TITLE: Let’s Repeal the Second Amendment (2013)
SOURCE: Vanity Fair
AUTHOR(s): Kurt Eichenwald (Wikipedia bio)
URL: http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2013/01/kurt-eichenwald-lets-repeal-second-amendment
BITLY STATS: http://vnty.fr/X3C1x7+
FIELD: Editorial, with references
FINDINGS: 2nd Amendment is a mess grammatically & interpretively through history. “Well Regulated” = “Well Trained”; “Militia” = “Military Group”; State = The individual States, specific subsets of people were, are, & should be denied the right (e.g. mentally ill), thus should be repealed. History of NRA attempts to subvert appropriate limitations of right (e.g. mentally ill). Appropriate to limit the right because times change: e.g. free speech has been limited by regulations on who can use which broadcast frequencies. So, evolution of weaponry creates a state interest in regulation. Proposed replacement amendment: “The people retain the right to keep & bear arms, subject to reasonable restrictions deemed necessary by the Congress & the President to secure the lives & well being of others.” To make this practical, he proposes Liability Insurance for gun owners.
NOTES: List of many mass shootings back to 1984; Supports right to bear arms but advocates repeal/replacement of 2nd amendment; different versions of amendment passed by States vs. Congress; review of SCOTUS opinions; some constitutional analysis/analogy.
TWEETS: https://twitter.com/hospiceman/status/304651020917686272
I think we should repeal the 1st amendment and then reinstate the militia act. Oh wait, if we repeal the 1st amendment then the internet would be shut down, now wouldn’t it…
I agree we should repeal the 2nd Amendment. We should replace it with an Amendment making it mandatory for every able bodied adult – not a felon or mentally ill – to own a modern firearm, to submit to training with it, and keep it well maintained with a supply of ammo.
Then people could take their weapon to the voting station and the make, model, and serial number recorded in the voting registry would allow them to vote. Don’t own a gun? Find, don’t vote.
lwk
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