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National & World Issue

Would you support a 28th amendment to the #constitution addressing gun control?


Score for this "Yes" opinion : 8.6

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The 28th Amendment - Settling Gun Control For Good

" Jul 22, 2024

Every day, more than 100 Americans lose their lives to gun violence and many more are injured, thanks to the actions of these deadly weapons. It has finally gotten to the point where even the blind sees clearly that something serious has to be done about this situation.

Thankfully, Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, has proposed what can only be described as a simple yet genius solution to the problem at hand. And, I support this solution wholeheartedly.

“Our ability to make a more perfect union is literally written into the Constitution,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “So today, I’m proposing the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution to do just that. The 28th Amendment will enshrine in the Constitution common sense gun safety measures that Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and gun owners overwhelmingly support – while leaving the 2nd Amendment unchanged and respecting America’s gun-owning tradition.”

These are words that would undoubtedly (and rightly) be remembered for generations to come.

Tthis policy is essentially introducing that much-needed infusion of common sense into the management of guns in America. I believe that the core foundations of this amendment to the constitution make it just what the nation needs in these increasingly troubling and uncertain times. In a nutshell, upon proper vetting and approval, this amendment will introduce four different things into the U.S. Constitution.

The first is that it will raise the minimum age required to purchase a gun from 18 to 21 at the federal level. On the surface of it, this declaration doesn’t seem to have much bearing on the grand scheme of things where gun control is concerned. However, it may surprise you to learn that six of the nine deadliest shootings that the country has witnessed so far were conducted by people aged 21 or younger. The bitter reality is that mass shooters are getting younger and younger. So, it stands to reason that if these individuals had access to guns at an older age, they may be more inclined to handle it more responsibly.

The 28th Amendment would also make background checks a federal requirement when purchasing a firearm. In truth, I have never quite understood why getting as much information as possible on someone with a device potent enough to kill his neighbor would be considered a bad thing.

Second Amendment or not, some people just don’t deserve to have guns, just the same way some people shouldn’t be allowed into children’s parks. Background checks can be the first in a line of protective measures that helps us identify people who could pose a risk to society with guns.

The third thing is that a reasonable waiting period will be initiated for all firearm purchases. In my opinion, I believe this measure will further help underscore the gravity of the responsibility that the prospective gun owner is about to take on.

Finally, the 28th Amendment will make it difficult for regular civilians to purchase assault rifles that make killing other human beings easy and efficient. Again, it makes no sense even having these types of guns made available to the public in the first place. The country isn’t at war so how and why are these types of firearms even remotely necessary?

Beyond all of this, this amendment will also invest other offices like local governments, states, and Congress, with the power to enact gun safety regulations to protect human lives.

For me, there can be no doubt that this is a step in the right direction. We can’t continue to pretend that the country doesn’t have a gun control problem when it very clearly does.

Hopefully, this amendment to the Constitution will make all of that a thing of the past.

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