Societal Decay - Henson Ong

[Daseal]

Originally Posted by Giantone

I understand how you feel but it is a "right" gauranteed by the Constitution but as I have said before it can't go unchecked.You have the right as all Americans to "Free Speach" yet the Surprem Court says it is not your right to scream "fire" in a crowded movie thearter.As always there must be checks and balances on everything,no way the founders of this country would sit back and justify the murder of 20 children it is the people (NRA) that believe that crap that scare me,they are not responsible gun owners.

I think I did a poor job of illuminating my initial thought. However, let's first clear up free speech. Firstdown mentioned you can't scream fire in a crowded theatre. We are not actually entitled to free speech in this country, what we are entitled to, is that the government can't make laws limiting free speech. Private establishments are free to regulate speech however they deem fit, but the government can not make laws concerning speech on government land (arguable with things such as cussing bans, etc).

What I was trying to argue -- is I think the word right should not be used. I consider a right something that everyone is entitled to, regardless of their situation. There are very few 'rights' in this world, and they can greatly vary based on location. If owning a gun were a true right, then everyone would be entitled to have a gun. Felons, mentally handicapped, prisoners, etc. Everyone would be allowed to own a gun. I don't think anyone is in favor of everyone being guaranteed access to a weapon.

The 2nd amendendment reads:
"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."

Like everything else in this document, it was written to be ambigious. I can see many interpretations being justified different ways. All I was trying to say, is that calling it a right is a dangerous path. To me, gun ownership is anagalous to driving a car. You should have to meet some minimum standard, there are multiple classes of ownership (Handgun, Rifle, etc etc), and if you don't treat it responsibly - it can be taken away. I consider those types of rules a priviledge, not a right.

Regardless of the words used (priviledge vs right) I think most of us are in agreement that certain people should not be given access to firearms.