Article the Second
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.
I’m not against guns.
I’m against idiots with guns.
I’m not against the right for citizens to own and keep guns.
I’m against citizens owning and keeping guns like AK-47’s that have only one purpose: to kill as many people as possible in as little time as possible.
I’m not against gun ownership.
I’m against irresponsible gun ownership, such as the people who allow children to get hold of loaded weapons to the tune of 500 kids killed a year through gun accidents, not including homicide or suicide.
I don’t argue with the idea that “guns don’t kill. People kill.”
I do argue that it’s a lot harder to kill someone without a gun.
All that being said, let’s look at the long-standing disagreement about the interpretation of the second amendment, which reads above:
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.
For those who support the NRA and love to play paintball so you can play “war” like we did in 5th grade, yes, I see the words that read the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Those words seem to indicate that our founding fathers wanted average citizens to keep themselves armed and ready. But why? Just…because? Not so.
You can’t ignore the first half, which reads A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State. The first half of the second amendment clearly, I repeat, clearly shows that the purpose of “the people to keep and bear arms” is to have a militia. It also clearly states that the purpose of the militia is for the security of a free state. That doesn’t mean security against the guy who you think might possibly rob you in the Harrah’s Casino parking lot. It means security in case this “free state” is attacked by another “state.” Free or not.
If it makes you feel cool or powerful to own a gun, great, good luck. But at least keep it locked and safe. And at least get one that’s not designed to kill a small village in about four seconds.
Am I asking too much?