Handgun control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Handgun control - Research Paper Example In order to understand gun control legislation, it is necessary to understand the phrase’ a â€Å"responsible citizen†. According to a local police officer, Steve Rusiecki, a responsible citizen is one who is a law-abiding citizen, does not abuse alcohol or drugs, has no felony records, has renounced U.S. citizenship, is legally in the U.S., is not mentally sick, and has not been dishonorably discharged from the military (Savage 1). This description entails all the elements from the Arizona’s concealed carry law and Federal Gun Control Act of 1968. The founding fathers made the second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and it states: 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† (Savage 2). It was then included into the Bill of Rights. The founding fathers feared the federal government was going to oppress its citizens if they had no means of defend their nations and themselves. The right to possess and use guns was facilitated by Algernon Sidney, Aristotle, John Locke and Cicero. According to Samuel Adams, the militia that is described in the United States Constitution does not only refer to the National Guard or the Army. He suggests this group is comprised of free citizens. In addition, George Manson argues that a well managed militia comprises of Freeholders, Gentlemen and other Freemen (Squires 77). The American Revolutionary War was won with the help of an armed population consisting of militias, continental army, partisans and independent companies. It is, therefore, evident that the Founding Fathers realized that the society can benefit from firearms that are handled by responsible citizens (Squires 77). Many years later after the Revolution War, the government began to introduce regulations on the possession and usage of firearms. The initial measure was concerned with the way in which citizens could carry guns (Harrold 5). For example, in 1850 the Louisiana Supreme Court gave a ruling that the constitution does not guarantee any citizen to carry con cealed arms. However, earlier courts’ rulings asserted that the constitution protected the right of citizens to possess and use concealed weapons (Harrold 4). Just some time before Civil War, most Southern States, passed laws that denied the freed blacks and slaves from possessing firearms. This decision was initially made by Dred Scott Decision. Dred Scott argued that blacks, and slave had no rights to citizenship and they, therefore, have no right to possess and carry guns. The current gun control legislation takes into