Essay No Title

• Jurisdiction: United States,Federal,Vermont
• Citation: Vol. 2002 No. 06
• Publication year: 2002

Vermont Bar Journal 2002.

June 2002. Essay No Title

OPEN DOORS OF JUSTICE, FEDERAL ESSAY CONTEST 2002 ESSAY CONTEST PRIZE WINNERS

Students from throughout Vermont were honored at the Vermont Bar Association's Mid-Year Meeting on March 7, 2002. Winners of the Open Doors of Justice, Federal Essay Contest, sponsored by the United States District Court for the District of Vermont and the VBA Center for Public Education, were invited to attend Thursday evening's award dinner. The writing contest was open to any student in Vermont grades 5-12. This year's topic was "The Bill of Rights in Your Life." District Court Clerk Dick Wasko represented the Court. Assisting Mr. Wasko was the Director of the VBA Center for Public Education, Deborah Ormsbee.

Two teams, comprised of Vermont English teachers and attorneys, reviewed essays, scored them, and chose the winners based upon law content, history, and English learning standards. Participating educa-tors were: Mary Burnham, Douglas Boardman and Julie Hansen. Participating attorneys were: Susan Palmer, Mary Desautels and Bridget Asay. Students were awarded scholarship money and a plaque.

The Second Amendment, the Right to Bear Arms, has affected my life because I like to hunt and shoot. I have been a member of the Green Mountain Shooting Sports Club for eight years. I have also been shooting at the Northeast Kingdom Skeet Club for about three years. These two clubs are trying to keep shooting sports and gun safety going so that they will be around for future gener-ations to enjoy. We are trying to get younger guys in the club. We believe that the future of shooting sports and owning firearms relies on the youth to participate in the shooting sports. I am the youngest shooter involved in the Northeast Kingdom Skeet Club at this time.

Without the Second Amendment I would not be able to hunt, shoot or own firearms. In 4-H, I help teach younger members gun safety and how to use firearms properly. We shoot for fun and to sharpen our skills. It is important to teach children to respect firearms so that they understand what they can do when they are in the wrong hands. This is also important for the future of shoot-ing sports and the Second Amendment. I have also shot skeet at the Northeast Kingdom Skeet Club for fun and to sharpen my skills of shooting flying targets.

The Right to Bear Arms is being threatened by anti-gun lobby-ists. There are many hunters and shooters like myself who believe that the Right to Bear Arms should not be taken away. I think that children should be taught firearm safety so that they learn to respect firearms and not to use them like they see on television in violent shows. It is not the firearm that commits the crime; it is the person who picks it up. By teaching children gun safety they will learn at a young age that a firearm is a tool and understand what can happen if they are used the wrong way. This would pre-vent accidental deaths resulting from reckless use of firearms or little knowledge about them. This would probably also help to preserve the Second Amendment.

The Second Amendment was made to ensure that our country would be able to defend itself if there was no standing army. This was so that a well-organized militia could be formed for security during military emergencies. To do this the citizens must be able to own firearms so that they can use them, so that if a militia needs to be formed they will be ready. A militia would not do any good if the people in it were not trained properly, which was why the right to bear arms was so important. The nation basically needed a militia for protection because they feared and hated the standing army. Without being able to form a militia the country would not have been able to defend itself in a big military emergency. Another reason for the Second Amendment was not only the defense of the country, but for the self-defense of the citizens as well. Every individual has the natural right to protect him/herself if his/her life is in danger.1

Practically the whole adult male population owned firearms during the 1700's. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and George Mason were gun collectors. They collected firearms that they used in combat. A large part of the population were also hunters and some were marksmen. If people did not have the right

to bear arms life probably would have been a lot different back

then. People would not have been able to hunt and they would not

have had experience with firearms.2

Not everybody has the right to bear arms. Convicted felons and

children under eighteen have limitations on the right to bear arms.

They can only own bows and muzzleloaders. The right to bear

arms also does not pertain to: artillery pieces, tanks, nuclear

devices, grenades, bombs, and bazookas. It does protect the right

to own handguns, rifles, and shotguns. I think that it is good that

the Right to Bear Arms protects the right to own handguns, rifles,

and shotguns because these are tools we use for hunting and tar-

get practice. I also think it is good that the Right to Bear Arms

doesn't pertain to artillery pieces, tanks, nuclear devices,

grenades, bombs, and bazookas because they are not necessary for

hunting or target practice; they are strictly for war.3

Anti-gun lobbyists believe that the Second Amendment was not

made to arm the people and that it was meant only to arm the

National Guard or the Army. The courts, however, have ruled that

the Right to Bear Arms is the right of the people because the

words, "the right of the people" are used in the Second

Amendment. People who support the Second Amendment agree

that it is the right of the people and that it was originally created

so that people could be trained in using firearms to defend the

country. These supporters also think it is important for gun own-

ers, hunters, and people involved in the shooting sports.4

I was taught to shoot a BB gun when I was about eight years

old. I used to shoot it about every day and when I wanted to shoot

all I had to do was tell my parents so that they could keep an eye

on me. I would also go hunting with my dad sometimes and I

couldn't wait to get my hunting license. I got my hunting license

when I was ten. I have been hunting every year since. I have

competed in shooting sports, in 4-H, and have about twenty-five

medals. Our club usually takes home the most medals. I usually

take first in overall points and other medals in the different

firearm disciplines I shoot in. My family has grown up hunting

like I have. If there were no Second Amendment, my life would

be very different. I...