問題詳情

     “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of thepeople to           keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”     – The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution
   In the United States, the second amendment is also known as the right to bear arms. Anycitizen is allowed to own and carry a firearm or weapon with them, as long as they have thequalifying paper work. According to the statistics, the United States has 88.8 guns per 100 people,or about 270,000,000 guns, which is the highest total and per capita number in the world. 22% ofAmericans own one or more guns (35% of men and 12% of women). America's pervasive gunculture stems from its colonial history, revolutionary roots, frontier expansion, and the SecondAmendment. Nonetheless, in recent years, with the increasing occurrence of terrorist attacks and acts of violence, many people are calling into question the specific rights of the second amendment.Some people believe that the phrase “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms” creates anindividual constitutional right where legislative bodies are restricted from prohibiting possession offirearms. Others also believe that the phrase “a well-regulated Militia” restricts Congress fromtaking away the States’ right to self-defense. Apparently, American people’s interpretations aboutthe Second Amendment are divided.    Proponents believe that the right provides citizens with a certain level of protection. Study hasshown that criminals tend to retreat when people draw their guns for self-defense. This means theweapon you are carrying will thwart any malicious intent on your person. In a 1998 publication byJohn Lott (PhD), he outlined the many benefits that concealed carry offers, including reducingcrime significantly. According to him, there was an 8.5% reduction in homicides, 7% in aggravatedassaults, 5% in rape, and 3% in robbery following the passing of gun laws. The numbers may notseem much, but you can just imagine the difference these made to the lives of the citizens, whichbrings us to the next advantage. A lot of people admit to feeling safer with a gun in their possession,especially when in a crime-prone neighborhood or establishment. Criminals are everywhere andthey can come into your home and your place of employment without warning, so having a weaponthat you can use for self-defense would make you feel less of a victim and ease any fears you mighthave. Some people may argue that the social order is the responsibility of the police. The reality,however, is that the government and local authorities could not protect every single family andperson.    Opponents, on the other hand, strongly believe that the 2nd Amendment will not deter crime,but increase it. According to a study by Charles Branas (PhD), he found that people “carrying a gunfor self-defense was 4.5 times more likely to be shot during an assault than an assault victimwithout a gun” (American Journal of Public Health). This means guns may not be the best choicefor an effective and reliable form of self-defense. Furthermore, many people claim that adults withguns are often not adequately trained. Some states do not even require a lot of training beforecitizens are able to be equipped with a concealed handgun. On top of that, according to Yaleprofessors Ian Ayres (PhD) and John Donohue (PhD), “Shall-issue” laws increased not only rates ofrape, violent crime, and robbery but the risk of suicide as well. In 2005," 53% of all suicides in theUS involved a firearm," which means that there was "an average of 46 suicides from guns eachday." Above all, some people argue that the 2nd Amendment only enables citizens to bear armswhen they are called to military service. It did not specifically tell that citizens can carry arms forpersonal use and personal self-defense.    The Second Amendment’s function to guarantee people with their right to bear arms is limited.There are lots of federal laws that prohibit the ownership of guns and other firearms. The concernsabout this law under the Bill of Rights greatly contradict several federal laws which, in this case,continue to be a controversial issue. Remember that self-protection is the basic unit of nationalprotection. Thus, a sense of responsibly obeying underlying rules that makes up this law and a measure of self-control must always be exercised

24. Which of the following statements might NOT be the assertion of an advocate of the SecondAmendment?
(A) People are endowed with the freedom from fear.
(B) Acting in self-defense is basic human right.
(C) Improper use of firearms might cause the rising crime rate.
(D) Possession of guns has been part of American culture.

參考答案

答案：C
難度：適中0.5
統計：A(0),B(0),C(0),D(0),E(0)

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