Homework Question on the Revision of the Second Amendment
During this political season, you have heard many issues discussed and various sides taken on those issues. Often, those sides have been defended by proclaiming that the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are on their side. (Occasionally, we have even heard that the Constitution and/or Bill of Rights needs to be updated, because conditions have changed so much since the century in which it became the law of the land.) Your research assignment is to pick the issue that most concerns you, and explain your side of that issue, using the Constitution and its Amendments to defend it.
Homework Answer on the Revision of the Second Amendment
During the just concluded presidential elections the issue about the second amendment clause about gun control came to light with Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidate, being accused of selecting a panel of the Supreme court that would infringe individual right. The second amendment states“…the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” The second amendment was initially developed by the American founding fathers to function as the peoples check back in case the government imposed rules against civil rights guaranteed in the constitution (Carter, 112). Over the years, the true function of this right has changed with a number of US citizens sitting the fact that baring guns with many seeing the right to carrying a firearm aids in ensuring freedom from anyform of oppression, self-defense, as well as the society’s responsibility to defend their nation from its enemies (Finkelman, 53). Nonetheless, the reasons for owning a firearm have shifted from its initial purpose causing the number of guns in public to increase exponentially; consequently, suggesting an increase of illegal guns as well as fire arm related violence. From this statement, there is undisputed reason for the government or any other official to respect the reason for an individual to carry a gun; on the other hand, the number of gun related crimes are alarming. In reference to the two positions, it is paramount to highlight on what has high cost to the nation in general and consequently, the second amendment has to be needs to be revived.
Argumentative Stance
It should be noted that there are a number of regulations that are currently in play that are centered on the sale, use, carrying as well as acquisition. According to Utter (100),the US constitution sates that firearms need to be regulated in sales, basic background check, as well as an individual’s address in order to keep track of the guns in the country. However, an over view of what can be termed as gun violence suggest that incidences either criminal in nature or accidental have gone up over the past century. According to a report by Finkelman (132), in 2013, there were 73,505 gun accidents though nonfatal; 11,220 homicides; 21,000 suicides as well as 33,636 deaths related to firearms. Despite the fact thesenumbers are high the report showed that of the 22,596,993 deaths only 1.4% were related to firearms (133). From the above statistics, two factors can be deduced the gun issues may be blown out of proportion considering how it is presented by advocated of gun control; however, it is a sure fact that guns are dangerous. The issue of revising the constitution suggests an in-depthcheck of individuals who purchase guns from stores. The Second Amendment allows any US citizen of legal age to have a firearm but it does not take in consideration such issues such as violent past; mental instability, criminal records as well as other factors that may be significant in determining if an individual is fit to own as well as carry afire arm.