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In their defense, they had no idea what that amendment would result in some 200+ years later, no way to know the kind of advanced weaponry that would be invented and fall into hands they don't belong in, no way of knowing how Americans would misuse and abuse the amendment in ways they never intended.
But here we are.
It's time to consider amending the Constitution again.
The purpose of the Second Amendment is to ensure sure that government doesn't have sole access to the means of coercive force. It doesn't grant a right, it affirms it. That right exists with or without the Second Amendment. Freedom has never been free.
In their defense, they had no idea what that amendment would result in some 200+ years later, no way to know the kind of advanced weaponry that would be invented and fall into hands they don't belong in, no way of knowing how Americans would misuse and abuse the amendment in ways they never intended.
But here we are.
It's time to consider amending the Constitution again.
Bullbleep.
But it's worth noting that you conveniently omitted the First Amendment which, in this age of internet, is just as easily "misused," in ways which could not have been anticipated.
So don't worry about any of those constitutional amendments. Those of us on the right will always protect ALL of them. Because it's obvious that we sure can't depend on the left to do it.
The Founding Fathers made NO mistake in crafting the most remarkable document, ever.
The founding fathers made no mistake. The past few generations have made a mistake by allowing our country to be consumed with pathological selfishness, greed, widespread acceptance of bullying behavior, contempt for allowing the use of public funding for healthcare including mental healthcare, the elimination of most benefits and vacation time for workers, acceptance of foreign policy that heavily relies on use of the military to inflict violence on other peoples. idolizing the military and glorifying war, and too much rapid scapegoating for different groups of people for any problem we have. We have a violent, frantic, stressed out, unhealthy population conditioned by society to accept violence other western nations don't tolerate. Scapegoating gunowners and the second amendment won't eliminate the problem. But this country is too consumed by hateful, partisan divisions to ever have a real conversation about why our country is violent.
Good post. We are the most violent first world country on the planet, and many of the things you outline in your post are the reasons why.
Thanks for adding some different and salient points to the conversation.
The founding fathers made no mistake. The past few generations have made a mistake by allowing our country to be consumed with pathological selfishness, greed, widespread acceptance of bullying behavior, contempt for allowing the use of public funding for healthcare including mental healthcare, the elimination of most benefits and vacation time for workers, acceptance of foreign policy that heavily relies on use of the military to inflict violence on other peoples. idolizing the military and glorifying war, and too much rapid scapegoating for different groups of people for any problem we have. We have a violent, frantic, stressed out, unhealthy population conditioned by society to accept violence other western nations don't tolerate. Scapegoating gunowners and the second amendment won't eliminate the problem. But this country is too consumed by hateful, partisan divisions to ever have a real conversation about why our country is violent.
The founding fathers also allowed slavery and restricted voting to just segments of males. Seems that they made plenty of mistakes which later got corrected. We need the same fix actions on guns and presidential election voting system today.
Does everyone realize that in 1792 Congress mandated each household to have at least one gun, of military grade, plus ammunition for every able-bodied man between 18 and 45? That, my friends, is a militia.
And well-regulated? That just means in good working order, as one might say for a clock.
Organized? Means all citizens could work together to repulse a professional army with the arms that each could ‘bear’ or carry.
Finally - the operative clause: the Right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The phrase 'to bear arms' has been interpreted by the courts to mean what one man can carry and operate, man-portable. The 2nd Amendment did not give the right to a cannon, a warship, or other large weapons of its day. Therefore it can be extrapolated that we, today, do not have a right to a tank, aircraft carrier, or nuclear weapon.
After more than 200 years these terms are still all inextricably linked together in the 2nd Amendment, and it will never be changed or repealed!
The founding fathers also allowed slavery and restricted voting to just segments of males. Seems that they made plenty of mistakes which later got corrected. need the same fix actions on guns and presidential election voting system today.
Slavery and Voting were a RESTRICTION of rights, it was corrected.
Fire arms are clearly a right, no need to correct.
Electoral college is because we are a REPUBLIC where individuals AND states get to vote for leadership, a popular vote is not fair representation of our REPUBLIC.
Our forefathers were definitely smarter than most internet keyboard jockeys.
Haven't read this entire thread, but I think the main mistake the founding fathers made with the 2nd amendment was the unclear language surrounding it. I do see where an argument can be made from either side - does the "right of the people to bear arms" apply to individuals, or to a "well-regulated militia"?
The ANT-gunners do NOT use "critical thinking". They created gun free zones" and what happened? MOST school shooting were at schools in "gun free zones", The so-called Assault Weapons Ban by clinton had almost ZERO affect, etc.
I don't know what the right gun laws are, but I was making the point that the second amendment shouldn't be lionized as a claim on human rights, but a policy meant to resolve the problems of its time and that any policy today should be based on what is best; nothing more nothing less.
Haven't read this entire thread, but I think the main mistake the founding fathers made with the 2nd amendment was the unclear language surrounding it. I do see where an argument can be made from either side - does the "right of the people to bear arms" apply to individuals, or to a "well-regulated militia"?
The individual's Right to bear arms has been upheld by the SCOTUS (District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008)) a landmark case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that the Second Amendment protects an individual's Right to keep and bear arms, unconnected with service in a militia.
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My Take on the 2nd Amendment
