OUR STANCE ON TODAY'S ISSUES - Gun Control

Gun Control

            “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.”

                                                                                    2^nd amendment to the Constitution of the

                                                                                    United States

           

            The above is the actual amendment to the United States Constitution that was ratified by Congress in 1791. This is the amendment that gun enthusiasts use to legally defend their right to buy and keep weapons. However, let us take an objective look at this legislation and the reasoning behind its creation.

            First of all, this amendment was written less than 20 years after the Revolutionary War had been won. At that time, the various states all kept their own private militia, or military force, to ensure the protection of their citizens. Since that time, all private military forces have been legally committed to the jurisdiction of the federal government. Therefore, the weapons that they used were, and are, under federal control as well.

            Second, the time in which this amendment was written was when the weapons being used consisted of cannons, muskets, and flintlock rifles. These weapons discharged one shot at a time, a small lead ball that, though they could cause major damage to the human body at 80 yards, were literally useless at any distances over that. The authors of this amendment did not, in any way, imagine that they were talking about weapons that could discharge 100 rounds or more per minute, and kill up to 10 men at a range of up to 4,500 feet with a single pull of the trigger.

            What we have to consider when looking at the problem of gun control is the actual intent of the amendment that protects a citizen’s right to own and keep weapons. At the time of the authorship of the amendment, the average citizen required a rifle to protect their home, family, and livestock from wild animals, Indians, and the occasional cattle rustler or horse thief. They also used their weapons to provide for their families, as hunting wild animals was one of the primary ways that many people put meat on their dinner tables. The right to bear arms was guaranteed at a time when rifles were an essential part of life for almost every member of a new nation. But, times have changed.

            The opposition to gun control says that they should be able to get weapons as a way to protect their homes. But, in reality, can anyone really say that that the average man on the street needs an assault rifle just to protect his three-bedroom house? Or, can any gun store in your local mall actually call selling armor piercing rounds a business necessity? It is time to take an objective and logical look at the reality of the sale of these kinds of weapons to the public.

            We have a few suggestions that we believe are a way to combat the rise that has been seen in gun deaths among our populace. First, any weapons that are considered military issue (i.e., any weapon that is used in modern military combat) should not be available for sale to the public. They should be limited to use only by members the military and law enforcement agencies, who have the training to use them correctly. The only weapons that should be available for public consumption should be revolvers (for self-defense) and rifles or shotguns (for hunting).

            Second, when a person goes to buy a weapon, they should be subject to a background check that includes both criminal activities and mental instabilities. They should also be required to acquire a license to own a weapon, the acquisition of which includes a requirement of attending a gun safety course, where they will be taught the correct way to safely handle a weapon. In addition, if this is their first weapon, they should also be required to buy a gun safe, where the weapon can be safely locked away from children or thieves.

            We realize that there will be many people who do not agree with our position on this, however, if we are to be rational and adapt to the times we live in, we can no longer rely on laws written over 200 years ago to guide us. We can stay loyal to the vision that gave birth to this country, and still be able to regulate ourselves so that everyone, particularly our children, can count on a safe and secure place to live, learn, and work.