The U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment passed in 1791, giving U.S. citizens the right to bear arms. Two hundred thirty-three years later, this amendment threatens to divide the nation, and the question remains whether or not its constitutional basis will hold in 2024. 

Regardless of political views, 56% of voters agree that gun policy is one of the most critical topics of interest in the upcoming election. 

The reasons for this interest, though, differ drastically. 

Protecting gun rights

According to the Pew Research Center, 51% of Americans say it is vital to protect the rights of Americans to own guns, making emphasis on gun rights a significant reason voters care about gun policy. Also, 32% of all adults in the U.S. personally own a firearm. 

This widespread gun ownership is due to a variety of reasons. 

However, 58% of Americans believe that gun control laws should be stricter. This significant opposition has led to the creation of many organizations aimed at protecting gun rights. Among these is the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF). 

“The Second Amendment Foundation was created back in 1974 with the goal of not only defending but rebuilding the Second Amendment to its rightful place in the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution,” said Dave Workman, the communications director and spokesman for SAF.

Former President Donald Trump has pledged to defend the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the fundamental freedoms of Americans, including the right to keep and bear arms. His policies align with many gun rights organizations and individuals who value the importance of protecting guns. 

In 2024, 83% of Republicans or leaning Republican voters believe it is essential to protect the right to own guns. Comparatively, 20% of Democrats or leaning Democratic voters value safeguarding the right to own guns.

“Trump is the only president I can recall in recent history who, during his stump speeches, always mentions protecting the Second Amendment,” Workman said. 

Vice President Kamala Harris has vowed to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, as well as require universal background checks, and support red flag laws to prevent dangerous people from getting access to guns. 

Harris’ policies surrounding stricter gun control are very divisive, as 79% of Democrats or leaning Democrat voters support controlling gun ownership, whereas 16% of Republicans or leaning Republican voters support controlling gun ownership.

“Harris, on the other hand, has done everything she can legally do to discourage gun ownership,” Workman said.

Almost all Americans agree that gun violence is an issue. However, the attribution of this issue is another debate entirely, as some believe that access to guns is not the reason.

“I’ve run into young people out in the woods while I’m hunting, and they are interested in using firearms in a positive and productive way, safely all the time,” Workman said. 

It is crucial for young people, as they are preparing to vote for the first time, to research gun control policies and gun rights policies to understand the issue at hand better. 

“I encourage students to study what the Second Amendment means. That way, they’ll have a full understanding that when we talk about protecting guns in this country, we’re not talking about guns; we are talking about rights, and rights need to be protected,” Workman said. 

Advocating for gun control

Four hundred forty-three. This is the number of mass shootings in the U.S. for the year 2024 as of Nov. 3, 2024. 

The looming threat of this number hovers over many community members who fear easy access to firearms. Although many U.S. citizens, such as members of the SAF, are passionate about protecting gun rights, a sharp divide exists between them and those who fear the threat of guns to safety.

In 2023, 79% of Republicans supported the use of guns to increase safety, whereas 78% of Democrats viewed gun ownership as a threat to safety. This fundamental difference is why the national election results will be imperative to determine the country’s stance on gun policy. 

Within the local student body, the consensus is consistent with Harris’ policies of stricter gun regulations that protect the safety of the community.

The rising number of school shootings throughout the year has significantly affected teachers and students alike, strengthening their perspectives on limiting gun access. 

“Any time there is a mass school shooting that hits everyone, we can all empathize with that as a student and as a teacher,” said Greer Stone, an AP United States Government and Microeconomics teacher and the mayor of Palo Alto. “It makes it so real to us, and it’s human nature to think, well, what if that happens here?” 

This looming threat makes the gun control debate an apparent issue for many Carlmont students, even if they cannot vote in the upcoming election. 

“Given that all of us have grown up with having to deal with active shooter drills and lockdown practices, I think there’s a general feeling that guns need to be more heavily regulated in terms of who’s able to purchase them,” said Supriti Bhopale, a Policy in Action club member.

This need for regulation sparked Harris’ announcement in March of 2024 for the National Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Resource Center to increase red flag laws across U.S. states to keep people safe in case a gun poses a threat. 

The possibility that policies such as ERPO that aim to protect U.S. citizens could be altered or removed if the result of the election favors the Republican Party causes rising anxiety for many people who support stricter gun regulation. 

“It’s going to be a real culture shock for people in California and other states that have traditionally had very restrictive gun laws,” Stone said. 

Only the results of the election will tell, which is why, regardless of one’s perspective on gun control issues, it is vital to take steps to keep the public safe, whether that favors the proliferation of guns or goes against it. This is why it is crucial to take action and vote.

“Remember to vote; it’s the most important thing that you can do. It’s your right. It’s a great privilege. People have fought and died to defend that privilege and that right, and we owe it to them to make sure that we don’t sit on the couch watching TV reruns while somebody else goes out and votes,” Workman said.