Life Matters

Bottom line: lives matter!!!

The fact that we’ve already had 30 mass shootings in our country, this year alone (it’s only February 16th), should tell us that something needs to be done. I, personally, wouldn’t bear arms, but that doesn’t mean I’m against the 2nd Amendment entirely. I believe every American should have that right, but the type of arms that citizens bear should be seriously questioned.

Hand gun? Shot gun? Sure.

But a semi-automatic? Why? Why would any civilian need such high capacity fire arms?

The whole debate on gun control really isn’t about eliminating guns altogether. It’s about regulating what kinds of fire arms citizens can bear.

And, when you think about it, changing amendments isn’t a new concept. Amendments have been changed since the Constitution was signed more than 2,000 years ago.

In 1787, only white men over 21 could vote, and the President could serve for as long as he was elected. But the 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, said that no citizen’s vote could be taken away because of his race or color or because he was once a slave. In 1863, President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, giving slaves their freedom. Nine years later this amendment gave citizens of all races the right to vote. It was a start in giving blacks full equality with whites.

After the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920, all women in the U.S. were allowed to vote. In 1787, men were always considered head of the household. Only they could vote. But women were becoming better educated. By 1848, they were working together to gain voting rights. Lawmakers were finally convinced 72 years later that women could vote as intelligently as men.

The 22nd Amendment limits a president to two terms in office. George Washington started the presidential tradition of serving for two four-year terms. However, President Franklin Roosevelt, who was elected four terms in a row, was the first to break with this tradition. Many Americans thought that his four terms had allowed him to become too powerful. This national feeling helped get this amendment ratified in 1951.

The 26th Amendment was passed in 1971, and it gave people 18 to 20 years old the right to vote. The national voting age had been 21.

The U.S. Constitution is known as “a living document” for a reason. Though it may seem like a dry piece of paper, it really is designed to live and grow as the nation grows.

Even the Founding Fathers knew it might have to change with the times based on Article Five; which states, “The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both Houses [the House and the Senate] shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution . . .” States were also given a chance to propose changes, or amendments. Three-fourths of the states have to approve the amendment for it to become law.

Bottom line: in the past 200 years, the Constitution has been amended 27 times and it wouldn’t be without precedent or too outlandish for us to reconsider our 2nd Amendment right and rethink the types of arms we’re allowed to bear.