Why the Second Amendment is important
Steven Crowder, pictured left, is a political commentator on Youtube. His series entitled “Change My Mind” showcases various topics such as being pro-gun, pro-life and other controversial topics. Image retrieved from Right Edition
By Ally Ortolani
Opinion Editor
Let’s talk about a controversial issue that has many differing interpretations: the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment was written not only so people can defend themselves from violent crime, but also as a safeguard against a tyrannical government.
This is one of the most important rights we have as American citizens. After all, the U.S. was formed by people rising against the tyranny of the British Empire using citizen-owned weapons.
The Second Amendment has been under intense scrutiny, primarily due to the recent mass shootings over the past few years.
The Bill of Rights directly states, “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 is meant for law- abiding citizens. It allows people to protect themselves from criminals and a tyrannical government. It is our right to bear arms; however, it is frequently debated whether the Second Amendment should be revoked.
Do I think the right to bear arms should be regulated? Of course not.
The government taking people’s guns, especially law-abiding citizens’ guns, is a form of tyranny. The
United States exists because individuals wanted to flee from the tyrannical governments that encompassed Europe. Limiting one’s right to bear arms destroys the idea of keeping a free state, and it goes against what the Founding Fathers had worked for.
Celebrities and politicians preaching in favor of stricter gun-control are in no position to criticize others when they enjoy the protection of fully armed security. The hypocrisy is fully apparent and quite honestly, disgusting.
I see both sides to the issue concerning gun control. While I don’t own any firearms, I do see the importance of having one; conversely, I understand the concern for the growing number of school shootings. But consider these following questions: What about the killer behind the trigger? Could the problem be more to do with people than guns?
I think so.
Perpetrators share certain characteristics that motivate them to commit mass violence.
Mass killers often have various mental health issues such as schizophrenia or bipolar dis- order. Some individuals who have mental health issues are disconnected from reality. Not all individuals who experience the aforementioned issues will become mass murderers; however, one should not underestimate what one dealing with such issues is capable of doing.
Available evidence shows that people with mental health disorders are more likely to commit mass violence. However, even though mental illness plays an important role in mass violence, these issues are not the only cause behind mass shootings.
A National Council report says, “The characteristics that most frequently occur are males, often hopeless and harboring grievances that are frequently related to work, school, finances or interpersonal relationships; feeling victimized and sympathizing with others who they perceive to be similarly mistreated; indifference to life; and often subse-
quently dying by suicide.” The price of losing our right to bear arms is our freedom. I have plenty of relatives, who are law- abiding citizens, that own guns—particularly the dreaded AR-15. But, did you know that AR- 15 guns are not the fully automatic, military-grade firearms that the media claims? With the biased media on both sides of the political spectrum, it may be hard to be aware of such facts.
In late December 2019, a man shot and killed two people during a church service in White Settlement, Texas. Luckily, two members of the church security team shot and killed him before he could harm anyone else.
There were 250 people present on that particular day. Now imagine if the church’s volunteer security team wasn’t there to stop the gunman. More lives would have been taken. This incident wasn’t the only time an event like such has transpired. Texas churches have unfortunately experienced violent mass shootings in the past.
In 1999, a gunman killed seven people and himself at a Baptist church in Fort Worth, Texas. In 2017, a gunman opened fire at a small Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, killing 26 people. These are tragic events, but the answer is not banning guns.
We need to educate others and ourselves on gun safety. We need to educate individuals on the importance of the Second Amendment so that they can defend themselves during these tragedies.