The United States Constitution grants all Americans the right to possess guns. This right has been the topic of several disputes throughout the history of the country. Recently this right has been challenged again. This is due to several instances of violence occurring within months of each other. The issue of gun rights can be identified as a matter of public concern by describing how the needs of society are involved, identify interest groups that have varying opinions about the issue, and reviewing previous court cases related.
Recently the issue of gun rights has been revisited. This is due to incidents such as the shooting that occurred in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14, 2012. On this date twenty children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. (Christoffersen ) This horrific event transpired only months after twelve people were murdered in a movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado on July 20 2012. (Frosh and Johnson ) Both events brought attention to gun rights. This is due to the fact that in both cases a large number of people were murdered by seemingly unstable individuals. In addition, these unstable individuals legally purchased the weapons they used in each murder.
[...] (Whitney) There have been several decisions made because of these cases. They include the decision to not prohibit members of terrorist organizations from buying or having guns or explosives. (Whitney) There have also been decisions to require a background check and gun safety course in order to buy guns. (Whitney) In summary, gun rights are an issue that has raised public concern. There are many violent events that have sparked this concern. Many are interested in preserving individual rights. Others are interested in preventing these massacres from happening again. [...]
[...] The solution provided by interest groups that are for gun control could cause more violence as well. People would attempt to defy the law. This could only increase the number of crimes committed. The federal courts have also had to deal with certain instances of this issue. There have been multiple cases, court dates, and decisions made towards gun rights. The cases include, but are not limited to: Bailey v. U.S., - U.S. - (1995), Barrett v. U.S U.S (1976), Beecham v. U.S., - U.S. - (1994), Bryan v. United States, - U.S. [...]
[...] This would satisfy each side and solve the problem as well. Works Cited Christoffersen, John. Connecticut School Shooting: 28 Dead, Including 20 Children. Denver Post Print. Frosh, Dan, and Kirk Johnson. Gunman Kills 12 in Colorado, Reviving Gun Debate. The New York Times Print. Patrick, Brian, and Thomas Osswald. The National Rifle Association and the Media: The Motivating Force of Negative Coverage . Goatpower Publishing Print. Whitney, Craig. Living with Guns: A Liberal's Case for the Second Amendment. Public Affairs Print. [...]
[...] The specific individual right concerned is the right to bear arms. This right is outlined by the Second Amendment of the Constitution. (Whitney) Multiple individuals feel that this right should not be compromised. They feel it accompanies the natural right of protecting yourself. There are several interest groups that have varying opinions about the issue of gun rights. The primary interest group involved with gun rights in the United States is the National Rifle Association. They originated in New York in 1871 with the primary purpose of ensuring that gun owners maintained the right to bear arms. [...]
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