2AO Nation Issue 2, August 2014 | Page 14

Chicago's Gun Crisis

Christine Kachurak

14 2AO Nation

I’m a Jersey girl. I didn’t grow up around hunting, guns, going to target practice, or clay shooting. I watched Schoolhouse Rock in between Saturday morning cartoons. It was a fun and easy way to learn math, English, the Preamble, the Amendments, and the Constitution.

Like other people, I’ve taken the Constitution and our freedoms for granted. It wasn’t until recently that I saw the Constitution broken down into such a way that I could completely understand it. I realized what our rights as U.S. citizens were and what we were allowed to own. I’ve never owned a gun, yet I have many friends that do. They are dangerous indeed, if the wrong people, children who are left alone with guns not safely put under lock and key, or those who are untrained try to use them. With ownership comes huge responsibility.

Now that I’m in Texas and learned more about my God-given rights, I understand the meaning of #2A.

There is a difference between people legally owning guns to defend themselves and criminals that obtain guns illegally either in “gun free safe zones” or elsewhere in the United States.

The government officials can make up any law they want for guns. In other words, take away the guns from the citizens who are legally trying to defend themselves and their property, and put the guns in the hands of the gangs and criminals. They will get guns any way they can. Now you’ve taken away our only means of defending our family, property, pets, and friends.

The Founding Fathers included the 2nd Amendment in the Bill of Rights for a reason. They understood that we are all human. We are selfish, greedy, and only look out for ourselves through self preservation. The Founding Fathers wanted to defend the American citizens from a government that starts outgrowing its self-limiting circle and begins infringing on our rights. They wanted us to be able to defend ourselves. Guns were one way. They were used as a deterrent and not a weapon. Now it’s the complete opposite. We’ve come so far from the way the Founding Fathers saw this country.