Debate Paper

Should it Remain Illegal to Carry Firearms without a Permit?

BCOM/275
July 9, 2012


Should it Remain Illegal to Carry Firearms without a Permit?
The Constitution of the United States of America gives the rights to all citizens to own and carry guns.   America’s forefathers saw this as a right and stated in the Second Amendment of the 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.” ("Second Amendment," n.d.)   This statement has been highly debated on the intent and questions through the years have been raised regarding the true meaning of these words.  
The gun culture grew in popularity in around the period of the American Revolutionary War.   As the population grew in the Americas from European expeditions, so did the need for the people to arm themselves from any potential aggressor.   Early American’s had a need for arms as a result of their fears of being attacked by Native Americans or foreign armies who were looking to explore the New World.  
During this time, the thought was for people to survive, every able body citizen must be capable of carrying a weapon.   Moving into 18th century when the American government was in its infancy, funding was limited and there was not a budget, manpower, or government aptitude to manage a full time military.   The leaders of this growing country believed a government controlled army “may be a threat to the rights of the civilian populace.”   (Spitzer, 1995)   Instead, citizens were able to arm themselves and were responsible for policing and providing security.   This was the implementation of home grown groups or as it was known, Militias.   The participants in the militias were responsible for providing their own ammunition and weapons; more importantly it was mandatory for all men.   Not long after, the government began to modify this way of thinking and mandatory militia duty went through a transition to...