In the present day it is not necessary for ordinary citizens to own firearms. There is easy access to food , so guns are not necessary for hunting. Americans do not need firearms for protection either, if America's safety was in jeopardy specially trained men and women in the armed forces would protect us. So American citizens cannot use the second amendment as an excuse for owning a gun.
Some gun owners may argue that they use their guns for self- protection. Yet studies show less than 10% of gun owners use their gun in self defense. Studies also show that in burglaries the presence of a gun is irrelevant because overwhelming number of burglaries take place when no one is home. Even if a gun is used to protect oneself there are psychological consequences, many people don't think about living with the aftermath of killing another human being. The instance when gun owners do use their gun in self-defense to protect their homes or elude attackers, that same weapon that was used for good is used for crime more often. Statistics indicate that for every case of gun use for self-protection there are 43 instances where guns are used in suicides, homicides and accidental deaths. This statistic shows that the negative usage of guns out weigh the advantages of having a gun by far. Keeping a firearm in the house for any reason is a great risk. Studies show that people who keep a gun in their homes are 3 times more likely to be killed in their own homes than those who don't. Studies also indicate that suicide is 5 times more likely to occur in a household with a gun than household without a gun. With half of American homes owning guns, one can picture that as being every other neighbor owning a gun. Imagine having a neighbor who is 3 times more likely to die in their homes, 5 times more likely to commit suicide, and twice as likely to kill someone else. The thing that causes all these increased dangers is a firearm in the home.