2nd Amendment

The right to bear arms is an inherent right accorded to every citizen of the United States. "The Second Amendment (Amendment II) to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights that protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, along with the rest of the Bill of Rights. The Supreme Court of the United States first ruled in 2008 that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess and carry firearms." (Pollock, Earl; 2008) Although, even with it being an inherent right, the topic of gun control has been a major topic in our news and society due to all the recent mass murders and shootings in public places all over our country. So this has brought the topic of gun control to an all time high in our society and news.

This has caused many different points of view on the subject. "The overwhelming majority of American police officers are against gun control because they know gun control will have no effect on criminals. And in a larger statement concerned with legislation that might bring about the confiscation of firearms, the National Sheriffs' Association claimed that there was" (Hook, Donald; 1992). ''No valid evidence whatsoever to indicate that depriving law-abiding American citizens of the right to own arms would in any way lessen crime or criminal activity''(Hook, Donald; 1992). Although, others have a different point of view when you think about all the mass murders that have happened, as earlier mentioned, such as on college campuses, elementary and high schools, movie theaters, as well as in an Amish church. For example, in 1997, in Japan guns killed zero children; and then we have the United States, in the same year, guns killed 5,285 children (Gale and Greenhaven Press; 2008). Guns on campus have become a commonplace, unfortunately, and our younger generations are now, at times, scared to even go to school. Some believe possession of handguns should be banned for everyone except police officers and military personnel. In doing research about crime rates and statistics, there are plenty of examples as to why one would feel this way. "Since 1985, the weapons involved in settling disputes among young people have changed dramatically, from fist fights or knives to handguns. Youth use of handguns to commit suicides, robberies also has risen significantly. Most recently, young people have begun to use semiautomatic pistols with much greater firepower and lethality." (Gale and Greenhaven Press; 2008) Guns also increase violent crimes; they have played an important role in the growth in robberies, not just for adolescents but adults as well. The aggregate statistics indicate a clear rise in the fraction of robberies committed with firearms from 1989 to 1991. "During that time the total rate of firearm robberies increased by 42%. Over that same period of time, the rate of non-firearm robberies increased by only 5%" (Gale and Greenhaven Press; 2008).

The drug industry has also played a role in the increase of illegal guns on the streets. As our nation becomes more addicted to drugs, with crack cocaine being one of the most common, behind that drug