2A Poll: Public Opinion on Second Amendment

"...shall not be infringed" is stated very clearly in the Second Amendment. However, we spend more time defending our Constitutional right to bear arms than finding alternative ways to end violence. So I polled 250 Veterans and active duty as to their ideas on how to stop the violence without violating anyone's 2A rights. This is, by its very nature, a complex problem with no easy fix.

Physical solutions

Armed guards

By far, the top answer we received was hiring armed guards. Specifically, the poll participants wanted Veterans to be hired for this role. Added force protection would be a possibility, but carries several limitations.This seems viable for public places like schools and festivals. However, this does not solve the problem of violence that occurs as part of crime or in secluded places.There are over 132,000 public K-12 schools in the U.S. so you can imagine how long that budget would take to get approved. Consequently, this would cost billions of dollars to place guards at every public school. I don't think it's feasible at the federal level, but local parents can demand more security at their children's school.

Arming Citizens

Another popular answer was to arm more citizens. "You cannot invade mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass." This famous mis-quote from WW2 serves as the primary spirit behind the idea of arming more citizens. Most mass shootings happen in gun-free zones after all.Currently the U.S. is estimated to have over 300 million guns, with about 100 million gun owners. Some sources put that number at 50 million owners with each gun owning household having 8 firearms each. To put that in perspective, that is more gun owners than the UK and Australia have citizens....combined.It's impossible to know the number for sure without a government registration. I doubt anyone reading this would want that. There are a few more potential drawbacks to arming more citizens.Who would pay for that? How would it be tracked? Additionally, you cannot obligate people to carry guns who do not want to. However, active shooter scenarios are proven to be shorter if there are armed citizens nearby.You can encourage more people to carry concealed by relaxing some of the roadblocks to get a permit. It shouldn't be a huge production and a $75 permit (looking at you Maryland).So, we will add that to the solutions lists.

Social solutions

Others polled wanted less of a physical solution. Education and social change was also a top answer. Many called for gun education at an early age. Secondly, an emphasis on problem solving and the value of human life.Areas with higher levels of education, are less likely to have violent crime. This reasoning concludes that educators and parents have a large responsibility to the behavior of those they guide and teach.Access to mental health was a popular answer. Some combat Veterans have expressed reservation at seeking treatment for simple issues. This stems from fear of being labeled a danger, and subject to red flag laws.Some expressed desire to see shooters not glorified on television and online. They called for the name and faces of violent criminals to be shown less on the news.One ambitious individual suggested that gun ownership should be a right given to those who serve(military or law enforcement). This idea being akin to the rights of citizenship being earned, like the book Starship Troopers. I don't think that is practical, but it's good to hear all sides of the argument.

Funniest 2A solutions

Some took a comical approach to submitting their answers. I was told "lightsabers" would end gun violence. Best selling author and Welshman, Geraint Jones, suggested we accept the queen as our lawful ruler once again. Hard pass my friend.Another man said "make ammo expensive, if bullets cost a grand then you know someone deserved it if they got shot." Although these were clearly hilarious, this is no laughing matter.In conclusion, there are many things that will need to be set into motion. There is no silver bullet to fix this problem. Regardless, it is our responsibility to preserve the Second Amendment (2A) and protect our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.Let us know what you think in the comments and share this with like-minded friends. Email this to your local politicians. You can start the conversation. We, the people, deserve a solution that allows us to keep our 2A rights, while also keeping innocent citizens safe.