Gun Law. . . . . . . .?

Question

Why is it written into the American Constitution that people can carry guns? And why hasn't it ever been this way in the UK? Was America just a too lawless country by the time proper government came to power?

Answer 1

The answer can be found in the histories of the two countries.
The right to "bear arms" was written into the US Constitution because this is how the US got its freedom from Britain! It was part of the whole idea that, if the government is totally unacceptable, the people have the right to overthrow it and start a new one. This is how the USA got started, and so this doctrine is part of our constitution.
In the UK, of course, there has been a monarchy for centuries. While once the doctrine of the "divine right of kings" was common, the UK gradually changed, allowing ever greater freedom and justice. The UK did all this without ever overthrowing the government. Thus, it is understandable that the UK has never felt the need to write a fundamental right to bear arms into its system of laws.

Answer 2

It is not written into the constitution that people can carry guns. It is written into the constitution that the the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed (by the federal government). The reason for the provision in the US constitution was to protect State governments from being oppressed by the federal government (in the early days of the republic the States were nervous that they'd cease to be sovereign States if they joined up into the united states). Arms were seen as the principal defense against tyranny in the US - the main reason the colonies could mount a revolution against the Crown was because everyone had guns and the armed militia could be called up and organized to throw off the tyrant.

There have ALWAYS been state and local restrictions, however, on the carrying of guns. It is illegal to have guns in certain cities. It is illegal to bring them into courthouses and airports. It is illegal to bring the to the campus of Virginia Tech.

Answer 3

The U. S. Constitution allows Americans to own guns because of the UK laws preventing it. That was how the Colonists won the Revolutionary War and convinced England to let America be it's own country.

Answer 4

We all seem to think that the reason for this tragedy was the right to carry a gun or guns. Lets get it right, many farmers are in possession of guns and that does not create a problem. The problem lies with the fact that we seem to be getting more and more seriously unbalanced people out there. there is a law agianst guns in Britain but how many youngsters in the inner city gangs have been shot recently. There is no respect for human life anymore. Recently a young teenager was on the news explaining that to get what he called respec' you had to be prepared to shoot someone. That makes you big. As a newspaper columnist recently quoted we're going to hell in a handcart. God help us all.

Answer 5

The Right to bear arms was originally a revolutionary measure. It was meant to assure the freedom of the young country from any would-be colonial power. When the United States expanded west, weapons were seen as essential for survival, because of the general lawlessness of the old west and the need for pioneers to hunt for survival.

Answer 6

first off, you're assuming "proper" government ever did come to power!
the framers understood that a population denied the ability to defend itself was an easy target for despotism, even from its own government....maybe even especially from its own government...there will always be lunatics who kill with guns, knives, bombs, and sometimes words, but so long as the general population has arms then anyone in government thinking they can cake-walk over what's left of freedom in america will have to think twice..once the guns are gone, so will go the rest of our freedom..

Answer 7

I guess the UK didn't want the people to have guns or they might be able to revolt against the kingdom.

Answer 8

I guess the UK didn't want the people to have guns or they might be able to revolt against the kingdom.

Answer 9

It was partly because of Britain's ability to disarm its citizenry that America DID include that in its gov't framework. Taking up of arms is the last refuge of an oppressed people.