In 1791 the second amendment was ratified as part of the United States (US) Constitution, A right that its framers gave to the US citizen as a fundamental protection against threats from outside or within. “The right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed” (Young, 2007) Since then Americans have wrapped themselves with this right, even with judicial ruling giving government the ability to limit manufacturing, sales and ownership. But with the last ten year or so the US has experienced some of the worst mass shootings in recorded history. I wish to address the contagion of mass shootings and what actions in legislation have allowed these types of tragic events to unfold. After 2006 there has been a distinct rise in mass shootings, this is evident with tragic example like Sandy Hook Elementary and Virginia Tech University. These incidents are …show more content…
Currently, in 2017, there have been 51 mass shootings, in which four on more individuals were harmed and or killed by individual with firearms, in the US (Gun Violence Archive, 2017). Yet the National Rifle Association (NRA), which is pro-gun and 2nd Amendment, has push and lobbied vigorously against firearm regulation. The NRA has had a strong showing in congressional support for many years and have always used the constitution as the base of their debate against advocacy groups like the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and the Brady Campaign who want stricter national regulation and enforcement of firearms. This debate seems meaningless if citizens are prone to violence by those given access to the means of their destructive acts. Our nation has experienced major loss from mass shooting incidents, we should not fear losing our constitutional right to firearms but instead fight to have it benefit us all in a safe effective