Right to Bear Arms

There are more than 200 million firearms in the hands of American citizens today. The issue in the use and possession of firearms in the United States has been an area of contention between those who are for the arms and those against gun ownership. Some quarters have argued that it is the constitutional right of any person to own guns. This is in respect to the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States that gives the right for American citizens to own guns at their own will. This is given for protection purposes around individual homes. However, there have been numerous arguments on the use of these firearms discussing to what extent they can be used for private protection and when they become weapons to commit crime.

The right to bear firearms has been a thorny issue for many. There has been an increase in the number of violent crimes that often results in fatal shootings and other injuries. This has been associated with the increase in the ease to purchase and own firearms. Some lobbyists have said that the right to have firearms has been abused by many who get firearms for ulterior motives. Some states like Illinois and Washington D.C have been against gun ownership and have thus came up with tough rules to govern the use and possession of firearms. It is a personal choice of an individual to own a gun or any other sort of firearm. The Second Amendment was put in place to protect the public and it is rather sad that many people use it to commit the crime. Guns are supposed to be used either for hunting or as weapons for protection. There is nothing that can equal the power of a gun barrel pointed at a person and another gun barrel. It is the responsibility of each gun owner to know when to best use their firearm. Studies have shown that there is an increase in the number of gun-related crimes committed in the states that have strict gun control rules. This is because criminals take advantage of the fact that they will encounter less resistance when they attack.

Many respected leaders have voiced their stand on the issue of firearms ownership and control. To answer a young girl’s question on gun possession, The Dalai Lama said that a gun can only face another gun. Thus, it is fair only when someone points a gun in an attempt to shoot, one shoots back. This is an example of a scenario that is clear enough to understand since even the best fighter cannot possibly fight a bullet. The Sharia law similarly has a provision for gun possession. It clearly gives a rather intrinsic freedom to own arms. The Sharia law, however, controls weapons possession in times of war or other forms of civil strife when this right can be suspended to preserve peace.

Studies have shown that 35% of American households have guns, and about 22% of Americans are gun owners. This is quite a huge number of guns in one country. The buck stops at the individuals because they are the ones responsible for their guns. When a person feels he needs to own a gun, then he has to be responsible for the weapon itself and how and why it is used. Guns in homes can either be the source of security or pain. Gun education and awareness is important so that all gun owners in homes can know how to keep their weapons safe to protect their young ones. There have been cases where children have been involved in accidental shootings when they handled weapons. As a country, we can all control gun possession by simply being responsible as we exercise our constitutional right to owning firearms.