The Second Amendment clearly states, “…the right of the People to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed,” explaining that citizens have the right to bear arms and the government is not allowed to infringe upon that. The right to bear arms is one thing that Americans would say is necessary in the world today. Guns are used for protection in harmful situations and have saved lives. The right to bear arms has been given to all citizens. In actuality, the right to own a gun should only be given to the proven responsible adults. Today, anyone, including the irresponsible, are allowed to own a gun and take the life of any person they so choose. So what do we do? Should there be laws making it impossible for anyone with any criminal background to own a gun? Should every American citizen have the ability to own a gun with no questions asked? Should guns be totally outlawed?
In a perfect world, guns would never have been created and there would be no need for guns whatsoever. There would be peace between the nations and no wars would have ever happened. Since that is not the case, guns need to be controlled. The first step to regulating guns in the public is having a mandatory background check before a civilian is allowed to purchase a gun. The background check should investigate credit history, criminal background, and psychological stability. The individual should not have been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. They should not be an alien who is illegally or unlawfully in the United States. They should not have been adjudicated as a mental defective or have been committed to a mental institution. They should not have ever been an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance. They should not be a fugitive from justice. They should not have bad credit. Refusing people the right to purchase a gun keeps guns out of the hands of irresponsible people.
The second step to regulating guns in the public is a psychological test, written or oral, and maybe a polygraph test. These tests would help determine whether the individual is qualified to use a firearm and if they are prepared for the responsibilities of owning a gun. The tests would also help decide if the individual is able to purchase a gun.
The third step to regulating guns in the public is after passing the thorough background check, and receiving the gun, there is a mandatory lesson on the appropriate use of whatever gun is purchased. This class will teach how to use the gun in emergency situations and teach safety procedures such as storing it away from children and leaving the gun safety on when not in use. This class will help people understand how to properly use a gun so that carelessness will not be such a role in accidental deaths.
If the right procedures were involved in the purchase of guns, it would be a great deal harder for the irresponsible to buy a firearm, hopefully cutting down on the deaths of many individuals.
Kala Hudson
