"Amendment II
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."
Should we ask Constitutional scholars to address and to debate issues regarding the purpose and meaning of the Second Amendment in these modern times? As citizens it is our responsibility to know and understand the laws that are written for comprehension by everyone. I have questions.
First, understand that the conditions under which Amendment II was written are enormously different today than at the time of its authoring. By due process, our laws and regulations, including the Constitution must be revised to reflect contemporary needs and circumstances. The nation has vastly matured since 1791.
"The Second Amendment (Amendment II) to the United States Constitution protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms and was adopted on December 15, 1791, as part of the first ten amendments contained in the Bill of Rights. The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that the right belongs to individuals, while also ruling that the right is not unlimited and does not prohibit all regulation of either firearms or similar devices. State and local governments are limited to the same extent as the federal government from infringing this right per the incorporation of the Bill of Rights."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
Individuals may own guns. However, gun ownership can be regulated.
Just as people must be licensed to drive an automobile, they should be licensed to own guns. Gun training and safety should be a prerequisite. The standards for that should be federally regulated and state administered.
Who should not be permitted to own guns?
- Convicted felons
- Mentally ill persons
- Persons on terrorist watch lists
- Persons who have committed violence against spouses and anyone else
- Illegal aliens
- Visitors to America from foreign nations
All other persons should be certified and licensed to own firearms.
Should all firearms be treated the same? There is a vast difference among handguns and rifles, for instance. The differences include the caliber, magazine load capacity, and rate of firing, among other factors.
What is the purpose of owning a gun? Recreation, personal safety, and what else?
There is a notion that gun ownership is intended to offset abuse by government. Is that a valid idea in modern times?
There is a notion that personal gun ownership augments the safety that is intended from having police and national security protection. Is that a valid idea in modern times?
What are the risks and benefits? What does the data say about gun ownership and the commission of violent acts of crime from gun users?
Image from Forbes.com
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