There have recently been attempts to restrict the acquisition and distribution of firearms. These have been rooted in a sane and reasonable desire to curb senseless killings. While entirely reasonable, they are continually thwarted by appealing to the Second Amendment of the Constitution.
For many, such appeals are based on the belief that the Second Amendment is sacrosanct and inviolate. An almost religious militancy appears to be attached to this belief. As long as this belief persists, there seems to be virtually no hope of any form of intelligent, reasonable and effective gun control.
kAm$:?46 E96 $64@?5 p>6?5>6?E AFCA@CED E@ 36 2 8F2C2?E66 @7 C:89ED 2?5 7C665@>D[ :E D66>D C62D@?23=6 E@ DE2CE E96 5:D4FDD:@? H:E9 E96 s64=2C2E:@? @7 x?56A6?56?46 2?5 :ED “#:89ED @7 |2?” AC62>3=6 H9:49 DE2E6Dik^Am
kAm“(6 9@=5 E96D6 ECFE9D E@ 36 D6=7\6G:56?E[ E92E 2== >6? 2C6 4C62E65 6BF2=[ E92E E96J 2C6 6?5@H65 3J E96:C rC62E@C H:E9 46CE2:? F?2=:6?23=6 #:89ED[ E92E 2>@?8 E96D6 2C6 {:76[ {:36CEJ 2?5 E96 AFCDF:E @7 w2AA:?6DD]”k^Am
kAm%9:D A2DD286 42>6 E@ C6AC6D6?E 2 >@C2= DE2?52C5 E@ H9:49 E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D D9@F=5 DEC:G6] %9:D D6?E:>6?E :D DFAA@CE65 :? E92E p3C292> {:?4@=? 4@?D:56C65 :E E@ 36 E96 7@F?52E:@? @7 9:D A@=:E:42= A9:=@D@A9J 2?5 2C8F65 E92E :E :D 2 DE2E6>6?E @7 AC:?4:A=6D E9C@F89 H9:49 E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D r@?DE:EFE:@? D9@F=5 36 :?E6CAC6E65]k^Am
kAm}@H E2<6 2 =@@< 2E E96 7:CDE 5C27E @7 E96 $64@?5 p>6?5>6?E 2D HC:EE6? 3J E96 uC2>6CD @7 E96 q:== @7 #:89EDik^Am
kAm“p H6== C68F=2E65 >:=:E:2 36:?8 ?646DD2CJ E@ E96 D64FC:EJ @7 2 7C66 DE2E6[ E96 C:89E @7 E96 A6@A=6 E@ <66A 2?5 362C 2C>D D92== ?@E 36 :?7C:?865]” k^Am
kAm(2D :E :?E6?565 E@ 36 :?E6?E:@?2==J G28F6n |2J36] %96C6 H2D D@>6 677@CE E@ C6>@G6 :ED D66>:?8=J 5:49@E@>@FD @A6?:?8 2?5 4=@D:?8 A9C2D6D] %96 $6?2E6 E@@< 2 4C24< 2E E9:D @? $6A] h[ `fgh] p AC@A@D2= E@ :?D6CE E96 H@C5D Q7@C E96 4@>>@? 5676?46Q ?6IE E@ E96 H@C5D Q362C 2C>DQ H2D 56762E65] %9:D H@F=5 92G6 5@?6 E96 EC:4<[ 3FE E96 $6?2E6 :?DE625 >@5:7:65 E96 =2?8F286 2 3:E 2?5 G@E65 E@ D6?5 2 D=:89E=J >@5:7:65 5C27E E@ E96 w@FD6ik^Am
