"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.
I used to be the type of person that strongly supported the Second Amendment without question. I grew up in a family, where guns and shooting were a norm. I got my first BB gun in third grade, and target practice was one of my favorite activities. I was a member of a shooting sports club for several years throughout middle school and high school. I was taught gun safety from a very young age and it is pretty safe to say that I will continue to enjoy guns throughout the rest of my life.
I am sure that you noticed above where I said I used to strongly support the Second Amendment. That is true and I still do, but times are changing and I have to admit that I am becoming a strong supporter of gun control. Stronger gun control laws will affect me just as much as they will others and I am okay with that. In no way do I want guns to be banned entirely, but I do believe there should be some legal barriers to make it harder for guns to get in the wrong hands.
In case you forgot, or didn't know, the words of the Second Amendment are at the top of this article. As you can see the Amendment revolves around the idea of a 'well regulated militia'. At the time the militia was an important provision to the protection of the citizens and their rights. That is why it is the Second Amendment. Today the idea of such a militia, as intended by the Second Amendment is completely unnecessary.
The Second Amendment, as it stands, has lost relevancy in regards to the way the country operates today. We need to look at the contexts of society now and adapt our laws about gun control based off of that, not what the colonists feared. We do not need a militia to protect our people, we need laws about that protect out people from guns.
If you are a law-abiding citizen that is mentally competent enough to own a gun, then you have nothing to worry about. The main focus is to create rules and regulations that make it harder for the wrong people to get guns. It is true that people who really want guns, will do whatever it takes to get them. With stricter rules in place it will make it harder for them to happen. Most mass shootings are done with legally obtained weapons. Criminalizing some and tightening rules on others will make it harder for them to land in the wrong hands.
Another hot topic with gun control, is assault weapons. They are not necessary for sport or self-defense. There is absolutely no point in using an assault weapon to hunt and using one for self defense would be complete over-kill. Even if no advancements are made in this issue, the least that should come of it is limiting magazine size.
If you can't kill a home invader...with ten shots, you need to go back to the local shooting range."- Stephen King
Our nation undoubtedly values life. Society has the responsibility to protect innocent lives where ever possible. It is sad to say, but as they now exist, guns are a threat to the the general welfare of society. Greater restrictions will reduce the unjustified killing of innocent people and will serve to protect each person's right to exist safely. After all, what is more important, a citizens fundamental right to live safely or their right to bear arms?
