Gun Control Essay -- Constituton Bill Rights Right To Bear Arms

The people of the United States of America are given special rights that are guaranteed in the Constitution - The Supreme Law of the Land. The Second Amendment of the Constitution declares, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of the free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." People may have this right, however advocates of gun control believe guns are too risky. Opponents of gun control claim guns have protected them in a self-defense situation. Gun control is defined as government limitaion of the purchase and ownership of firearms by the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. Opponents of gun control argue that the right to bear arms is guaranteed to all citizens by the Second Amendment. Owners of handguns and other firearms debate that weapons have protected them and their loved ones from the harm of criminals. Moreover, the National Rifle Association (NRA) argues that although owning a gun requires a license, criminals are still able to get their hands on firearms. In other words, just because a great number of people own guns legally for private use, this does not stop criminals from obtaining guns. Second, the proponents of gun gun control say self defense is not a good enough reason for not regulating firearms. Studies on gun control have shown that family members were more likely to be wounded or even killed by other family members than b y a potential attacker or intruder. In addition, gun control advocates point out the fact that the firearms owned by licensed people are more likely to cause them harm than protection. The two sides have found themselves in a heated debate over this issue. However, public opinion tends to lean strongly towards gun control. Acco... ...uld live with. Related Links The National Rifle Association Handgun Control, Inc. and The Center to Prevent Handgun Violence The Brady Bill The Gun Control Act of 1968 Firearms Policy Journal References Adams, Kenneth. Guns and Gun Control. A National Public Opinion Survey, pp 109-124. (Sociofile) "After Brady." The New Yorker." December 13, 1993, volume 69. P 4+. Broylis,Hiram. "Gun Control or Media Control ?" Chicago Defender. March 25, 2996 p.2 "SMS Reference Library." Version 3.0. CD ROM. Mindscape, Inc., 1995. Sugarman, Josh. NRA: Money, Firepower, and Fear. Washington DC: National Press Books, 1992. Weiland, Bob. " Choice of Weapon" . Gun Goofs in Entertainment Media. July 21,1997 Intron Publication, Netscape p.1 Weir, William. A Well Regulated Militia: The Battle Over Gun Control. North Haven, CT: Archon Books, 1997.