It is Time to Repeal the Second Amendment
The Second Amendment is one of the ten amendments that make up the Bill of Rights which many Americans consider to be the core foundation of their country. The Second Amendment reads as follows: “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.” (History.com Staff) In simpler terms, this amendment protects an American’s right to ‘bear arms’ and own weapons such as guns. This amendment was written in 1791 and was definitely needed a lot more then than it is in this day and age. This is due to the fact that at the time it was written, the ownership of a gun allowed citizens to protect themselves and allowed them an opportunity to fight back against a tyrannical government as part of a state militia, which in turn helps guarantee protection from such tyranny. However, nowadays, the people of The United States do not rely on militias to protect themselves from the government or from others and the abundance of guns actually makes Americans feel less safe which is the exact opposite of what the amendment is trying to accomplish. Another reason the second amendment is nonsensical in today’s society is due to the technological advancements in guns and weaponry that has taken place in the past few centuries. In turn, it is only logical for Americans to rethink and possibly repeal The Second Amendment.
First and foremost, The Second Amendment’s goal is to make citizen of the U.S feel safer and more at ease in their own country. However, after the numerous mass shootings that have occured over the past few years, the profusion of guns and their availability to seemingly anybody who wants to get their hands on one definitely worries people more than it comforts them. This is seen by the sheer number of protesters that plead the case for stricter gun laws and the ban of semi-automatic weapons. In an article that discusses the aftermath of the shooting that occured at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, the extent of the people’s want and demand for change in the gun laws that are in place is observed. The article stating: “Over and over, survivors of the shooting and relatives of the victims have confronted elected officials with anguished demands for action.” (“After Parkland shooting, teenagers rapidly reshaping gun debate in United States.”) The gun laws in place are outdated and the people of Parkland are protesting exactly that. In addition to this, the author uses a powerful phrase when talking about the survivor’s endeavours to make a difference, describing them as “anguished demands for action”. This shows the great extent of unhappiness and disappointment that the people of Parkland feel with the system that is in place which evidently boils down to the people of Parkland not feeling safe with the great abundance of guns that are in circulation in the United States today. The people of Parkland are not alone in this feeling however, as this feeling of unease is felt all around the country, which is why The Second Amendment needs to be reconsidered.
The Second Amendment gives citizens the right to bear arms and own weapons, but at the time of writing, the only weapons that were available were muskets and flintlock pistols which in the hands of a skilled shooter, could fire three rounds per minute. (Ingraham, Christopher) However, nowadays, with the technological advancements of two whole centuries, guns are easily concealable and can shoot at a much faster rate – with the AR-15 capable of shooting forty-five rounds per minute. (Ingraham, Christopher) That is fifteen times faster than a musket or a flintlock pistol. Guns can no longer be argued to be for personal safety anymore, these are weapons of mass destruction whose sole purpose is to inflict maximum damage on the target. Adding onto that, guns are getting more compact and are also a lot easier to conceal than they were in 1792. In 1792, if someone had a gun with them at the time, it was known that they had a gun. Unfortunately, with the evolution of guns, this luxury of knowing that someone is armed is not possible to have anymore. Due to these reasons, it is absolutely illogical that The Second Amendment is still relevant with today’s guns that can inflict so much damage and ruin so many lives if placed in the wrong hands. Guns and the number of people hurt by guns will always have a direct correlation especially when the guns that are out there are ones that are specifically made to hurt as many people in as little time with the least amount of suspicion drawn beforehand.
. The Second Amendment is losing popularity and credibility, especially with the younger generations. Americans are starting to realize that they do not need guns to protect themselves and many of them are willing to give up their guns if it means that weapons of mass destruction will be taken out of the hands of lunatics. After all the mass shootings that have taken place over the past few years, the people are realizing just how dangerous The Second Amendment is at this point in time. The people of America do not feel secure, kids are scared to go to school, and psychopaths have it easier than ever to try and implement their next masterplan which is why The Second Amendment needs to be rethought, reconfigured, and possibly even repealed.
Works Cited
- History.com Staff. “The Second Amendment.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2017, www.history.com/topics/2nd-amendment.
- “After Parkland shooting, teenagers rapidly reshaping gun debate in United States.” The Globe and Mail, 23 Feb. 2018, www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/teenagers-reshaping-gun-debate-in-united-states/article38104028/.
- Ingraham, Christopher. “Analysis | What “arms” looked like when the 2nd Amendment was written.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 13 June 2016, www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/06/13/the-men-who-wrote-the-2nd-amendment-would-never-recognize-an-ar-15/?utm_term=.3ee2cffedb0d.