Abuse of the Second Amendment: The Valentine's Day Massacre Main historical article Ashleigh RogersMr. Todd Gonion Ninety bullets rang through the air, seven bodies hit the asphalt, and blood pooled on N. Clark Street in Chicago, Illinois. The Valentine's Day Massacre represented one of the most bloody and catastrophic mistreatments of the Second Amendment and illustrated how citizens ignored the responsibilities that accompanied gun ownership. This massacre ties into the theme of “Rights and Responsibilities in History” because it shows a group of individuals irresponsibly taking their inalienable constitutional rights and using them to resolve trivial conflicts with other citizens. On February 14, 1929, the true intentions of the Second Amendment were massacred when a Chicago gang ignored their responsibilities as gun owners and decimated other citizens. The Second Amendment states: “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.” As America was once dependent on England, Americans looked to English governmental institutions as a basis for governing the United States. America configured the Second Amendment based on political ideologies originating in England. In 1181, King Henry decreed the Assize of Arms, stipulating that citizens must possess arms at all times to ensure that English citizens would be protected against foreign invasions. In England, men from the age of seven were required to bear arms to ensure the extensive defense of their country; it was considered an obligation of an Englishman towards his country. Additionally, militias became vital to English life, as they leveled monarchical rule...... middle of paper ... striking example of how citizens took the privilege of owning weapons for their their own security in their homes and in their nation. , and used it for venomous reasons. A concept that was effective in the 11th century lost its value as citizens began to ignore their responsibilities as gun-owning American citizens. The federalist predicted that citizens would suppress their right, but it was nevertheless ratified in the Constitution. The discernment of a proposed execution of seven individuals shows to what extent citizens ignored both the sense of their rights and their responsibilities. The decision of a few individuals to organize the Valentine's Day massacre led to strict regulations imposed on gun owners. “Violence is a bad thing, but when weapons are in my hands without respect for human rights, then men are really in trouble. » - Louis L'Amour.