2. Regulations that have been Forgotten
Our past is not as perfect as some may want to think. The second amendment is believed to allow for gun ownership for all citizens. The community, at present, takes advantage of its wording. They think that gun regulation is going to be new thing that has never existed in America. This thought process, is keeping the government from making our environment safer. When you look back into history, however, there were more gun regulations than there would be now. Discussions of
regulation do not include taking guns from certain ethnic groups, like they did in the 18th century.Our past holds some pretty ugly realities when it comes to slaves and Native Americans. This cannot be ignored when we look at gun regulations. It is naïve to think that all Americans had the right to own guns in the past. The second amendment had some limitations. The black community was rarely allowed access to guns. White people were given weapons to keep control over this particular group of individuals, as well as other no-whites. Gun ownership was far from being all-inclusive.
There were also laws that prohibited the sale of weapons to Native Americans. America was very new when the second amendment ways written. There were far more discriminating laws in place than what is on the table in government offices. In the past, weapons were meant to hold back possible revolts from slaves and Native Americans. The descendants from Europe wanted to hold the power. Regulations on guns in modern times are planned to be much more lenient than they were in the past. This is something that most people overlook. We have a history of regulation, already.
1. Best Interest in Mind
The general population often looks at the most negative possibility when it comes to gun regulation. There is no way to convince some opposing parties that the second amendment is causing more harm than good. Things need to be rearranged to better fit the current cultural climate. This is not easy to swallow. People do not want to hand over any more power to the government. The government has to find a way to convince the public that their best interest is taken into consideration.
People are crying out for the violence to end. Every time a school shooting happens, the issue of gun regulation comes to the forefront. Many people also want to crack down on mental health treatment, which is often hard to get. Gun regulation has been put on the back burner time and time again. This is because many groups think that the best interest of the community is not an issue that is discussed. Government officials are at a standstill when it comes to doing what is best for the public, as they are not allowed to proceed. When people protest, the government takes this into consideration.
There is a fine line between gun ownership regulations and taking too much control. The people are not going to tolerate complete control over their gun ownership. Some sort of balance must be found. It is not in the best interest of schools, however, for the second amendment to continue as it is. There has been too much lenience when it comes to interpreting its meaning. The best interest of the population is not always the one that the general public wants to adhere to. Sometimes hard decisions must be made.
Conclusion
The second amendment is in need of revising, at the very least. A complete abolishment, however, is the best course of action. There is no need to allow unnecessary violence to continue at such an alarming rate. Laws are meant to be changed to fit different times. There are many changes to the constitution that have had to be made over the years. Society is much different that it was when our country began. The constitution, thankfully, is set up to be flexible in this way. The second amendment is one of the laws that has brought the most controversy, however.
People have a great fear of losing their freedoms. They often fail to see that they are no longer free in many ways, however. By keeping the amendment in place, and supporting excessive gun ownership, many freedoms have already been reduced. Kids are no longer free to enjoy a day at school without fear. They often have to submit to carrying see-through backpacks and going through metal detectors. Everyone that exhibits behavior that is not average, is pinpointed as a possible threat. Our fears go far beyond the possibility of gun regulation. They are just not acknowledged.
We must now think of safety issues when we go to a club, a movie, or just a walk down the street. The availability of assault weapons has made crime more violent than it was before. Our country is in a crisis, all over a disagreement that sees no end. There is never going to be complete cooperation when it comes to gun control. The way our country is set up, however, change can be slow. Even with concern over the population’s best interest, the government must follow certain protocols to maintain the rights of the people. A sudden change without majority agreement could easily result in unwanted protests, and even more violence. The abolishment of the second amendment needed to happen long ago, however, the change seems to still be far off.
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