The Second Amendment: A Petition for Stringent Enforcement

Ever since high school, I've been fearful of encountering someone equipped with a
firearm on their bad day. As a result, I've always been on the lookout for laws that would educate
me about gun use and what I would do if confronted with such situations. I've been presented
with dread on a daily basis, and I'd contend that experience is the finest teacher. The plethora of
news reports on mass shootings has always sent a chill down my spine, and this is something I'd
like to help prevent.

Even if I've only seen such mass shootings through social media or the news, I feel how
much it has affected our whole country and the world. I feel the immense amount of pain these
situations cause the families and communities involved, and I'm inspired to assist in any way
possible. I cannot begin to imagine what it's like to lose a family member in such a horrific
shooting, but this tragedy has made me appreciate my family even more--and all because of its
effect on me. My protective instincts against gun violence run deep and will not be softened by
news reports or statistics. If anything, they will be intensified by it.

According to Thebault et al., Gunshots claimed the lives of more than 8,100 people in the
United States at an average of 54 victims per day through the first five months of 2021. Experts
link the rise to a number of new and long-standing concerns, including entrenched inequality,
deteriorating relations between police and the communities they serve, skyrocketing gun
ownership, all of which were exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and broad racial
upheavals. Thus, the government must step in when citizens use their gun in contexts outside of
self-defense or hunting. More often than not, these occurrences are fueled by anger and rage
from someone who wishes to inflict pain on innocent people by killing them. The government
must then intervene before the person's actions spiral out of control.
 While I believe that some proponents of the second amendment are sincere in their
beliefs, others appear to be uneducated or purposefully misleading. The state has not enacted any
new legislation that has resulted in the expansion of firearms in America, which indicates that
gun restriction is a matter of government control, regulation, and effect. These are all areas in
which I believe the government should intervene to prevent individuals from being shot and
innocent lives being taken. While empirical data on the number of shootings and the causes for
them has been used to legitimize some regimes' calls for further gun control, this data does not
appear to be a real reflection of society's true gun problems.

Additionally, one of the several issues with gun violence in America is the way it is
facilitated by commercials. Advertisements entice people to purchase firearms for self-defense.
Thus, one of the first measures toward reducing gun violence is to prohibit advertising and
marketing for firearms and firearm accessories. These restrictions would assist to avert future
catastrophes. For example, according to the World Health Organization, 2.4 million people in the
United States expressed suicidal thoughts in 2014. This figure is concerning because, according
to BBC, men are more likely than women to consider suicide. Thus, restricting access to firearms
may deter certain persons from harming themselves. This proactive strategy would also drive
dishonest advertising organizations out of business, preventing them from persuading customers
to purchase firearms that are either improper for them or harmful owing to their design or
intended usage.

As a result, the second amendment, in my opinion, should be preserved or left alone.

However, as Paul Faussel mentioned, I believe it is vital to emphasize the amendment's other
clause. Because "rights not to be infringed" are not enshrined in stone or iron, they are open to
interpretation. As a result, if the second amendment is abused or misinterpreted, I believe the
government must step in to prevent such abuse. Additionally, because Faussel underlines the
dependent clause, "A well-regulated militia is important for a free state's protection," I will as
well. It is critical to highlight this sentence's dependency since this section of the amendment is
critical for preventing gun use from spiraling out of control. There is a huge difference between a
right and a necessity, and I believe the second amendment protects an American's right to bear
arms for self-defense. The second section of the amendment clarifies the first's essential
objective and contrasts two values.

One could claim that the Second Amendment exacerbates already severe murders in the
country, like mass shootings and domestic violence. I acknowledge that some individuals may
use firearms while intoxicated and endanger others, and I cannot fathom the harm caused when
an individual destroys dozens of lives in a single day by murdering multiple innocent people.
The Second Amendment has also frequently been utilized as a means of escape and is misused
by perpetrators in public and in court. Certainly, mass shootings have gotten worse in the twenty-
first century and numerous commentators relate these tragedies to careless usage of the Second
Amendment.

However, repealing the Second Amendment does not guarantee that we would be able to
rest and recuperate. We cannot just disregard existing problems in the belief that they will
resolve themselves. While other approaches to resolving gun violence in America may be
necessary, I believe we should prioritize preventing individuals from obtaining firearms with the
intent to use them recklessly. The Second Amendment is a fundamental right that is frequently
considered as a symbol of liberty and independence. As such, I feel it is critical to protect it so
that future generations can continue to use firearms for self-defense or hunting while also
guaranteeing proper regulation to prevent abuse of this right.

I believe that the government should not violate an individual's right to bear arms or take
away constitutional liberties. Additionally, I do not believe that constitutional amendments are
effective methods for enacting legislation. Constitutional amendments are intended to safeguard
existing rights and advantages, not to create new ones or to limit or alter existing ones. Recently,
the Biden administration's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives released two
key suggestions aimed at regulating some types of pistol braces and so-called ghost weapons.
Additionally, in June, the ATF proposed a rule that would considerably regulate handguns that
use certain stabilizing braces. The agency is presently analyzing public comments on both
proposed rules in preparation to write the final draft (Holmes).

These recommendations, I believe, are a first step toward weapons regulation in America.
As a result, I believe we should reconsider weapons use for self-defense and other uses, such as
hunting. While I believe that we should not outright outlaw weapons, I believe that we must
ensure that all citizens are capable of self-defense while exercising their Second Amendment
rights. Taking this move would be a significant approach in resolving America's gun violence
crisis. The recommendations listed above will assist in preventing violence and preventing
individuals from abusing weapons. Additionally, I believe that we should do an examination of
our mental health treatment facilities and guarantee that persons who represent a threat to others
are denied firearms.

To summarize, I believe the Second Amendment should be kept in its entirety, but
particularly in its original form. The amendment should be preserved because it is an integral
component of American history and culture that we should treasure. Additionally, one may
disagree with me on this point, but I believe the militia portion is necessary to keep the situation
under control. If firearms are used irresponsibly by individuals who have threatened or killed
others or themselves, the second clause of the amendment must be enforced, as such use does not
constitute a right to possess arms for self-defense.
References:

Thebault, Reis, et al. “2020 Was The Deadliest Gun Violence Year in Decades. so Far,
2021 Is Worse.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 14 June 2021,
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/06/14/2021-gun-violence/.

Lybrand, Holmes. “The Spike in Gun Violence Continues, with 2021 on Pace to Be the
Worst Year in Decades.” CNN, Cable News Network, 19 Sept. 2021,
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/09/19/politics/gun-violence-spike-2021-explainer/index.html.

“Suicide.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization,

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide.

“Why More Men than Women Die by Suicide.” BBC Future, BBC,
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190313-why-more-men-kill-themselves-than-
women.