Second Amendment and Gun Control
There is (generally) no one who will dispute the right you have to defend yourself and your family. When you get right down to the "flint and powder" of it (pardon the pun), the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is about self-defense. Granted that I cannot accurately speak to the actual intent written by the Founders, but I do wish that the text of the Second Amendment said something like, "The right to self-defense being inalienable..." instead of that stuff about a "well-regulated militia".
Let's take a look at what each political party has to say about the Second Amendment and gun control:
Republicans: You can have my guns when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers.
Democrats: Who in your life has to die before you support gun control?
My View: Protect yourself but do no harm to others through force (or threat of force).
Republicans on the Second Amendment and Gun Control
Many Republicans oppose gun control laws because they view them as unconstitutional; that such laws violate the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution which guarantees the right of an individual to keep and bear arms. Republicans, in general, believe that gun ownership is a fundamental right and that any attempt to restrict that right is an infringement on individual liberty. Most Republicans also look at gun control measures as unlikely to prevent violence, but also fear that such measures can (and will) be used to undermine their personal liberty.
"It's not a matter of mercy. It's not a matter of laws. Plenty of people will kill you for some fanatical cause."
Democrats on the Second Amendment and Gun Control
Many Democrats favor gun control laws believing them to help to prevent guns from falling into the hands of terrorists (foreign or domestic), domestic abusers, violent criminals, or anyone who has shown (or may show) signs of danger toward themselves or others. In general, those Democrats who are in favor of gun control laws are more likely to focus more on what they refer to as "the mass shooting epidemic" than on any random act of crime involving firearms. They also believe that purchasing a firearm should be more difficult than simply having a driver's license. Hence, their efforts to strengthen and expand background checks for those who want to purchase a firearm.
"It's not a matter of conscience, a search for probable cause. It's just a matter of instinct, a matter of fatal flaws."
My Views on the Second Amendment and Gun Control
I believe (as do most Libertarians) that every person as the right to self-defense as long as they do no harm to others through force or the threat of force. For many, but especially for those who are physically weaker, that self-defense materializes with guns. Libertarians believe that banning guns does not curb violence or death; it only changes the method of violence and death. Violent people will still be violent, but they will be emboldened if they know that their victims will be unable to defend themselves.
"Behind the finer feelings of this civilized veneer, the heart of a lonely hunter guards a dangerous frontier."
For Libertarians, gun control laws are not a measure of a population's trust in the government to defend their lives; they are a measure of the government's control on the right to defend ourselves and our families against an aggressor - ANY aggressor - and we see it as immoral for government to try to prevent someone from doing so. (There's a reason why the Libertarian Party mascot is a porcupine.)
"We don't want to be victims, on that we all agree. So, we lock up the killer instinct and throw away the key."
Disclaimer: It’s important to note that not all Republicans are opposed to gun control laws, that not all Democrats are in favor of them, and that not all Libertarians believe that anyone should be able to own nuclear weapons. The issue of gun control is a complex one that is influenced by a variety of factors, including political ideology, personal experience, and cultural background.
Some of my opinions regarding the Second Amendment and Gun Control:
- The Right to Self-Defense [Article Link]