Guns - the Second Amendment- You aren't covered

Dear Hank,

I should know better. But sometimes I get hooked. Recently, a friend of mine sent me an article that outlined how Obama was going to take away their guns as soon as he won his second term. I pointed out that this was exactly the same thing that was said by the same sorts of people before his first term. It didn’t happen. In fact, Mr. Obama has signed every gun friendly piece of legislation that has crossed his desk. But this doesn’t stop those who believe, despite evidence to the contrary, that he’s just laying in the weeds waiting to pounce.

The article in question, like the previous one on the economy he sent me, was written by an ultra conservative think-tank, which has as contributors such people as Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, and Michael Savage. The websites are closely associated with The Heritage Foundation. I have never seen or read anything that comes out from these people or this organization that has ever agreed with Obama on anything; not even when he adopted their own position.

The discussion then devolved into arguments that law abiding citizens have a right to protect themselves. The fact that owning a gun makes it much more likely that you or a loved one or a close friend or associate can be harmed by the possess of a gun in your possession make no difference to these folks.

So let me state my position on this stuff, which always comes back to second amendment, which 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.”

I think this is pretty clear. Many who want to keep guns like to quote the last two clauses and forget the first two. Their arguments are elaborate, precise, word mincing.

I’ve read the second amendment. I’ve read the history of why it was written. I take a traditional conservative view when interpreting what this amendment says and means. I think the founding fathers made it very clear what their intention was and what problem they were trying to solve.

As far as the second amendment goes in my view if you want to carry a gun, have one in your house, or whatever; the second amendment does not stop you from doing so. Nor does it protect you or give you an excuse to do so.

The best description of the history and reasoning behind this amendment I have found is here:

http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/07pdf/07-290.pdf#page=68

Your pdf reading tool may not take you to page 68. If not please go there to start reading. It’s well written, concise and very clear. (I can not say the same for the first 68 pages.)

What is curious to me is that the conservative, right wing media machine was very vocal about activist judges, making law from the bench a few years ago. Here we have a case where they cavalierly overturned 200 years of settled jurisprudence and I haven’t heard a peep of outrage. Nor have I heard any when they took up Citizens United and pulled out a question they were not asked to rule on and did so.

I think we have a problem with guns in this country today and we need to think creatively how to solve those problems. My standard for measurement is to ask the question, “Am I, or my neighbor, safer or better protected by whatever suggestion or law concerning guns is being proposed?”

We lead the modern world in gun related deaths. See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_firearm-related_death_rate

We can argue about the statistics but there really isn’t much room to debate this fact.

My advise to my gun toting friends is to stop hiding behind the skirt of the second amendment, you’re not covered. If you want to carry guns lawfully you gotta come up with another law.

One person told me that they’ll keep their gun and I can keep my granola bar. Classy dig. However, if I have a granola bar in my closet and you have a gun there’s a better chance you or someone you know will get hurt. The argument that carrying a gun protects you is not born out by the stats - sorry. In fact, quite the opposite is true.

There are serious problems with guns in this country and the law abiding citizen argument doesn’t cut it. There are other countries that have figured out ways to deal with this problem. It is time for an intervention. It is time to admit the problem and work to make our society a safer place.

Okay, let the fireworks begin, I gotta go.

The B man