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Sakshi Jain

Professor Jan Babcock

English 137H

11 October 2023
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The Misinterpretation of The Second Amendment

In the United States, guns are the leading cause of death among children and teenagers.

The ongoing debate over gun violence and seeking to regulate stricter laws for owning a gun has

been shaped by The Second Amendment of The United States Constitution, a document written

in 1787. The constitution and its elements, often seen as a commonplace in American society,

has become disputable among citizens, especially due to its misinterpretation. Alongside The

Second Amendment, a voice that has been significantly impactful to address gun violence is

Emma Gonzalez, survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting.

Gonzalez delivered an impassioned speech which has been pivotal in urging change to fix gun

laws in the United States. Both The Second Amendment and Emma Gonzalez's powerful speech

rely heavily on logos, but their respective effects on ethos and pathos in the current conversation

about gun regulation in America are notably different.

The debate over gun violence in the United States and the need for stricter gun laws is

represented by a commonplace- one that exists through The Second Amendment. The Second

Amendment was a foundational principle for the United States. However, centuries later, it is

now a subject of debate due to its interpretations and abuse. Some citizens believe that they have

the absolute right to own firearms whereas some argue that they are unnecessary without proper

reason because of the severity of gun violence present. This alludes to the need for stricter gun

regulation, a need that has been voiced by Emma Gonzalez. In comparison to The Second

Amendment and the beliefs surrounding it, Emma Gonzalez’s speech signifies the impact of this

commonplace and the nationwide conversation regarding gun violence. Through her first-hand

experiences, she engages the audience to emphasize the urgency for change through sharing the
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devastating impact a school shooting had on her and her peers. Furthermore, Gonzalez’s speech

depicts how a commonplace shared by The Second Amendment is seen through a different

perspective where she acknowledges stricter gun regulation in the midst of an act of gun

violence.

The Second Amendment and Emma Gonzalez’s speech utilize logos to appeal to their

audiences, where The Second Amendment relies on historical and legal facts and Gonzalez

employs statistical data to construct a persuasive argument in favor of seeking methods to

strengthen gun regulation. Specifically, while referencing “well-regulated Militia” in the context

of a “free State” (U.S. Const. amend. 2), The Second Amendment attempts to provide a reason

for the right to bear arms. This historical perspective can be drawn from the interpretation of the

Founding Fathers and their intention to protect the citizens of this country. However, with such

vast interpretations of The Second Amendment, there are several debates of what the amendment

truly implies, leading to the abuse and misuse of it. Emma Gonzalez’s speech uses logos as a

method to compel the audience to enact change through alarming facts about gun laws in the

United States and the detrimental aftermath of the school shooting. For instance, during her

speech, she states, “ In Florida, to buy a gun you do not need a permit, you do not need a gun

license, and once you buy it you do not need to register it. You do not need a permit to carry a

concealed rifle or shotgun. You can buy as many guns as you want at one time”(CNN Staff, 1).

Through emphasis on how easy it is to own a gun, she engages her audience to consider the need

for change for gun control laws. The effectiveness of both The Second Amendment and Emma

Gonzalez’s speech lie in their ability to connect with their audience and the manner in which

their audiences interpret the presented facts. The Second Amendment evokes a historical
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presence and it appeals to those who may place value on the existing principles behind the

founding of the United States. On the other hand, Emma Gonzalez conveys her appeal by

alarming statistics where she illustrates the real-world consequences that come with guns,

creating an argument for change.

The emotions surrounding The Second Amendment, also exemplified by Emma

Gonzalez’s speech, cannot be neglected as it shapes citizens’ opinions nationwide on gun

violence. Gun violence is a serious issue in the United States: active shooters harm citizens in

malls, schools, and several public places. They pose a threat to public safety. For some, The

Second Amendment must be kept as it shares a sense of pride and patriotism. However, for

many, The Second Amendment evokes fear and grief for those who have lost loved ones to acts

of gun violence. Where The Second Amendment serves as the rationale of easy access to guns, in

Emma Gonzalez’s speech, she utilizes pathos to her advantage in resonating with her audience

by evoking grief and a call to action to end gun violence. Gonzalez not only was a survivor of

this school shooting, but lost her friends and classmates because of the easy access citizens have

to weapons. She used her personal anecdote to connect with her audience in order to emphasize

the toll gun violence has on individuals. For example, as she emotionally recalls the names of her

friends who lost their lives, such as Joaquin Oliver and Meadow Pollack, her audience cannot

help but share in her sorrow and determination (CNN Staff, 1). Furthermore, Gonzalez continues

to evoke grief alongside calling for action immediately. She urges her audience to register to vote

and take a stand in advocating for stricter gun laws that may go against what The Second

Amendment states. Through sharing her personal experience and engaging her audience with

pathos, she evokes sorrow and pain giving her audience a reason to prevent further tragedies.
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Ethos are crucial for both The Second Amendment and the delivery of Emma Gonzalez’s

speech, though used in different manners. The Second Amendment, being written in 1787, was

written after the United States gained its independence, so its intent was to allow citizens to have

the ability to protect themselves when needed. Moreover, the origins of The Second Amendment

can be traced back to when Queen Elizabeth I required classes on defending oneself in the

United Kingdom. Where The Second Amendment can be used as a rationale for owning

weapons, Emma Gonzalez’s speech opposes that idea. Because of her position as a student, a

survivor, her credibility exists due to her first hand experience of gun violence. However, her

position as a woman and her sexuality have been used to discredit her. For example, Leslie

Gibson, a Republican House of Representatives candidate spoke, “There is nothing about this

skinhead lesbian that impresses me and there is nothing that she has to say unless you're frothing

at the mouth moonbat” (Brammer, 1). Though Gonzalez received a ton of backlash, her voice

was still heard regardless.

Because of the constant abuse and misinterpretation of The Second Amendment, it often

leads to a recurring debate over the cause of gun violence. As society grapples with the effects of

gun violence, it is essential to consider the aftermath once a mass shooting occurs. As The

Second Amendment was built into the United States through history and facts, the emotional

impact it has upon many cannot be overlooked. As Emma Gonzalez shares her story as a witness

and survivor of the mass school shooting at The Stoneman Douglas Marjory High School, she

evokes grief and pain from her audience through utilizing both ethos and logos. Though both The

Second Amendment and Emma Gonzalez’s speech are built with logos, the ethos and pathos

from both greatly differ.

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Works Cited

“Constitution of the United States.” U.S. Senate: Constitution of the United States, 7 Aug.

2023, www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/senate-and-constitution/constitution.htm#a1.

“Florida Student Emma Gonzalez to Lawmakers and Gun Advocates: ‘We Call Bs.’”

CNN, Cable News Network, 18 Feb. 2018,

www.cnn.com/2018/02/17/us/florida-student-emma-gonzalez-speech/index.html.

Savey, Edward. “Why Was the Constitution Written?” Constitution of the United States, 16 Apr.

2023,constitutionus.com/constitution/what-is-the-purpose-of-the-u-s-constitution/#:~:text=The%

20United%20States%20Constitution%20was,set%20out%20in%20the%20constitution.

“Second Amendment.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 3 Oct.

2023, www.britannica.com/topic/Second-Amendment.

“‘Skinhead Lesbian’: GOP Candidate Attacks Parkland Teen Emma Gonzalez.”

NBCNews.Com, NBCUniversal News Group, 13 Mar. 2018, www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/

skinhead-lesbian-gop-candidate-attacks-parkland-teen-emma-gonzalez-n856311.