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A Change For Gun Control

The topic of gun control draws several responses from individuals. Some believe in strict
gun control while others believe in a more lackluster approach. There are those who are for the
Second Amendment and those that question its intent. There are those who believe that
implementation of gun control laws and restrictions reduce crime in today’s society. This
essay will address each of those concerns and you will be able to draw your own educated
conclusion. As a proponent of less strict gun control measures for the law abiding citizen, I
believe that we can come to a joint resolution that would satisfy the needs of all parties
concerned. Owning guns allows for protection of self and property and we must rely on the
civility and decency of the nation.
The history of gun control issues can be traced back to the inception of our nation. The
Second Amendment of the Constitution 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.”
This was adopted in 1791 (NRA-ILA). Our forefathers recognized the importance of giving its
citizens the right to keep and carry weapons. This is partly due to the history of rebellion and the
needs for self protection within our fragile country after the Revolutionary War. The first efforts
at gun control began in the state of Georgia in 1837. The state of Georgia passed a law that
banned the ownership of handguns within the state. This law was ruled unconstitutional and
repealed less than two years later, in 1839 (Just Facts). There was only one other attempt at
restricting gun ownership in the 19th century, in 1865, a law was passed prohibiting blacks from
owning firearms (Just Facts). Fear of potential rebellions directly after the Civil War were
present as a result of the actions of persons such as John Brown and Nat Turner. These men
staged efforts to rebel against the...