Socyberty > Law

Right to Bear Arms vs Right to Live

All Americans have a constitutional right to bear arms. Do all Americans have a constitutional right to live? It seems not.

Every American has the legal right to bear arms. This right is enshrined in the constitution of the United States of America. It is a right the forefathers of America granted all its Citizens.

Recently, a law was passed which required individuals to undergo a criminal check prior to being able to purchase arms. This may be seen as an erosion of the “Right to Bear Arms”. America is one country where there are numerous deaths from violence. Somehow, the American people do not seem to realize that their right to bear arms is costing other people to lose their lives. The fundamental question which all Americans should be asking themselves is “Is the citizen's right to bear arms more important than the citizen's right to live?” Many American would argue that only criminals cause the carnage. I agree. However, if the criminals did not have the means to commit the carnage then it would be prevented.

I have just read the news which states that 32 Americans have lost their lives. This is not the first time that such carnage has taken place; it will not be the last time either. It is time that the gun was banned in the United States. America's next door neighbor (Canada) has only a fraction of the murder rate of America. All guns have to be registered in Canada. There is no legal right to bear arms. Great Britain and other European Countries too have only a fraction of the murder rate as the United States.

It is about time that the right of the people to live be given a greater priority than the right to bear arms. The innocent dead, they will never come back. Their rights to life were denied. It is my view that their rights were taken away because the law failed to protect them! It is time more Americans woke up to the reality of rights of the ordinary people. The Law can be an Ass at times. This is one clear example.

As a Registered Nurse I look after many patients who are the victims of senseless crime. I see gun manufacturers raking in millions of dollars. They are opposed to any safety measures which will reduce gun sales. Their profit margins will be reduced if there is a reduction in gun sales. Surely, we Americans are not blind to the self interests of the gun lobby yet we let them have it their way.

I also see major hospitals providing care and raking in millions of dollars from the wounded. These hospitals market their services to the wounded so that they can rake in the big dollars. At the end of the day Medicare, Medicaid and other Government agencies pay through their noses to treat the ill. Ultimately, it is the American Citizen who is paying. It is about time that the Citizen got a better deal. Everyone's right to life should be a greater priority than the right of some to bear arms and kill innocent loved ones. Think about it!

13
Liked It
I Like It!
Related Articles
The Right to Bear Arms  |  America
More Articles by Shergill
30 Benefits of Expensive Petroleum  |  Food Price Rise is Inevitable
Latest Articles in Law
The Actus Reus Within Criminal Law  |  Teen Driver Laws
Comments (6)
#1 by Jonathan, Apr 19, 2007
Firearm ownership does not violate your right to live Shergill, murderers do that. The greatest defense against a murderer is a would-be victim who is armed with a gun. The right to defend oneself with the greatest defensive tool on earth is part and parcel of the right to life. If one owns one's life, one is responsible for it, that includes its' defense.

Even if you were to ignore the moral argument against gun control, do you really believe that the State is powerful enough to actually prevent illegal firearms ownership? Their record against the black market has been abysmal so far. Even as they mobilize hordes of gunmen against drugs, prostitution, counterfeits, and other illegal goods and services, the illicit trade expands at a pace faster than that of licit trade. The most ruthless criminals become empowered with vast wealth and control spanning the globe (I speak of both illicit traffickers and the industries which arise around the fight against them). With all the evidence in the world against you, do you really believe your laws which persecute the law-abiding gun owner will even curb criminal ownership of firearms?

And on a side note, there are an estimated 80 million gun owners in America. The civilian arms industry is actually one of the smaller and less profitable American industries. Any gun lobby's weight in Congress comes from the fact that over a 3rd of adult Americans are gun owners, that there are more guns here than there are people.
#2 by Shergill, May 1, 2007
Great to read your comments.
"Firearm ownership does not violate your right to live Shergill,"
If I were dead we will not be able to have this debate.
It is a luxary of the living to be able to hold that view. Sure the greatest deterant is an armed defendent. That's your opinion. Let us take that to the next level. Let us arm everybody so that they can defend themselves. Then there will be no murders according to your theory.
All countries with low murder rates do not have the right to bear arms. USA has one of the highest murder rates. I would presume that the USA does not see that as an indicator for arms management because the right to bear arms is enshrined in the constitution.
Americans are the only people who can and know how to manage arms. Yes, you are right,"Firearm ownership does not violate your right to live Shergill,"
I will buy a gun now and wait to defend my right to live. I will be the greatest deterrant because I will keep my gun loaded. I will wait behind a cocrete wall. So when the ___ shows up to kill me I will kill him first. This will set an example to future murderers. Then they will disarm!
So I am not going to be surprised because I will pull the trigger first.
Paranoid thinking has its limitations.

