| What did the founding forefathers mean when they | | | | abiding citizens to own and purchase a gun, a right |
| wrote: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to | | | | that is guaranteed under the United States |
| the security of a free State, the right of the people | | | | Constitution," warns Republican National Convention |
| to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed"? Does | | | | Chairman Michael Steele. |
| the 2nd Amendment refer to the right of the state | | | | He says that the issue of gun control is far from |
| to convene an armed militia to protect against federal | | | | over, given that there is a Democratic President and |
| tyranny? | | | | a largely Democratic Congress. Mitt Romney added, |
| Or is it the individual person's right to bear arms to | | | | "No constitutional protection is more often ignored, |
| protect themselves from corrupt local officials and | | | | distorted or disdained than the individual right to keep |
| police forces? The answers aren't so clearly spelled | | | | and bear arms." The National Rifle Association says |
| out, but it's clear that founding forefathers like | | | | that their membership has increased by the |
| Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, | | | | thousands every month since Obama has been |
| James Monroe and Benjamin Franklin were vocal | | | | president, bringing the total number of members up |
| advocates of owning arms. In a landmark 2008 case | | | | to 4 million. |
| (D.C. vs. Heller), the Supreme Court defined "the right | | | | Yet Barack Obama's idea of gun control is not so |
| to bear arms" as an individual's right and included | | | | straightforward. In 2008, Obama said he had "no |
| handguns in the definition of "arms," which leaves | | | | intention of taking away folks' guns" and admits that |
| many people wondering if this has forever set a | | | | we have "two conflicting traditions in this country." |
| precedent on the question of gun control. | | | | He explained, "I think it's important for us to |
| In the initial 1939 Gun Control Act, the Supreme | | | | recognize that we've got a tradition of handgun |
| Court declared, "We cannot say that the Second | | | | ownership and gun ownership generally. And a lot of |
| Amendment guarantees the right to keep and bear | | | | law-abiding citizens use it for hunting, for |
| arms." In public opinion polls, 39% of Americans favor | | | | sportsmanship, and for protecting their families. |
| stricter laws of gun control, which is down from 50% | | | | We also have a violence on the streets that is the |
| in 2007. | | | | result of illegal handgun usage." Today, his stance on |
| Additionally, only about 1% of Americans in the last | | | | the gun control debate seems much more moderate. |
| election indicated that the gun control debate was | | | | Today he is looking for a "common-sense approach" |
| "of great importance" to them. Perhaps this latest | | | | to the illegal guns that are winding up in the hands of |
| ruling will quiet the debate once and for all, now that | | | | criminals. Obama explains, "We can make certain that |
| Supreme Court justices have directly interpreted the | | | | those who are mentally deranged are not getting a |
| meaning of the Constitution to provide an individual | | | | hold of handguns. We can trace guns that have been |
| right to bear arms, handguns included. | | | | used in crimes to unscrupulous firearm dealers that |
| "Whenever they can, wherever they can, the | | | | may be selling to straw purchasers and dumping |
| Democrats want to take away the rights of law | | | | them on the streets. |