Second Amendment updated

Sat., May 23, 2009

The Spokesman-Review

“Well-regulated militia” does not refer to government regulation or membership in an official military. When Mr. Madison wrote the Bill of Rights, “well-regulated” was synonymous with “orderly,” and a militia was all able-bodied men. Written in modern English, the Second Amendment would read: “The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed because orderly, armed citizens are necessary to the security of a free state.”

Thomas Jefferson counseled that your gun should be your constant companion, and George Washington declared guns “everywhere” to be restraints against evil. Our founders had no notion of guns as a collective right.

Don Nelson

Spokane

Letters policy

The Spokesman-Review invites original letters on local topics of public interest. Your letter must adhere to the following rules:

No more than 250 words
We reserve the right to reject letters that are not factually correct, racist or are written with malice.
We cannot accept more than one letter a month from the same writer.
With each letter, include your daytime phone number and street address.
The Spokesman-Review retains the nonexclusive right to archive and re-publish any material submitted for publication.

Unfortunately, we don’t have space to publish all letters received, nor are we able to acknowledge their receipt. (Learn more.)

Submit letters using any of the following:

Our online form: Submit your letter here
Mail: Letters to the Editor
The Spokesman-Review
999 W. Riverside Ave.
Spokane, WA 99201
Email: editor@spokesman.com
Fax: (509) 459-3815
Phone: (509) 459-5430