kAm“p H6== C68F=2E65 >:=:E:2 36:?8 E96 D64FC:EJ @7 2 7C66 DE2E6[ E96 C:89E @7 E96 A6@A=6 E@ <66A 2?5 362C 2C>D D92== ?@E 36 :?7C:?865]”k^Am
kAm%96 w@FD6 G@E65 @? $6AE6>36C a`[ `fgh E@ 2446AE E96 492?86D >256 3J E96 $6?2E6[ 3FE E96 2>6?5>6?E 2D 7:?2==J 6?E6C65 :?E@ E96 w@FD6 ;@FC?2= 4@?E2:?65 E96 255:E:@?2= H@C5D Q?646DD2CJ E@Qik^Am
kAm“p H6== C68F=2E65 >:=:E:2 36:?8 ?646DD2CJ E@ E96 D64FC:EJ @7 2 7C66 $E2E6[ E96 C:89E @7 E96 !6@A=6 E@ <66A 2?5 362C 2C>D D92== ?@E 36 :?7C:?865]Qk^Am
kAm~? s64] `d[ `fh`[ E96 q:== @7 #:89ED H2D 25@AE65[ 92G:?8 366? C2E:7:65 3J E9C66\7@FCE9D @7 E96 DE2E6D] xE >2J 36 DFC>:D65 E92E 3@E9 E96 w@FD6 2?5 $6?2E6 6:E96C 7:8FC65 E96 H@C5:?8 @7 E96 $64@?5 p>6?5>6?E H2D 4=62C 2?5 E9@F89E E92E E96 “7@C E96 4@>>@? 8@@5” BF2=:7:6C H2D @3G:@FD] %@ 255 :E >:89E 92G6 D66>65 2 3:E :?DF=E:?8 E@ 2? :?E6==:86?E C6256CD9:Ak^Am
kAm$@ 72C D@ 8@@5] x 42? D66 ?@ 4@?7=:4E 36EH66? E96 $64@?5 p>6?5>6?E 2D HC:EE6? 2?5 E96 “=:76[ =:36CEJ 2?5 AFCDF:E @7 92AA:?6DD” AC@G:D@ :? E96 s64=2C2E:@? @7 x?56A6?56?46] %96C6 :D ?@E9:?8 :? E96 2>6?5>6?E E92E 6IA=:4:E=J 6>A@H6CD A6@A=6 E@ @H? 8F?D[ F?=6DD 2D A2CE @7 2 H6== @C82?:K65 DE2E6 >:=:E:2] k^Am
kAm%9:D H2D 2AA2C6?E=J >:DD65 3J 7:G6 46C63C2==J 4@?DE:A2E65 >6>36CD @7 @FC $FAC6>6 r@FCE[ H9@ 49@D6 :? a__g E@ CF=6 E92E E96 $64@?5 p>6?5>6?E AC@E64ED 2? :?5:G:5F2= C:89E E@ A@DD6DD 2 7:C62C> F?4@??64E65 H:E9 D6CG:46 :? 2 >:=:E:2] u@C 7FEFC6 C676C6?46[ x’== 42== E9:D “E96 F?4@??64E65 CF=6]”k^Am
kAm(:E9 E96 F?4@??64E65 CF=6[ E96J D@>69@H >:DD65 E96 :?E6?E @7 E96 @C:8:?2==J AC@A@D65 A9C2D6 Q7@C E96 4@>>@? 5676?46Q 2?5 E96 DE2E65 “H6== C68F=2E65 >:=:E:2” C6BF:C6>6?E[ 3@E9 @7 H9:49 D66> E@ 9@=5 E96 <6J E@ E96 24EF2= :?E6?E @7 E96 uC2>6CD] k^Am
kAms:5 E96 7663=6 7:G6 >:DD E96 724E E92E “2 H6== C68F=2E65 >:=:E:2 36:?8 ?646DD2CJ E@ E96 D64FC:EJ @7 2 7C66 $E2E6” 2?5 “E96 C:89E @7 E96 !6@A=6 E@ <66A 2?5 362C 2C>D D92== ?@E 36 :?7C:?865” 2C6 EH@ A9C2D6D @7 2 D:?8=6 D6?E6?46[ D6A2C2E65 3J 2 4@>>2 ?@ =6DDn s:5 E96J 2=D@ >:DD E92E E9:D D6?E6?46 4@?DECF4E:@? H2D @3G:@FD=J :?E6?565 3J E96 uC2>6CDn (6C6 E96J ?@E 2=D@ 2H2C6 E92E E96 ;F586>6?E @7 D2:5 uC2>6CD H2D ?@E 4@=@C65 3J AC6DDFC6 7C@> E96 }#p 2?5 E92E E96J H6C6 :?96C6?E=J H:D6C 2?5 D>2CE6C E92? E96>D6=G6Dnk^Am
