Second Amendment misunderstood

There has been much misinformation written about the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment does not grant any rights, it acknowledges preexisting rights. The Supreme Court has ruled at least twice that the right to keep and bear arms is an individual pre-political liberty. “Individual” as in the same individual “people” that are referenced in the First and Fourth Amendments.

Hunting, recreation and self-defense are valid reasons for bearing arms, but writings of the Founding Fathers indicate the primary consideration was the right of the people to defend their rights against a tyrannical government. This, and other rulings, indicate the right of the people to possess any firearm equal to any in use by the military.

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State,” is a supporting clause giving, not the only reason, but in and of itself, a sufficient reason for forbidding politicians to impose any infringements to the Second Amendment. Examples of infringements include privacy invasive background checks, arbitrary limits on magazine capacity, taxes and fees to hinder ownership, red flag laws that dispense with due process, and restrictions on noise suppressors.

The current slate of candidates for president will continue these infringements and even expand upon them. They pose a direct threat to the Second Amendment as well as to the whole of the Constitution. To keep this from happening is the very reason for the people’s right to bear arms.

David Wordinger

Medical Lake