What is the Truth of the 2nd Amendment?

In a effort to speak about the Constitution of the United States, I almost skipped over the volatile 2nd Amendment and moved on. I would be shirking my duty to explain to people exactly what the Constitution says regarding the rights of the people and this amendment, in particular, has been bastardized by many to suit their own needs.

The actual and true wording of the 2nd Amendment is as follows: "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."

The opening phrase "a well regulated militia" is probably the biggest weapon against the free wheeling, weapon toting, gun lobby of today. Semantics can be bandied about regarding the word 'militia' which, to most of us, means 'the military' but, "a well regulated militia" leaves no argument for anyone. This phrase, in and of itself, the opening phrase of our 2nd Amendment specifies the need for gun control. We must begin expanded background checks, tough licensing and proficiency testing for any citizen who desires to own a weapon outside of military service to our country.

As I said previously, the word 'militia' has been open to many interpretations. The Merrriam-Weabster dictionary defines it as 'a part of the organized armed forces of a country liable to call only in emergency and a body of citizens organized for military service.' This definition is quite specific regarding exactly who is able and qualified to own guns. Merriam-Webster also adds to the definition with 'the whole body of able-bodied male citizens declared by law as being subject to call to military service.' Should the gun lobby argue the latter definition as part of their discourse, it will never, ever pass any court because of it's sexual bias. Regarding Merriam-Webster's definition of 'militia' as a whole, there remains the strong thread of 'military' service. The 'well regulated militia' of the 2nd Amendment is our Air Force, Navy, Army, Marines and Coast Guard branches of the military under the control of the Department of Defense. Our military is both 'well regulated' and, it is 'necessary to the security of a free State'.

That phrase, ' necessary to the security of a free State' is the second most important phrase of the 2nd Amendment'. Since the average gun toting citizen is a far cry from the members of the military who are both well-trained and assured weapons with the sole directive to the security of the country, our country, the United States of America. Again, I refer to Merriam-Webster in regards to the word 'State', 'one of the constituent units of a nation having a federal government'. This will rule out protecting your own wholly owned property of any sort or your person. The Founding Fathers never had in mind the arming of every citizen of this country for use in every conflict of any sort.

Many, many argue that the closing phrase of the 2nd Amendment is the crux of the Amendment. 'The right of the people to keep and bear arms' has nothing to do with every citizen having the right to own guns. This phrase, when read in the context of the 2nd Amendment, in it's entirety, refers back to our well regulated and necessary arming of the members of our military.

So unless you are a 'well regulated' member of an officially sanctioned arm of our military, working to protect these United States, you do not have a 'Constitutional right' to own a gun. It's all written there, in black and white, by the hand of and adopted as the basis for our laws, by the Founding Fathers of the United States of America.

#guns #weapons #amendment #military