How Big is Your Gun Essay -- Gun Control

The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, in 1791, stated â€Å"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.† The controversy soon started on who, what, and how the founding fathers bestowed these rights. Who should be allowed to carry arms? What type of arms should be allowed to bear? How can the people obtain these arms? All of these questions have been debated, discussed, and argued by both sides of the controversy. Who should be allowed to keep and bear arms? Federal law states that one must be eighteen years old or older to purchase a rifle or shotgun, and twenty-one years old or older to purchase a handgun. The pro-gun advocate argues that eighteen to twenty year olds should be allowed to own handguns and sixteen year olds should be allowed to have a rifle or shotgun, while their opponents are arguing that the law should be increased require a rifle or shotgun owner to be twenty-one or older and handgun owner to be at lease twenty four years old. One must also be a legal citizen of the United States, who has not renounced their citizenship, must not use or be addicted to any controlled substances, and must not have been dishonorably discharged from the Armed Forces to purchase and keep a gun. Noticeably absent are laws prohibiting gun ownership by alcoholics, although it is illegal to possess a gun while under the influence of intoxicating liquor. People for stronger gun control regulati ons argue that alcohol use mixed with guns dramatically increases the risk of accidental shootings. Activists on both sides of the gun control issue are still perfecting their arguments on the legality of gun ownership by pe... ...n years of age as long as they have no knowledge that the buyer is not allowed to own a gun. Gun control activists contend that this loophole puts guns in the hands of thieves, killers, and the mentally ill. Stricter registration laws are also sought after by proponents of gun control, the manufacturer and gun shop are required to register who they sold the gun to, but a sale between two individuals is not required to be registered to any authority. Gun activists see this exchange as free commerce and do not approve of the recommended registration requirements. Whether the path to gun ownership should be a straight shot or an obstacle course will remain an ongoing debate. There are concessions made by both sides of the personal weapon controversy, but there will never be complete agreement on who should be able to own, what type of weapon, or how they got it.