Gun Control A Well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms , shall not be infringed. Amendment II, Bill of Rights Constitution of the U.S. The Second Amendment has been a major issue in American politics since 1876. In question is the intent of this Amendment. Was it meant to insure that people in general have arms for personal service, or was it intended to insure arms for military service? The nation's powerful gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, holds that it means the right to keep and