2Nd Amendment Essays - Crime, Violence, Free Essays, Term Papers

2Nd Amendment Essays - Crime, Violence, Free Essays, Term Papers 2Nd Amendment The Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America asserts, 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. At the time when this amendment was passed, the country was still primarily an agrarian and hunting society, guns were a household item, and necessary for daily life. The armed farmer was the principal soldier in the revolution to establish an independent country. The framers of the Constitution understood that these gun-wielding countrymen were essential to the revolution, and wanted to insure the people would never be defenseless. In recent decades, with the waning practical application of guns in an industrialized nation, the Second Amendment has come under much fire. Living in a technologically advanced country, United States citizens no longer have a need for guns in their everyday lives and, therefore, many Americans have grown up in gun-less homes. The recent rash of violence across the country has shown that the ideals of modern American society have gone awry. Many are quick to blame guns as the reason for this violence. Actually, the problem is not the possession of guns; Americans have had them for over 200 years. Instead, the demise of the morals of society and the lack of restraint of the American public have caused the recent violent trend. Guns are merely a tool. In the hands of immoral and undisciplined people, they are put to evil purposes. The problem lies in the fact that the amendment was created to deal with the muzzle-loaders of the time, and now guns have evolved into killing machines, not just hunting rifles. These new guns however, are no more capable of killing without a man controlling them; guns have been prevalent for literally hundreds of years without being used as weapons for humans against humans, except in times of war. Guns have been in American homes since 1776, and they were not associated with violence until recently. The current trend of school and workplace violence is due to the desensitization of the American people through television, movies and even music. Movie and television producers are businessmen, and they produce what sells, that usually being violence. With the American public watching such films, and loving them, the influence on everyday life cannot be ignored. Statistical facts from other countries show the USA to be much more violent than most other industrialized countries. Last year, Paris suffered less than 25% of the violence that occurred in Washington DC, and Paris is four times as large. The classic society that is present in Europe does not have the same fetish with violence as is present in America. Progressive generations in the American society are in essence regressing; the terms Generation X and the Me Generation have been coined and convey the selfishness that is evident in modern society. The Columbine High School violence spree is simply one of the recent acts of violence, but it illustrates how the countrys troubled youth are reacting to their surroundings. People are taking a more violent approach to try to solve problems than ever before, and that is certainly not solving anything. The recent increase in job related violence can be blamed on the increased stress and desensitization of the average worker. This new approach to workplace problems is very evident, recently in Hawaii and is so common that the term going postal has been created to describe workplace shootings. In the early years of our country, and in most places around the world at a boss or a layoff might have been expressed through yelling or at worst, throwing a chair. The desensitization of the American worker has caused him to take a different approach in very recent times, the approach of violence expressed with the abuse of guns. The issue of gun control is historically split between the two major political parties in the US The Democrats have always pushed for stricter gun laws, and the Republicans have always been for lenient laws. Heavy campaign contributions are made to both parties in hope to push certain groups views with The National Rifle Association leading the way with large contributions to the Republican Party. Regardless of party, most politicians agree that something must be altered in the present equilibrium, because violence is almost becoming routine. The Second Amendment was intended for the purpose of reminding these politicians that they are there to serve the people, and no other reason. Although