Pros And Cons Of The Constitution's Second Amendment

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I. Introduction The Constitution's second amendment says, "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" (Madison, 1971, para. 2). The second amendment was written as a part of the Bill of Rights and gave the citizens the right to bear arms and form militias to maintain a free state. However, since its adoption, the interpretation of the Second Amendment has been a topic of debate and controversy. Some people argue that the Second Amendment assures a person's right to own firearms for personal protection. In contrast, others believe it only protects the right to bear arms about a well-regulated militia. Nevertheless, the explanation is clear …show more content…

Multiple gun ownership by an individual has led to increased gun violence and mass shootings. This can be seen in cases where individuals with a history of mental illness or criminal record can obtain multiple firearms, leading to tragic consequences. The pew research center reported that about 66 percent of gun owners in the U.S. own multiple firearms, with few people owning as many as ten or more guns (Parker et al., 2017). This has raised distress about the potential for these individuals to use their excessive collection of firearms for violent and criminal purposes. For instance, the mass shootings that have occurred in recent years have often been conducted by individuals who own multiple firearms. During his shooting spree, the Virginia Beach Municipal Complex shooter DeWayne Craddock had used two .45 caliber handguns and a silencer that killed twelve people at a municipal complex in Virginia Beach (Vigor, 2021). In the discovery of The Bureau's Behavioral Analysis Unit (2021), Craddock felt isolated from his co-workers over how they perceived him and his own perception of his work fulfillment. As a result, the shooter settled with violence as a rational reason to resolve the …show more content…

The use of guns as assault weapons has become a disturbing trend in recent years. Assault weapons are designed to be used for military or law enforcement purposes, but civilians are obtaining them for private use. However, they are using them for violent and criminal purposes. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (2019), 36.4 percent of robberies involved firearms, and a portion of those crimes featured the use of assault weapons. Road rage incidents have also become increasingly violent, often involving the use of firearms as assault weapons. As of 2021, 62 percent of road rage incidents resulted in injury or death (Sharps & Bistline, 2022. p. 2). This misused guns as assault weapons goes against the intended purpose of the second amendment, which was to allow citizens to defend themselves and their