Gun Control And The Rights Of A Free State - 1632 Words

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. (The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution). As Americans we are afforded certain rights that are upheld by the United States constitution, and many citizens believe these rights to be part of our nation’s heritage, or the â€Å"birthright† as Americans. Conversely there are those which are opposed to some of these â€Å"birthrights† which were added to the nation’s constitution almost two hundred and thirty years ago. Although gun control is a major topic concerning Americans and their rights, it is not always on the forefront of the many issues in today’s world. It is only when there is a†¦show more content†¦Later, in 1938, The Federal Firearms Act was put in place which further restricted the state to states movement of firearms. This new law prevented those convicted and without prop er permits from obtaining guns, but there were no consequences to those who sold guns to these people. More and more firearm restriction acts were passed like the Federal Firearms Act of 1938, The Gun Control Act of 1968, and the Brady Bill in efforts to regulate the sale, manufacturing, and purchase of firearms. Opponents of strict gun laws often reference the Bill of Rights, specifically the Second Amendment. Although the Bill of Rights gives Americans certain freedoms, it does not mean Americans are not without certain regulations. Each state has its own constitution, and in each constitution limits can be added to certain freedoms to ensure the safety of its people. For example, Florida, Georgia and Texas’ constitutions allow its citizens to carry arms as a means of self-protection, but it always states that this freedom shall be regulated by the authority of the government. Even though all states feel guns need to be regulated many disagree in which way regulations are set. There are an estimated twenty thousand local, state, and federal gun laws currently regulating firearms in the United States (Gold, 2004). Although each state