The Preliminaries: Brief Explanation

The topic of discussion for this mediation assignment is going to be the issue of gun control. This subject has been very controversial in the history of the United States. The controversy has mainly stemmed from the different interpretations of the 2nd Amendment of the constitution. The 2nd Amendment 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.” Although there are many interpretations of this, one of two sides on the issue is generally taken. The first is the group consisting of those who interpret the 2nd Amendment as declaring that U.S. citizens have the right to keep and bear firearms. These people are the collectively known as “gun-rights” advocates. The second consists of people who interpret the 2nd Amendment as declaring people have the right to bear arms when and only when in a union of communal defense. In other words, under this amendment there is no protection of “individual” rights to bear arms. Accordingly, these are the “gun-control” advocates. Opposing sides can be taken by these two groups on many issues. These include things such as the previously stated interpretation of the constitutionality of bearing arms, prevention of crime, and the balance between protecting individuals’ rights of self-defense, and the maintenance of public safety.
The side that I will be defending is the “gun-rights” side. In support of individuals being able to keep and bear firearms, I will present first the protection of this right by the Constitution in the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution for the main purpose of protecting individuals from a dominating central government. Thomas Jefferson was an advocator of this belief stating that people should be able to protect themselves from the “tyranny of government.” A direct result of this belief was the Revolutionary War between tyrannical England and the oppressed colonies. Also, the right to bear arms presents benefits to those who possess firearms. First, taking advantage of this liberty provides a person with a means of self-defense. For example, if a woman is attacked by a stranger, having a small pistol in her purse could protect her from being mugged or possibly raped. The possession of a firearm can symbolize power, which if used correctly, can be used for self-defense. Also, the right to possess firearms allows citizens to enjoy the entertainment of hunting and the shooting range. Hunting is a pastime of the United States that dates back to the settlers. It has become a part of the American identity. Firearms themselves have become part of the culture of America, which has come to be known as “Gun Culture.”