Gun control is often a controversial issue that leads to massive discussions and heated debates. This is simply due to the fact that gun rights are directly connected to the U.S. Constitution, and removing those rights would be against the law.

Arguments can be made that gun rights are handled irresponsibly, as children often get their hands on weapons and accidentally commit murder. A recent example was when an allegedly disabled six-year-old shot his teacher in Virginia.

However, others argue that the Constitution’s reason for having the right to own a gun is for self-defense. An example would be when Jason Michael Lewis responded to sounds of a breaking and entering of a car by firing off a shot which fatally struck a person in Washington, D.C. 

WJPS senior Nick Zuvich stated, “It is self-defense because most cases are people who are just trying to protect themselves or their families. Most murder cases committed by firearms are related to gang violence and are results of something else that happened first.” 

Nicolas Bahamon, another WJPS senior said, “These acts are self-defense because there’s never anything that warranted an act of murder, nor was there any malicious intent.”

The right to own a gun is linked to the Constitution and revoking the Second Amendment would invoke an inability for self-defense. A solution to this issue would be to properly inform eligible people on how to handle a firearm.