Before I start I would like you to know that I fully support an individual’s right to own a gun. However, there are some people under the impression that it is a Constitutional right. It is not! Nowhere in the U.S. Constitution does it support an individual’s right to own a firearm.

It seems that most people forget about the “context” of a situation. To fully understand the context people need to realize that when the Framers started work on forming a union, each of the 13 colonies exercised complete sovereignty.

The people in those colonies were aware that the European monarchies used standing armies to hold power and detested the idea.

Former Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Warren E. Burger stated “The real purpose of the Second Amendment was to ensure that the state armies — the militia — would be maintained for the defense of the state.”

At the time, the musket was a common fixture in most households, due to the fact that many Americans depended on hunting game for food.

At present the “state armies” that were prevalent in the 18th century have effectively been replaced by the National Guard and hunting has essentially become a recreational activity.

Furthermore he stated that “The very language of the Second Amendment refutes any argument that it was intended to guarantee every citizen an unfettered right to any kind of weapon he or she desires. In referring to ‘a well regulated militia,’ the Framers clearly intended to secure the right to bear arms essentially for military purposes. In the late 18th century, the ‘militia’ was composed of all able-bodied men, and the word ‘militia’ was defined as ‘a body of troops; soldiers collectively.’ Even where the militia was concerned, it is clear that the Framers contemplated that the use of arms could be ‘well-regulated.'”

For better regulation, this society needs enforcement of stricter gun control laws. As Mr. Hoogendoorn said about drunk driving and MADD, the same can be said for the gun issue.

We need responsible use and enforcement of tougher laws so these laws won’t affect those being responsible.

As for the NRA, the primary goal of the association was to “promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis.” It wasn’t until the early 20th century that sport shooting became an interest. And with a membership of less than three million, they account for roughly 1 percent of the U.S. population.

I also want to know if Mr. Vrana really believes Hitler banning guns in Germany had anything to do with what happened.

Would guns have made any difference in the ousting of Milosevic? Those people succeeded because they were united and persistent.

Was Tiananmen Square a failure? China had never been more scared of anything since the Japanese invasion. Tiananmen Square was not only an enormous victory for those students; it showed the world and China how ready those students were for democracy. The Chinese government still fears protest.

Guns are a fundamental part of American culture that will be around for a long time. A gun ban won’t happen, but the principles of this society extend beyond the Second Amendment.

Jesus Estrada

Sophomore

Animal ecology