Module 1 Case Business Ethics: Trident Library's Full Text Databases

Business Ethics Module 1 Case
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The gun control debate has been a key issue in the American political arena. Supporters of gun control believe that the ready availability of guns threatens the safety of the public while gun rights advocates hold that the availability improves safety. Both sides of the debate raise plausible arguments, which makes it difficult to find common ground.
The Second Amendment
The gun control debate emanates from the interpretation of the Second Amendment. According to Blocher (2014), gun rights supporters hold that the Second Amendment protects the people’s rights to own guns. For gun control advocates, the Amendment relates only to the militia and not the members of the public. Therefore, while gun rights supporters consider the amendment to apply to all citizens, gun control advocates believe it is only applicable to the militia. This difference in interpretation is the basis of the debate that continues to dominate the media.
The 2008 District of Columbia v. Heller case had a significant impact on the gun control debate. It was held in the case that the Second Amendment protects one’s right to own arms for self-defense. From the case, it was determined that gun ownership was not limited to militia alone and thus gun rights advocates had the upper hand in the debate legally. However, as informed by Lamson (2017), the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal in 2016 ruled that the Second Amendment does not protect the right of the members of the public to carry concealed arms. It is evident that the interpretation of the Second Amendment has been a source of the debate as described above. With the difference in interpretation, finding common ground is difficult, and the debate is bound to continue into the near future.
Public safety
Another key issue that separates the two sides of the debate is whether or not gun control improves public safety. While gun control supporters argue that arms control would improve public safety, those advocating for gun rights hold that guns allow potential crime victims to protect themselves ...