"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep bear arms, shall not be infringed". These few words in the second amendment of the United States constitution have been interpreted in many different ways. Gun control is one of the most serious issues in this country, and is undoubtedly an issue that most Americans have been exposed to. However, most Americans are broadly doubtful that gun control would substantially reduce gun violence, or that creating new gun laws is a better idea than simply enforcing existing ones. In fact, nearly two-thirds of Americans are in favor of stricter gun laws, a statistic that has held stable for a decade. However, people are not making the issue a top priority ranking at a mere ninth out of fifteen top priority issues (http://abcnews.go.com). There are many sides to the gun control debate; for example, there is the N.R.A.'s (National Rifle Association) point of view on the subject, which differs tremendously with the views of pro gun-control activist. Also, that the views of the two candidates running for president conflict greatly. Gun ownership by citizens of the United States is protected under the second Amendment. It states that 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 N.R.A., would interpret this as the right of the people to be able to own and keep firearms, and any law that might compromise that right would be unconstitutional. However, the constitution was written over two hundred years ago, the world is a much different place than it was back then. This is why we not only need to make better gun laws, but also enforce the laws better that have already been implemented.
In 1993, a big step for the gun control issue was taken when the Brady Bill was passed.
