Americans and Guns

Americans and Guns

Guns played an important role in American history. Part of the reason our country was founded, was because Americans had gun ownership, America would not exist the way it does without having that. Guns were a vital part of the American Revolution. The British had a professional army to fight the Americans. However, the large portion of America's army was made up of volunteers who fought with their own personal weapons. It was important for Americans to have personal weapons. The government could not have come up with enough firearms on their own. A large part of America's westward expansion depended on guns. Americans needed firearms for personal protection against animals, Indians, and each other. They also needed guns for gathering food for their families. Trappers needed guns to survive, because a large part of their diet consisted of meat. Without guns and hunting, there is a good chance that our national parks would not exist. Theodore Roosevelt, being an avid hunter, thought it was necessary to preserve the wildlife and the land. If he was not a hunter, and had taken the time to see this great nation, it may have been to late to preserve it. In the same way today, guns are a part of the American life. Americans still use guns in wars. Guns are used everyday in American for self-defense. Thousands of Americans use guns every year in hunting. Hunting is an important part of the American life. Americans have been able to have guns throughout history because the Second Amendment makes it possible for self-defense and for many forms of recreation. Today, however, there are many controversies on the topic. Many Americans believe that guns kill people and are only another form of violence. They believe that if there is a ban put on guns gun violence will decrease. Many believe, however, that guns are a part of our everyday society, and that guns don't kill people, people kill people. Guns are not the problem, people are. Americans have had and always should have the right to own and carry firearms. The Second Amendment of the Constitution states: "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." (Constitution of the United States) This was written to protect Americans from the government abusing its powers. It could guarantee that the government would not take away Americans individual rights that had been fought for, and allow separate states to create militias. The Second Amendment meant that Americans had been given the right, by the government, to carry firearms. "We believe that the Second Amendment right to self-protection and defense of liberty should be granted to all those eligible including everyone of legal age, and those who are not violent criminals." (Second Amendment Foundation) There have been many court cases where the Second Amendment has had to argue and win cases about gun use. According to Supreme Court News, the gun control advocates are winning some cases, but it is nowhere near the amount the gun rights advocates are winning. In Ohio, a judge has ruled that the ban that Ohio had set on concealed weapons is unconstitutional. In 2004, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals made a ruling that an individual has the right to bear arms even if they are not in the military. In United States v Miller, the Supreme Court made a ruling that Americans citizens have the right to bear arms as long as those weapons are not tailored or changed, they must be ordinary guns or weapons. A very significant case in 1980 was Lewis vs. United States. In this case it was ruled that the rules and restrictions that are in the Gun Control Act of 1968 are constitutional. In this case the restriction they were pin pointing was prohibiting felons to own firearms. In this case the court said that this restriction did not infringe upon any constitutional rights. They even stated that voting was more important for felons to be able to have, than able to have possession of a firearm. In Hickman vs. Block, the US Supreme Court of Appeals stated that the Second Amendment guarantees that the states have a guaranteed right to maintain armed militia, but if that right was infringed, it was up to the state alone to punish. A case in Ohio, just got over and the court ruled against a ban on handguns stating it was unconstitutional. There are many more cases, where someone has tried to ban guns, or get away, but the Second Amendment still holds strong. It is an American right to own a gun. There are many Americans who believe that the Second Amendment makes it possible for only the militia to carry firearms. The Supreme Court made it clear that the definition of a militia was a group composed of all males who where capable of fighting. Some people of course will try to abuse the law. In the case of Lewis vs. United States, it shows that the Second Amendment cannot be taken for granted. Americans have the right to own guns, but they also have to earn and maintain that right. Most murders in the US are committed with guns. Approximately 15,000 murders are committed in the United States over a years time. Statistics show that over 10,000 of

these murders are committed with a firearm of some sort. There are over 6 million violent crimes committed each year. Over 600,000 are committed using a firearm. In 2002 there was over 30,000 gun related deaths in the United States. Out of over 12,000 homicide deaths, almost 40% were gun related. At this rate the America would be safer if there was a ban on guns. If no one had guns, then the crime rate would go down. The homicide rates would decrease and the death rates for the United States will decline. If there is a gun in a home the person is 3 times more likely to commit suicide with a gun than with any other object. A person is less likely in a home that does not have guns. Many think that Americans should not have the right to own guns. According to statistics America would be a lot better off without guns. Without guns violence will decrease. The Second Amendment says that militia has the right to bear arms. It is argued that the Second Amendment only applies to militia and not to Americans as individuals. So many Americans believe that if the Second Amendment is followed than there can be a ban on guns and that Americans do not have the Constitutional right to posses or own a firearm.

Criminals who should not posses' firearms anyway commit most of these murders. If there was a ban on guns, and all Americans gave the government all of their guns, just like everything else that is illegal, there would be a black market for guns. If guns were banned the only people that would posses guns would be the criminals. Out of all gun related deaths, suicide is the highest at over 12, 000 a year. It is not even the criminals that are making the death