Another example of the unintended consequences of the Second Amendment which was drafted in the 18 century when there was a need for "A well-regulated militia." Could the Founders have anticipated "ghost guns?" Would they have wanted citizens to have high-capacity semi-automatic weapons? Very doubtful.
The "well-armed militias" were not intended to defend against the Redcoats, but rather to be used against the Indigenous People who were being forced off of their ancestral lands. The honest history is that guns have a overwhelming tradition in this country of being used for offense, rather than defense. And ghost guns up the ante.
They were also intended to be used to prevent and suppress slave revolts. The 2nd Amendment was not a slam-dunk among the founders. Those who fought hardest for it -- and indeed made it a condition for their supporting the rest of the Constitution -- were Southern slaveholders. To no one's surprise, the NRA, the gun lobby, and the GOP have shamelessly used racism to fuel gun sales. I commend to everyone who hasn't read it Carol Anderson's 2021 book on the subject: THE SECOND: Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America.
P.S. Seth, you're probably well aware of the Falmouth Gun Safety Coalition, which is doing good work on this issue in our region and beyond. https://falmouthgunsafetycoalition.org/
Big thanks Brian, this is an important point much appreciated and should have been included, even highlighted, though I'd say the 'well-armed militia' was intended for one than one reason.
Important stuff that needs to be addressed immediately and seriously. There are too many guns out there anyway, and ghost guns seriously exacerbate this problem.
Another example of the unintended consequences of the Second Amendment which was drafted in the 18 century when there was a need for "A well-regulated militia." Could the Founders have anticipated "ghost guns?" Would they have wanted citizens to have high-capacity semi-automatic weapons? Very doubtful.
Excellent piece, focusing on a specific element in the greater debate -- it gets at the heart of the matter. Thanks.
The "well-armed militias" were not intended to defend against the Redcoats, but rather to be used against the Indigenous People who were being forced off of their ancestral lands. The honest history is that guns have a overwhelming tradition in this country of being used for offense, rather than defense. And ghost guns up the ante.
They were also intended to be used to prevent and suppress slave revolts. The 2nd Amendment was not a slam-dunk among the founders. Those who fought hardest for it -- and indeed made it a condition for their supporting the rest of the Constitution -- were Southern slaveholders. To no one's surprise, the NRA, the gun lobby, and the GOP have shamelessly used racism to fuel gun sales. I commend to everyone who hasn't read it Carol Anderson's 2021 book on the subject: THE SECOND: Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America.
P.S. Seth, you're probably well aware of the Falmouth Gun Safety Coalition, which is doing good work on this issue in our region and beyond. https://falmouthgunsafetycoalition.org/
Big thanks Brian, this is an important point much appreciated and should have been included, even highlighted, though I'd say the 'well-armed militia' was intended for one than one reason.
Important stuff that needs to be addressed immediately and seriously. There are too many guns out there anyway, and ghost guns seriously exacerbate this problem.