Loffredo
Jackson Loffredo
Ms. Crosbie
AP Language and Composition B2
30 April 2018
The Second Amendment
Growing up in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, with a majority of my extended family and friends being active hunters or been apart of shooting sports, guns have been a normal part of life. My uncle taught me how to shoot when I was around 11 or 12 years old, and I learned how to respect and use a gun properly. As I have become a more mature age, supporting my second amendment has become very important to me. This year, I decided to join the NRA to advocate for gun rights. Family members of mine are also members of the NRA. I have grown up with people that have supported guns, and I want to do the same. In a world where things happen in an instance and you never know when your life could be in danger, a firearm provides me with a sense of security.
The rights to possess guns has been a fundamental element in American history. The right to own and operate guns is guaranteed under the United States Constitution, "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" (Strasser). Throughout U.S. history, but even more so during the 21st century, the possession of guns owned by citizens has become a hot topic. Whenever there is a mass shooting of any magnitude, the debate heats up again. Both sides argue with fervor, and have some merit, some more than others. All use a mixture of facts, figures, statistics, and emotions to express their views. There are those that argue fervently for the right to own firearms; arguing that guns are used for home or property protection, self defense, security, and being a fundamental right of a U.S. citizen since 1791. On the other side, there are those that argue for the ban of guns, stricter gun laws, regulation on gun accessories and ammunition. This side would rather have the safety of the general population than have the right to self defense. Gun controls do not control criminals, they only keep law abiding citizens from protecting themselves. The right guaranteed by the Second Amendment should not be taken away from U.S. citizens.
There is a multitude of organizations of both sides of the argument that advocate for what they believe. At one end of the spectrum, you have the National Rifle Association (NRA) who advocates for gun rights. On the other end, groups such as the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) and Handgun Control, Inc. seek to make firearms only accessible to law enforcement and military personnel. There are also moderates on the issue such as the American Firearms Association, who compromise on the issue regarding our rights.
The NRA is perhaps the most well known of these organizations in support of the second amendment. The group formed after the Civil War, in 1871, to promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis. It was also dedicated to rifle marksmanship of the state militias,...
