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Essay Name       : 1462.txt 
Uploader         : jhardell
Email Address    : 
Language         : english
Subject          : Politics
Title            : amendment II
Grade            : b+
School System    : community college
Country          : usa
Author Comments  : 
Teacher Comments : good
Date             : 11-23-96
Site found at    : interesting
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										John Hardell
										Pol.Sci.
										8:30-11:30
										M,W



Amendment II



	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.  When our founding fathers wrote this, they wanted to make sure that the people of America would be able to protect themselves from any outside threats, including their own government should it become hostile in nature.  During the early years of this country this seemed like a very good idea, whenever there was trouble the local militia could be easily dispersed in order to face whatever obstacle that threatened their safety.  Back then, the only people who had guns were in a militia, and they knew that they could be called upon anytime in order to defend themselves from danger.  They were trained and taught how to use their weapons for purposes of their own defense.  Defense of their land, of their families, and of their freedom.  Back in those days, times were very hard.  The American people had to defend themselves, they had no army to call upon, they were the army.  In our battle for independence we did not call anyone to protect us we simply saw trouble, packed up, and went to disperse the threat.  

	Today we don’t have to pack up our gear and fight when we have a problem, we have the most powerful defense force in the world.  They are specially trained in military tactics in order to defend us, the American people.  That is what the 2nd Amendment is all about, yet today many people have misconstrued the meaning of this amendment.  They have wrongly gotten the impression that this amendment is a license for all of the American people to own weapons.  Anyone who can afford a gun practically has the right to own one in this country.  There are no qualifications to own guns and no required basic safety course, this seems ludicrous.  Technically speaking, we are putting the power to kill into the hands of anyone who wants it with no regulation.  

Doesn’t the constitutional amendment for this say "well regulated"? I thought that it did.  Without a doubt, there is practically no regulation of the guns that our citizens own.  We have the highest murder rate in the world, every year tens of thousands of people are killed in America by guns.  More specifically handguns kill more than any other type of gun, specifically over thirteen thousand in 1992 alone.  Since then the problem has worsened, today handgun deaths are at an all time high and things aren’t looking any better for us.  There are obviously some flaws in the 2nd amendment.

I do not propose that we banish guns all together.  But, I do think that hand guns are not necessary.  Why are there over thirteen thousand deaths a year by handguns alone?  Because they are easy to conceal, that is the main reason.  And it is for that very reason that most crimes are committed using handguns.  A criminal can hide a handgun in his pocket and walk into a bank or a store pull it out and rob it.  A gang member can walk around with a handgun in his pocket and pull it out and shoot somebody whenever he pleases.  Why?  Because it is so easy.  

Now just because that I propose that we ban handguns all together, does not mean that I think that we should ban guns all together.  I personally think that we, the people need guns in order to protect ourselves from any hostile action.  Whether it be outside invaders or a tyrannical government.  Obviously the authors of the constitution thought that it was important if they made the right to bear arms the 2nd amendment.  The 1st of course is freedom of religion, which is one of the main reasons that our country was founded.  Instead of a ban on all guns I would like to allow the people of America to be able to bear weapons such a rifles.  This way we would still have a means of defense, and we could eliminate the handguns that would end up killing more of us than anyone else.  While banning handguns would have a significant impact, the fact is that putting guns into the hands of someone who does not know how to properly use one is still very dangerous.  To remedy this, I propose that all who wish to own a gun would have to be trained by professionals on how to use them.  They would have to pass safety courses and psychiatric evaluations in order to attain the permit which legally allows them to own a gun.  They would also be certified members of a state militia so that if for any reason they are needed to defend themselves they can be well regulated in a professional manner.  This may seem harsh to some, yet it is what the authors had in mind when they wrote the constitution.  So now instead of letting every Joe Blow own a gun with ignorance, we would have a nation of gun owners who are educated in the safety of their guns and a well regulated would finally be formed.  A well regulated Militia with requirements and tests to attain a permit to own a gun, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to bear arms excluding handguns, shall not be infringed.        

	         
 
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