary. Gun-control measures can include restricting weapons such as the AK-47; a gun designed for battle-like encounters. Why would ordinary citizens need AK-47's anyway?
This article discusses the amendment about gun control specifically the right to bear arms. But it isn’t discussing it on the U.S. mainland but instead on the District of Columbia. The Controversy is whether or not the District is bound to the same laws and amendments that the rest of the United States is. The Current law in Columbia is there is a universal ban on guns. So should the U.S. Supreme Court vote to allow citizens to bear arms or should the 30-year-old ban be erased. This article briefly discusses the current rights of mainland American citizens and their rights to bearing arms. Although its an amendment for a citizen of the United States to bear arms most people today probably won’t ever need to or have to. With that being said though gun control in the U.S. is still a problem year in and year out.
“The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.” The Second Amendment supports conceal and carry by stating “the right to bear arms.” That statement should be exemplified as to have a gun in public. People need to have a weapon ready for use in case of emergency. Not in a car or locked up inside a house, but in reach of the certified personnel. According to the opposing side on ProCon.org, the article Should Adults Have the Right to Carry a Concealed Handgun states: “the amendment is not unlimited and should permit weapons only to citizens who can prove a ‘justifiable need’” (“Right to Carry a Concealed Handgun” 3). The article also has a women’s opinion on Conceal and carry. She stated “women need to be able to defend their home and defend themselves if they go out. It 's just a safety issue” (“Right to Carry a Concealed Handgun” 2). In order to feel safe, and have a reliable self-defense mechanism should be a justifiable reason for Conceal and Carry
John R. Lott, Jr., PhD, author of More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws, stated, "States with the largest increases in gun ownership also have the largest drops in violent crimes... The effect on 'shall-issue ' [concealed gun] laws on these crimes [where two or more people were killed] has been dramatic. When states passed these laws, the number of multiple-victim shootings declined by 84 percent. Deaths from these shootings plummeted on average by 90 percent and injuries by 82
During the problem definition stage, one must realize that “a condition is not a social problem unless it is seen as violating certain fundamental values and beliefs about how society should operate” (Gusfield, 2011). I have determined that there exists a problem concerning gun control, more specifically, concealed carry laws, as they are inconsistent throughout the states. While 48 states now have some form of concealed carry policy in place, the Illinois does not. Thus, the citizens’ rights are in violation of the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
The implementation of gun control in the United States is a large problem as it will take away the 2nd Amendment rights of citizens, while preventing law abiding citizens from protecting themselves from criminals.( Noyes, 3) The right to bear arms is promised to citizens of the United States. Crime is very high in states that have loose gun control laws. The state of Texas is known to have the most lenient gun control laws of any state in America.( Noyes, 6) However, the solution of taking guns away from people who are registered and licensed to carry them with no criminal record is not the answer to the problem. Americans have never responded well historically to prohibitions. (Baldauf, 7). Public concern about gun control has grown in Texas in the last two years due to the constant violence caused by Mexican drug cartels on the Mexico and Texas border. People in Texas have different beliefs when it comes to gun control, there are those who believe gun control laws are effective in reducing crime, those who believe that gun control laws are ineffective against crime, and those who believe that private owner ship of guns reduces crime.
As violence and murder rates escalate in America so does the issue of gun control. The consequence of this tragedy births volatile political discourse about gun control and the Second Amendment. The crux of the question is what the founding fathers meant when they wrote, “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.” Since the writing of the Second Amendment the make and model of firearms has changed dramatically and so has the philosophies of the people. A rifle is no longer defined as a single shot, muzzle-loading musket used to primarily protect families or solely for food. Should the weapons we use today be protected by an amendment written nearly 222 years ago? Should the second amendment be rewritten? Does the Second Amendment apply to individual citizens? These questions spark extensive debates in Washington D.C. regarding what the founding fathers intended the amendment to be. The answer to this question lies in the fact that despite hundreds of gun control articles having been written , still the gun control issue remains unresolved. History tells us gun control debates will be in a stalemate until our judicial system defines or rewrites the Second Amend. This paper will examine the history of the Second Amendment, and attempt to define the framers intent, gun control legislation and look at factors that affect Americans on this specific issue...
Lott, Jr. John R. More Gun Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000. Print.
In current day society, it is frequently promoted as self-defense and our “duty” as Americans to own a gun of some sort. The second amendment to the constitution declares that “We the People” are allowed to bear arms because we live in a free State. Although these statements are true, at what cost? The question, “at what cost,” arises due to the recent push for an extension and enforcement of the second amendment. The people of the States have been pushing for desired concealed carry at public areas, such as schools. Statements and questions of concern have been on the as to whether or not this idea is “smart”. Contrary of it allowing some people to feel safe, the idea should be imposed. Guns are weapons and they have the history behind them
If a person don’t carry a concealed weapon, how will they be able to protect themselves and their precious family from vicious criminals? Shall issue states are states that citizens may apply and be considered by the state for a gun permit which is also known as concealed carry. John R. Lott, is an economist and has received his Ph.D. in economics from UCLA. He claimed "shall-issue" concealed carry laws reduced murders by 8.5%, rapes by 5%, aggravated assaults by 7%, and robbery by 3%, according to a 2000 analysis of FBI crime data” (Lott, John R.) This refers to how concealed carry reduces crime and information was reported by the FBI compared to the other states that don’t allow concealed carry. This quote shows real evidence on how guns
Crime and guns. The two seem to go hand in hand with one another. But are the two really associated? Do guns necessarily lead to crime? And if so do laws placing restrictions on firearm ownership and use stop the crime or protect the citizens? These are the questions many citizens and lawmakers are asking themselves when setting about to create gun control laws. The debate over gun control, however, is nothing new. In 1924, Presidential Candidate, Robert La Follete said, “our choice is not merely to support or oppose gun control but to decide who can own which guns under what conditions.” Clearly this debate still goes on today and is the very reason for the formation of gun control laws.
... middle of paper ... ... Responsible citizens should have a right to carry a gun in order to protect themselves from those who obtain it illegally. All in all, responsible adults should have the right to carry a concealed handgun.
As of 2013, all 50 states allow concealed carry of handguns (Concealed Carry Reciprocity Maps), although a few states don’t require a permit and the standards for licensing vary greatly from state to state. In the U.S. most states are “Shall Issue” states. This means they will grant anybody a permit that meets certain guidelines such as being 21 or older and not having any felony convictions, a history of mental illness or domestic abuse. A handful of other states are “May Issue” states. In these other states, such as Maryland, a permit will only be issued if you can prove you need it. This can be a large obstacle and these states will usually only issue permits to people in the public eye, wealthy individuals that are well-connected or business owners frequently transporting large sums of cash (Concealed Carry Reciprocity Maps). Although the requirements and standards are different wherever you may live, one thing holds true- concealed carry permit holders are rapidly growing. The market for handgun training, concealed carry courses and smaller, more concealable handguns have opened up. When concealed carry was first gaining popularity there were two very different schools of thought. Some thought that violent crime would decrease, as criminals would fear the everyday person that just may happen to be armed. Others thought that having people carrying around concealed handguns in public would lead to an increase in violent crime with people losing their temper and shooting each other. When analyzing the data and crime trends, it is clear that with this influx of concealed carry permit holders there has not been a corresponding increase in violent crime.