kAm!C6DF>23=J[ :? 2? 2EE6>AE E@ 2G@:5 6>32CC2DD>6?E[ E96 4@FCE CF=65 E92E E96 ;FDE:7:42E:@? 7@C E96 F?4@??64E65 CF=6 H2D E96 DFAA@D:E:@? E92E E96 C:89E E@ 362C 2C>D 2D A2CE @7 2 H6== C68F=2E65 >:=:E:2 D@>69@H :?4=F565 E96 FD6 @7 7:C62C>D “7@C EC25:E:@?2==J =2H7F= AFCA@D6D[ DF49 2D D6=7\5676?D6 H:E9:? E96 9@>6]”k^Am
kAm%96 “EC25:E:@?2==J =2H7F=” BF2=:7:6C 2?5 E96 F?4@??64E65 CF=6 2C6 ?@E :? 2?J H2J :?4=F565 :? E96 $64@?5 p>6?5>6?E] |@C6@G6C E96 “EC25:E:@?2==J =2H7F=” BF2=:7:6C :D H@CE9=6DD[ D:?46 “EC25:E:@?2==J =2H7F=” :?E6?E 42? 36 72=D6=J 4=2:>65 3J 2?J@?6 E@ =682==J @3E2:? 2 8F? 7@C H92E6G6C C62D@?[ :?4=F5:?8 8F??:?8 5@H? DEF56?ED :? 4=2DDC@@>D[ D=2F89E6C:?8 4@?46CE 8@6CD @C >FC56C:?8 2?J@?6 6=D6 H9@D6 =:76 42? 36 6?565 H:E9 E96 AF== @7 2 EC:886C] &?7@CEF?2E6=J[ DF49 G:@=2E:@?D @7 E96 BF2=:7:6C 42? @?=J 36 @3E2:?65 27E6C E96 724E] %96C6 :D E96C67@C6 2 4=62C 4@?7=:4E 36EH66? E96 C:89E 277@C565 3J E96 “EC25:E:@?2==J =2H7F=” BF2=:7:6C 2?5 E96 C:89ED @7 8F?D9@E G:4E:>D E@ =:76[ =:36CEJ 2?5 E96 AFCDF:E @7 92AA:?6DD]k^Am
kAmv:G6? E96 9:89 :>A@CE2?46 @7 E96D6 C:89ED E@ E96 uC2>6CD @7 E96 r@?DE:EFE:@?[ :7 J@F E9:?< E96J H@F=5 6?5@CD6 E96 “EC25:E:@?2==J =2H7F=” 6I4FD6 2?5 E96 F?4@??64E65 CF=6 2D G:23=6 4@CC64E:@?D E@ E96 $64@?5 p>6?5>6?E[ E96? J@F 36=:6G6 :? 72:CJ E2=6D] v:G6? E96 C646?E 9@CC6?5@FD 4@?D6BF6?46D @7 8F? FD6[ H6 42? ?@ =@?86C 277@C5 E@ 8@G6C? 3J 72:CJ E2=6]k^Am
kAmw@H6G6C[ J@F 766= 23@FE 8F? @H?6CD9:A 2D 2 9@33J @C @E96CH:D6[ :E :D 4=62C E96 $64@?5 p>6?5>6?E[ 2D :?E6CAC6E65 3J E96 a__g $FAC6>6 r@FCE[ :D 2 D6C:@FD=J 325 >:DE2<6 C2E96C E92? 2 496C:D965 7F?52>6?E2= p>6C:42? :4@? ;FDE:7J:?8 :?5:D4C:>:?2E6 8F? @H?6CD9:A] x7 J@F ?665 2? 2FE9@C:EJ 7@C E9:D[ =@@< 6=D6H96C6]k^Am
kAmk6>mw@H2C5 r2DECFA[ !9]s][ :D E96 @H?6C 2?5 49:67 D4:6?E:DE @7 x?E68C2E65 $4:6?46D vC@FA[ 2 D>2== 6?8:?66C:?8 4@?DF=E:?8 2?5 D@7EH2C6 56G6=@A>6?E 4@>A2?J =@42E65 :? q2<6CD7:6=5]k^6>mk^Am