In the wake of the mass shooting of school children in Connecticut, and a growing trend in mass gun violence, today President Obama announces a number of new gun control laws aimed at preventing such a horrific event again in the future. So far the NRA has stood opposed to changes in gun laws saying that the laws infringe on the constitutional rights of Americans.
According to reports, the new gun laws will include limits on the number of bullets which can be held in gun magazines or clips. Current high capacity gun magazines allow for individuals to shoot hundreds of bullets without having to stop shooting to reload. Such capacity of bullets makes it difficult to stop someone on a shooting rampage.
The new gun laws are also designed to make background checks mandatory. While those opposed to the new laws claim that they take away a person’s right to arms, it should be noted that the constitution does not say that an individual has a right to any type of arms.
Our constitutional right to free speech does not allow for a person to say things which create a danger or hazard to others, such as yelling “fire” in a movie theater. This change in law did not hobble “free speech”, it was based on common sense. In the same manner, a limit on the type and capacity of fire arms does not take away anyone’s rights, it simply uses common sense to ensure that weapons designed specifically for mass killings are only in the hands of the military, or the police, for the protection of the public.
The full details of President Obama’s new gun laws and executive orders will be released later today.