Gun Control

Gun Control Requires A Steady Hand

Gun control is not one issue, but many. To some people gun control is a crime issue, to others it is a rights issue. Gun control is a safety issue, an education issue, a racial issue, and a political issue, among many others. Within each of these issues there are those who want more gun control legislation and those who want less. On both sides of this issue opinions range from moderate to extreme.

Guns are not for everyone. Certain individuals cannot handle a firearm safely, and some individuals choose to use firearms inappropriately. Our society has passed laws regulating the ownership and use of firearms, and more legislation is being considered. Most of this legislation restricts, to some degree, the right of individuals to possess or use firearms. Some restrictions may be necessary, but some recent legislation has gone too far. Society benefits from firearms in the hands of responsible citizens. Attempts to keep firearms from these citizens do more harm than good.

To begin with, a definition of a “responsible citizen” is in order. The definition used in this paper was provided by Steve Rusieki, a police officer. When he was asked what makes a responsible citizen in regard to firearms ownership, Officer Rusiecki replies, “The citizen must be law-abiding, with no felony record, must not abuse alcohol or drugs, must not be mentally ill, must not have renounced U.S. citizenship, must not have been dishonorably discharged from the military, and must be in the U.S. legally.”(NRA)

The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution states: “A well-regulates militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep bear arms, shall not be infringed.” The Founding Fathers included this in our Bill of Rights because they feared the Federal Government might oppress the population if the people did not have means to defend themselves as a nation and as an individual (Halbrook).

Many years...