#3 by Shergill, Jun 19, 2007
Jonathan,

We can debate this till the cows come home. If all your reasoning was so good and all you said was true. America would be safer than Canada, Australia and the UK. It is not safer than any of these countires.

America has more than half of it's population without medical insurance, it's life expectancy and infant mortality rates are higher than that of Singapore, Australia, Canada and the UK.

To cut a long story short your arguments do not add up. Keep supporting the current ways. Another vietnam is about to happen. I am wondering when a victory will be declared.

You have your ways, I have mine. The dead will not talk.
#4 by Shergill, Nov 5, 2007
I have never said America is safer than UK, Canada, Australia or New Zealand.

In my view the Gun Lobby and cultural history with the Focus on right to bear arms as the main problems.

The mental block of the American People is a big hurdle to be overcome if they want change.

God Blessed America with the right to bear arms and the right to believe that bearing arms is strong deterrant.
#5 by ieyasu, Nov 15, 2007
Shergill writes:
"I have never said America is safer than UK, Canada, Australia or New Zealand."

I never said you did.

To repeat your original statement: "If all your reasoning was so good and all you said was true. America would be safer than Canada, Australia and the UK. It is not safer than any of these countires"

As mentioned previously, you failed to correctly address Jonathan's claims.
#6 by armedcanadian, Mar 12, 2008
in response to the original story,

"America's next door neighbor (Canada) has only a fraction of the murder rate of America."
true, i cant argue this however it is intersting to note that according to the most recent studies, there are approximately 7million gun owners in canada and about 21 million guns. About three guns to every owner which i believe is about the same ratio of ownership in the US.
"All guns have to be registered in Canada." Only recently did this occur (1995) and i dont beleive this has much to do with anything. current registration stands at about 2 million gun owners and about 6 million registered guns. Thats a far cry from the numbers stated previously that were estimated by the canadian department of justice. so that means there is a huge non compliance with the current laws, however still a lower gun murder rate......I dont pretend to understand why we (canadians)have a lower gun murder rate but it was lower even before the 1995 legislation was brought into effect.
"There is no legal right to bear arms.(in canada)" Actually there. It has been recognized by the courts as well. most recently as of december 2007. Our laws are based on british common law, much like american laws. Ours does not specifically state "the right to bear arms" as clearly as your 2nd amendment however it is part of our rights and was further secured as a right in 1982 when our latest civil rights bill was signed to law.

In conclusion before you start spewing "myths" around about other countries laws and rights please do a little research. The media does not count as research as they are biased.

One final note: How many news reports actually stated that the recent school shooting in israel ended because an armed student shot the criminal???? how many more lives would have been lost if that student did not have a carry license.
Post Your Comment:
Name:  
Copy the code into this box:  
Inside Socyberty

Activism

 /

Advice

 /

Crime

 /

Death

 /

Disabled

 /

Economics

 /

Education

 /

Ethnicity

 /

Folklore

 /

Future

 /

Gay & Lesbians

 /

Government

 /

History

 /

Holidays

 /

Issues

 /

Languages

 /

Law

 /

Lifestyle Choices

 /

Men

 /

Military

 /

Organizations

 /

Paranormal

 /

People

 /

Philanthropy

 /

Philosophy

 /

Politics

 /

Psychology

 /

Relationships

 /

Religion

 /

Sexuality

 /

Social Sciences

 /

Society

 /

Sociology

 /

Spirituality

 /

Subcultures

 /

Support Groups

 /

Women

 /

Work


Popular Tags
Popular Writers
Socyberty
About Us
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Services
Submit an Article
Advertise with Us
Contact

© 2007 Copyright Stanza Ltd. All Rights Reserved.