The Right to Arm Bears....
Originally written and posted 2004One of the items I have always had trouble with is gun control. On one side I can completely understand an individuals wish to own a firearm. Having spent 8 years in the United States Navy, I trained and used a number of different and powerful guns. My problem lies in the ongoing argument that we have a right to own guns. The gun toting masses inevitably come back to the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution. I simply don't see the validity of this argument, since the 2nd Amendment relates entirely to a volunteer militia, not in fact, regular citizens.
Now let me clarify my own beliefs. I feel that every person in this nation, be they white, black, old, young, male, or female, has a right to own a firearm if they so choose. Hunting and sporting shooting are very popular. I see absolutely no reason that anyone without a felony indictment should be restricted from purchasing a gun for these purposes. What I don't believe is that a high powered rifle with a 2-mile scope and hollow point shells is required, nor is it necessary to own a weapon that has the ability of being used in a fully automatic state. Those weapons are not sport items, they are killing systems.
There are many types of weapons that just do not need to be available to the general public. Uzi's and assault weapons have no place in our society. Weapons like that were designed for warfare. Warfare meaning the killing of enemy soldiers, the killing of other human beings. If someone can prove to me that Joe Public is threatened enough on a daily basis to require this kind of self protection in the United States, well then I'll drop my argument and move to Canada.
The NRA, National Rifle Association, has long been an opponent of gun control. I hope I am correct in thinking that this opposition is kept up as a preventative measure. I understand the paranoia of many believes that if they allow any sort of gun control laws to be passed, that then their personal freedoms are being violated. They believe perhaps that if they allow one item to be outlawed that one day all guns may be outlawed. I cling to my belief that this is the basis for their arguments. I honestly hope they aren't ignorant enough to believe we need assault weapons in this country.
Let me get back to my comments on the 2nd Amendment. The 2nd Amendment to the Constitution reads: "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." Now at first glance, It does say that the right to bear arms shall not be infringed. However, this does not in fact relate to the general populous of today. We must recall that this document was drafted when there was no long term standing army. In a time when the men of each town or burgh were required to make up the local militia for self defense. Those times ended not long after the Revolutionary War did. Today's United States is not a place where marauding bands of thieves roam the countryside burning and pillaging. Our nation has the single greatest military force in existence. We have armed and trained police forces at every level, towns, counties, and States. These are our militia. If the police forces were not enough, there is also the National Guard. These weekend warriors volunteer to take on the same problems and difficulties that the militia did in olden times.
Based on this I can safely say that in my opinion, the right to bear arms needs to be adjusted. Let us make an Amendment to the 2nd Amendment. Let us guarantee the right of the people to own a firearm, but let us also ensure that the types of weapons people can own do not in turn threaten the safety and security of this great nation. The Constitution was written as it was because it is not perfect. It was written to be amended, because the founding fathers knew one thing above all. They weren't infallible. They knew they didn't have all the answers and that times will always change. The Constitution is made for change, for adjustment. Its high time we took steps to update our laws and guiding documents to reflect the realities of the modern world.