With numerous recent incidents involving firearms between 2012 and 2013, gun control laws have become a hot topic in America. On the one hand, after the horrific incident like the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown in 2012, most people wanted to limit gun-related mistakes by putting in place a rigorous system that controls who can and can't get a gun. On the other hand, we have people who believe that with such a rigorous system in place, individual rights granted and protected by the United States Constitution are being violated. They believe this harsh system will prevent people from defending themselves and could constitute a violation of their privacy. Regardless of which side is right, if we want to better understand our current conflict, we need to revisit how this debate began. District of Columbia v. Heller, the 2008 Supreme Court case that declared unconstitutional the Gun Control Act of 1975, which influences the individual's right to keep and bear arms for self-defense by overturning question the second amendment and laws that restrict a person. to acquire weapons. District of Columbia v. Heller plays an important role in shaping our right to keep and bear arms for self-defense by being the first court case that defines who can possess weapons for self-defense. The whole matter revolves around the Second Amendment and its meaning. Since the Second Amendment was first enacted in 1791, this has prompted the court to reconsider it. By understanding its original meaning, the court can then understand what it intends to do and how it affects our current times. Before the Heller trial, U.S. states had their own laws about who can own and use firearms. While some states are lax in their legislation...... middle of paper ......clean. Obtaining and carrying handguns for self-defense in the home cannot be prohibited. As for the other question that the case did not answer, we now just have to wait for the Supreme Court to answer these questions. Works Cited Carter, Gregg. Guns in American Society: An Encyclopedia of History, Politics, Culture, and Law. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2012. Print.Fields, Gary. "Washington's New Gun Rules Shift Constitutional Debate." The Wall Street Journal. May 17. 2010: A. 1. Researcher on SIRS issues. Internet. April 22, 2014.Jackson, Kevin and Eric Johnson. “McDonald v. Chicago (08-1521).” Legal Information Institute. Cornell Law School, March 30, 2014. Web. April 22, 2014. Jonsson, Patrik. "Gun Debate: Is the Price of an Armed America a More Dangerous America?". Christian Science Monitor. February 2, 2014: np SIRS Issues Researcher. Internet. April 22. 2014.