Executive order proves strict, limits Constitutional rights

President’s actions on gun control violate citizens’ freedoms

Zack Hatcher

While many liberals believe slowly phasing guns out of the picture is the right way to deal with gun violence, they are far from the truth. Limiting the Second Amendment rights of Americans will do more harm than good.

Barring access to firearms weakens America and infringes on Second Amendment rights. Banning or severely inhibiting access to items deemed unsafe for public use rarely works, as criminals always find ways to get what they want.

For example, during Prohibition organized crime rose as the mob brought in alcohol, corruption and violent crime according to PBS historian Michael Lerner.

According to the FBI the overall rate of homicide has stayed at an all-time low since the late 1960s, even with the increase of gun sales in the United States. The president’s order will only serve as a waste of resources as the issue slowly becomes less pressing when priorities shift.

The executive order also supports the increase in government spending to “fix” an already working background check system. Overhauling the system will only slow down law-abiding citizens, not criminals, from purchasing guns.

According to the National Rifle Association, gun safety in households has developed greatly, as the fatal gun accident rate has declined 94 percent since 1904. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 99 percent of all guns in the United States are never involved in a crime.

While gun violence still exists, most of the problems stem from gang violence and illegally acquired weapons in Chicago, Los Angeles and New Orleans, according to the FBI.

While executive orders often bring about necessary change in a gridlocked Congress, Obama’s recent executive order on gun control shows a clear violation of the Second Amendment rights of all Americans.