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• The 2nd Amendment to the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution states that "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." There has been much controversy over the meaning of this amendment and where the framers intended to place emphasis, be it on the well regulated militia or the absolute right to keep and bear arms. The amendment has been hotly debated, and is considered a politically volatile subject, particularly in rural congressional districts where hunting is considered to be an American tradition.

• Fast Facts

  1. Introduced: June 8, 1789
  2. Ratified: December 15, 1791
  3. There have been several challenges to the second amendment, and the The U.S. Supreme Court has generally ruled that there can be some restrictions on gun ownership
  4. Latest Supreme Court case to deal with the issue: District of Columbia vs. Heller
  5. Case involves the D.C. handgun ban
  6. The National Rifle Association is a strong defender of the second amendment

• Controversy

  The primary controversy over the second amendment stems from the emphasis the founding fathers intended. It has generally been ruled that the amendment applies to individuals, rather than the collective "people" or the militia. Therefore, there has been little legal restrictions placed on the individual right to gun ownership. There have been some notable restrictions on gun ownership, such as the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Gun Control | District of Columbia vs. Heller | Constitution of the United States of America | 18th Amendment | Palm Pistol | 13th Amendment | National Rifle Association Convention

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