“The right to keep and bear arms.” This is the Second Amendment right that was written in the United States Constitution dating as far back as the late 1700s.
Designed for American citizens to enact self-defense when needed, this amendment has since then been the cause for various interpretation amongst our people. But what happens when our right to bear arms is abused by the very people it was designed to protect?
In most recent events, our nation has faced a series of violent occurrences where gun violence has been the culprit.
The Newtown shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary where Adam Lanza is alleged to have shot and killed 20 elementary school students and six staff members.
The cinema shooting, where James Homes was charged for entering the premiere of “The Dark Knight,” killing 12 innocent people and injuring 58.
The 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech. that ended the lives 32 innocent people then took his own life.
Elementary school shootings and brutal attacks at public events have forcefully pushed the national panic button on all communities, and how has our nation responded?
The government answered with talk about improving the constitutions Second Amendment by creating harsher background checks to those who consider purchasing any firearm.
“I think places with higher criminal rates involving guns should enforce those types of laws, where harsher background checks should be necessary,” says Criminal Justice major, Ronnie Kaneaiakala, senior at Chaminade University.
In some states, gun sales are much more common than others, background checks are more lenient and access to a gun is much easier. This was a red flag that needed to be handled, especially with the up-to-date shootings.
Government officials went the lengths of constituting a compromise that would extend the backgrounds checks supervising sales at gun shows and sales online.
Although the body of the drafted revision was less comprehensive than the president intended, it still gained the support of our Nations president and relieved the nerves of many anxious Americans.
Supporters of the tougher policy were disappointed on Wednesday April 17, 2013 when news resulted in opposition to stricter gun regulations. Requiring a total of 60 votes out of the possible 100 members, the aftermath was 54 in support to 46 against.
“I’m disappointed,” says Chaminade senior, Teuila Tauaese. “People need to realize that this law was created during a time of war, where protecting yourself was necessary, and as time progressed we now have people in law enforcement who do the protecting, there is no reason to carry personal guns.”
Initially, the law would still allow for citizens to purchase firearms; not stripping America of the Second Amendment that people value so much, rather making it less convenient for any adult individual who has an abstruse past to buy.
“Guns don’t kill people,” Kaneaiakala said, “people kill people, and a gun in the hands of a mentally unstable person is dangerous; it’s proven in the recent events.”
