Ban on Assault Weapons

In today’s society the topic of assault weapons have been very controversial. From mass shootings to defending oneself, this is a topic that can be very difficult to agree on. In this paper I will be discussing if the federal government should ban automatic weapons. In my opinion, assault weapons should not be banned. With this decision, I consider the implications of the second amendment, public safety, and the fact that weapons will never cease to exist. With these reasons I will explain to show that the federal government should not ban automatic weapons.

One of the reasons I stand behind not allowing the federal government to ban automatic weapons because under the constitution, the Second Amendment 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” (Mount, Steve, 1995). Although this can be interpreted differently to other people, this amendment allows people of the United States to have an individual right to keep and bear arms. The people are allowed to be armed, if wanted.

I believe it is an important part to consider when banning weapons because this is a part of our rights, and should not be taken away. The Bill of Rights was designed to guarantee individual rights and freedoms. Once you take away a right that is in the constitution, there is no limit on the endless amount of things the government can then take away, including free speech, freedom of religion, and voting rights. So, not following this amendment for the sake of banning weapons does not only risk losing this freedom but also the other rights we as Americans should have.

With not taking the second amendment into consideration and banning weapons anyways, people feel that public safety will increase. The opposing side would take this as one of their main reasons to ban weapons. I believe that public safety would not change. Crime will not go down by banning weapons since the majority of criminals have unregistered weapons. If we ban guns, criminals still will get a hold of them, unless we ban them worldwide, make gun making illegal, and destroy every single gun ever.

Some of the strictest gun controlled states in the US have the highest crime rates, because normal people have less protection. Guns don’t kill people, people choose to kill others. I believe that if people are able to have guns, they are able to protect themselves when in danger when there is no government, or police to protect them at that moment. People are less likely to attack or commit a robbery if they know that a victim is armed, or able to fight back. Citizens can not only protect themselves, but will feel at peace knowing they are able to defend themselves when a situation calls for it.

Public safety is important, and if the government cannot protect its citizens, then it is their obligated rights to do so themselves. Making a law banning assault weapons is something that is ideal for people who want to stop violent acts, or crimes that come from weapon use. But, there are always pros and cons to situations. Weapons will never cease to exist because if it is not an assault weapon it will be something else. Weapons have and will always evolve. Getting rid of weapons from the public will be a very difficult task.

In conclusion, the federal government should not ban assault weapons. Banning assault weapons will not make them disappear. In order people to protect themselves, their property, and their own families it is a legitimate right of the citizens to own weapons. As citizens we have the constitutional right to keep and bear arms. These rights were made for the people and should not be interfered with. Public safety should not only be contingent upon assault weapon use but the actual public itself.

Weapons will never cease to exist because today, the majority of cases involving firearms used are not legally bought or even registered, but are smuggled or stolen. There has not been much progression at the federal level regardless of nationwide news coverage on the recent mass killings, and not a lot of detail of what will happen in the future of a law that will ban weapons. In my opinion weapons should not be banned, because in reality this nation is not a harmless environment, and to be defenseless in a needed time is not a good situation.