In the modern, heated debates over the Second Amendment and what it really means, people often use two terms next to each other: gun rights and gun control. But although these sound fairly similar, they mean drastically different concepts and can signal your allegiance to one side of this argument or the other.
Gun Rights – What We Fight to Protect
“Gun rights” refers to the rights outlined in the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. In brief, the Second Amendment gives all US citizens the right to bear arms and to form well-regulated militias, the purpose of which is to prevent the federal government from ever infringing upon its citizens the way our forefathers were oppressed by the British.
Gun rights also mean the current state level and federal laws that affect the kinds of guns American citizens can purchase, open carry, and use in a variety of circumstances. Generally, gun rights differ from state to state – for instance, you can open carry just about any gun you want Texas, but your gun rights are much more limited in New York.
As the term suggests, your gun rights are rights that cannot (or at least should not) be so easily taken away by the whims of a loud minority. It often helps to point this out when you’re debating gun laws with a liberal family member – they’re often of the opinion that guns are a privilege rather than a right, but they’re wrong.
Gun Control – What Others Want to Take Away
Gun control, on the other hand, is the concept of enshrining new legislation that removes gun rights or otherwise limits the types of guns American citizens can use, own, or open carry. Gun control is frequently discussed in the context of adding more laws to the existing federal books.
Generally, gun control has progressed incrementally throughout US history, although some states have become gun rights sanctuaries by refusing to follow federal mandates or otherwise enshrining their own gun rights laws as a protest.
In the context of the current gun control discussion, those in favor of gun rights are usually in favor of less gun control. They believe that most people should be allowed to purchase, own and carry virtually any type of firearm in the name of individual freedom or to better defend against federal tyranny.
Those in favor of gun control are more often in favor of more gun restrictions and making it more difficult or time-consuming for people to get new guns. Right now, gun control nuts are mostly focused on automatic weapons, but this may well change as they become more successful. That’s why it’s important to stay informed and active.
As you can see, gun rights and gun control are very different concepts, both intrinsically and when used in daily conversation. Be sure to understand what both terms mean so that you can use them properly in a debate or when trying to convince someone about why gun rights are so important.
Stand strong and stand together for our rights,
Justin
Author
