Though it is not entirely true, many American's view the Republican party as protectors of the second amendment, and Democrats as traitors. But historically speaking, it was the Democratic party that fought arduously to protect it. And they still do today. The point being, guns manufactured today are VERY different from ones used in the 1700's, thus putting question on what would be considered appropriate for public access. In addition, the country had endured war of an unimaginable magnitude in the height of the 18th century, causing hysteria and protectionism, so it is not surprising of the broad context of the amendment.
Fast forward to 2018 and you have a war of words between backers of the amendment, and those who believe it should be scaled back. Though both sides have valid arguments, statistics show violence caused by firearms have spiked over the last two decades, though they are beginning to hold steady. Look at Chicago, a city crippled by thousands of gun related deaths since the beginning of the 21st century; yet they are under-reported in the news.
So, back to the headline, why are the GOP getting the issue of gun control all wrong? Interpretation and money. As we read the second amendment, we are reminded that the right to bear arms shall not be "infringed." Obviously, the sentence means that the right to bear arms shall not be taken away in any regard. But, there are multiple issues with this sentence when further examining it. The definition of infringement is to limit something, or to encroach upon. In no way does it say that the government cannot "regulate" it. The Democrats are not "limiting" your rights to own a firearm, they are trying to make us a safer country by ensuring harmful individuals do not obtain one, as well as to restrict civilian use of assault weapons. It passed before in the Clinton administration, why not attempt it again?
Unfortunately, the second reason the GOP has it all wrong on guns is quite somber... they are so desperate to accept the NRA's endorsement and money, that they are essentially paid to support their agenda in Congress. A CNN town hall after the shooting at a Florida high school featured Florida Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio. As Nelson responded in a manor that was more moderate, Mr. Rubio shifted his positions to align with the NRA. He knows that they will withdraw their support with one wrong word, and that endorsement obviously means more to him than to the safety of his own constituents.
So to conclude, the Democratic party's position on guns has not changed, it has evolved to fit the needs and safety of Americans today, which is to enforce existing laws, limit access to the mentally ill, hold universal background checks, and most importantly modernize the interpretation in which we perceive guns today.
Fast forward to 2018 and you have a war of words between backers of the amendment, and those who believe it should be scaled back. Though both sides have valid arguments, statistics show violence caused by firearms have spiked over the last two decades, though they are beginning to hold steady. Look at Chicago, a city crippled by thousands of gun related deaths since the beginning of the 21st century; yet they are under-reported in the news.
So, back to the headline, why are the GOP getting the issue of gun control all wrong? Interpretation and money. As we read the second amendment, we are reminded that the right to bear arms shall not be "infringed." Obviously, the sentence means that the right to bear arms shall not be taken away in any regard. But, there are multiple issues with this sentence when further examining it. The definition of infringement is to limit something, or to encroach upon. In no way does it say that the government cannot "regulate" it. The Democrats are not "limiting" your rights to own a firearm, they are trying to make us a safer country by ensuring harmful individuals do not obtain one, as well as to restrict civilian use of assault weapons. It passed before in the Clinton administration, why not attempt it again?
Unfortunately, the second reason the GOP has it all wrong on guns is quite somber... they are so desperate to accept the NRA's endorsement and money, that they are essentially paid to support their agenda in Congress. A CNN town hall after the shooting at a Florida high school featured Florida Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio. As Nelson responded in a manor that was more moderate, Mr. Rubio shifted his positions to align with the NRA. He knows that they will withdraw their support with one wrong word, and that endorsement obviously means more to him than to the safety of his own constituents.
So to conclude, the Democratic party's position on guns has not changed, it has evolved to fit the needs and safety of Americans today, which is to enforce existing laws, limit access to the mentally ill, hold universal background checks, and most importantly modernize the interpretation in which we perceive guns today.