The Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States lays out the civil liberties applicable for all citizens of the country. Among others, the citizens have a right to own guns. The right to carry a gun or firearm is borrowed from Britain. There’s an English Bill of Rights where it was granted that ordinary citizens will also be able to carry firearms, like the royal family. The founding fathers of the United States included a similar right in the list of civil liberties. Over the years, the pros and cons of the Second Amendment have been hotly debated, especially in light of recent shootings.
List of Pros of Second Amendment
1. Protecting Oneself & Loved Ones
Having a firearm to protect oneself and one’s loved ones is considered a basic right. It can deter criminals, attackers and miscreants. It can be used in self defense.
2. Preventing Crime
Citizens carrying guns will act as a deterrent for criminals. Since the attackers or criminals will know that ordinary citizens may have firearms on them and can launch an attack in self defense, they would be deterred from committing a crime.
3. All are Equally Powerful
God created men and Colt made them equal. The right to bear a firearm puts everyone at the same pedestal. Some having guns and others not is an imbalance and doesn’t augur well for the civil society.
4. War on Illegal Gun Trade
By making guns available legally does away with the need to resort to illegal means to procure a firearm.
List of Cons of Second Amendment
1. Violent Crimes
The second amendment leads to more violent crimes. By allowing millions of people to own firearms legally, one is essentially paving the way for some people to go berserk and commit serious crimes.
2. Crime Facilitator
Many reports and studies suggest that criminals that wouldn’t have hurt or killed their victims after or during the crime tend to murder or fatally wound the victims when they are threatened with a firearm. More than a crime deterrent, firearms can facilitate violent crimes like murder.
3. Lack of Regulation
Anyone can own a gun, with or without training. There is no safety check. People don’t have to master their shooting skills.
4. Helpless Citizens
The second amendment may provide the right to bear a firearm but not every citizen has one. They are easily disadvantaged since others who choose to exercise their right will be armed and shall be more powerful.