This is in response to the recent letter by Jeff Bishop. There are three points I want to make.
First, it is not the case that those who question the wisdom of allowing military style weapons to be largely available are confused by terminology. Few people think of the AR-15 as an assault rifle just because of the letters AR. This is irrelevant. Whether it is an AR or an AK, the point is the same.
Bishop goes on to assert that the only difference between the AR and other weapons is looks. Not true, and Im sure he knows it. A bolt action rifle that holds three rounds cannot take out fifty people in a matter of seconds. But an AR or AK or similar weapon with a thirty round detachable magazine that can quickly be changed is capable of doing just that. This is an important distinction
Guns were invented to kill people or animals. Automobiles , etc. were not invented or intended for the express purpose of killing.
Bishop says that many people use ARs for varmint hunting. So what? What is that compared to the lives of children? Is his desire to shoot rats or prairie dogs for pleasure more important than the lives of kids in school?
And I wonder if Bishop has kids or grand kids in school, would he rather have an attacker show up with a blunt object or an AR?
As for the second amendment, Bishop exhibits a complete lack of understanding. The second amendment was about national security. The founders were worried that a professional standing army would be a threat to liberty. Thus, a well-regulated militia was seen as necessary to the security of a free people. The British were still a threat, as were other potential adversaries. Further, Shays Rebellion was fresh in mind, and a militia was needed to put down possible future insurrections, including possible slave revolts. The second amendment was never about citizens fighting against the government. That is a myth.
Also, the Supreme Court never recognized an individual right to own firearms until the 2006 D.C. v. Heller decision. But even in the majority opinion, Justice Scalia, hardly an opponent of gun ownership, stated that certain regulations on firearms were legitimate.
Lastly, Bishop asserts that if assault weapons are banned, it is just an incremental move toward banning all guns. This has no basis in fact. We had an assault weapon ban for 10 years, after all. And there is no political will in either major political party to do anything remotely close to banning all guns.
Jacqueline Dowell
Grand Rapids
Read the original here:
The second amendment was about national security - Herald Review
- Letter: The Second Amendment is critical to this country's survival - Yakima Herald-Republic - December 13th, 2019
- Second Amendment, Cannabis & Immigration Referendum Questions Could Be Placed on November 2020 Election Ballot in Grundy Co. - WspyNews - December 13th, 2019
- Virginia counties move to become 'Second Amendment sanctuaries' - CNN - December 12th, 2019
- Speakers call on city to become 2nd Amendment sanctuary - The Winchester Star - December 12th, 2019
- 'Good news' doesn't need guns to survive, thrive - The News Leader - December 12th, 2019
- Virginia AG responds to 2nd Amendment sanctuary resolutions: Gun safety laws will be followed - WTKR News 3 - December 12th, 2019
- Dozens of Virginia counties declare themselves 'Second Amendment sanctuaries' after Democrats win state legislature | TheHill - The Hill - December 12th, 2019
- Prince William to vote on '2nd Amendment sanctuary' measure, Fauquier takes a different tack - Prince William Times - December 12th, 2019
- Martinsville City Council's busy night: Second Amendment 'sanctuary' and then a public hearing on reversion - Martinsville Bulletin - December 12th, 2019
- 8 in 10 Collier, Lee residents fighting to keep their guns under Floridas red flag law had no lawyer to defend them - Naples Daily News - December 12th, 2019
- Meghan McCain Touts Her 2nd Amendment Right While Handling Assault Rifle - Yahoo Entertainment - December 12th, 2019
- SCOTUS Is Hearing Its First Big Gun Case in 9 Years. Heres How It Might Play Out. - The Trace - November 27th, 2019
- The Supreme Court Shouldn't Disrupt the Judicial Consensus on the Second Amendment - brennancenter.org - November 27th, 2019
- Collin County Passes Resolution Supporting the Second Amendment - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth - November 27th, 2019
- Hundreds of residents turn out to support 'Second Amendment Sanctuary' in Bedford County - Lynchburg News and Advance - November 27th, 2019
- Williams: The "Second Amendment Sanctuary" movement is a sham. But more local control is a good idea. - Richmond.com - November 27th, 2019
- Fannin County joins other Texas counties as Second Amendment sanctuary movement - KXII-TV - November 27th, 2019
- "Meet Me in the Middle" Podcast on the Second Amendment - Reason - November 27th, 2019
- Former Brady Campaign President Dan Gross, Stands with Second Amendment Supporters - AmmoLand Shooting Sports News - November 27th, 2019
- 19 States Now Have Counties with Second Amendment Sanctuaries in Place - AmmoLand Shooting Sports News - November 27th, 2019
- LETTERS: City driving habits are awful; impact of the Second Amendment - Colorado Springs Gazette - November 27th, 2019
- Readers sound off on ad hominem attacks, the Second Amendment, and Mutts (again) - New York Daily News - November 27th, 2019
- Florence County becomes first Second Amendment Sanctuary County in Wisconsin - UpperMichigansSource.com - November 17th, 2019
- Self-proclaimed Second Amendment auditor bonds out of jail after judge refuses bond reduction - KFOR Oklahoma City - November 17th, 2019
- Original intent and the Second Amendment - Post Register - November 17th, 2019
- Kaufman, Palo Pinto, and Stephens Counties Become Second Amendment Sanctuaries - The Texan - November 17th, 2019
- Readers sound off on New York Health Act, the Second Amendment and the Mets - New York Daily News - November 17th, 2019
- Speaking at the House of Amazon, Joe Biden gently raises companys role in middle-class job losses - Seattle Times - November 17th, 2019
- Opinion/Letter: 2nd Amendment was all about militia - The Daily Progress - October 27th, 2019
- Go Plinking. The Second Amendment Depends On It. - Shooting Illustrated - October 27th, 2019
- Former NC Justice Orr to speak on 2nd Amendment - BlueRidgeNow.com - October 27th, 2019
- Letter to the Editor | Second Amendment is under attack - Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette - October 27th, 2019
- Opinion: What the gun lobby gets wrong about the Second Amendment - Middletown Press - October 27th, 2019
- Chatting With The Speakers Of The 2nd Amendment Rally - AmmoLand Shooting Sports News - October 27th, 2019
- Jefferson and Sevier Counties added to the list of Tennessee 'gun sanctuaries' - WBIR.com - October 27th, 2019
- Don't Judge Me: Why We Need the Second Amendment - The Beacon - October 27th, 2019
- RICAGV: Tiverton voters recall town councilors who championed 'second amendment sanctuary' resolution - Uprise RI - October 27th, 2019
- As election nears, candidates in Lynchburg-area delegate contests offer competing messages on gun reform - Lynchburg News and Advance - October 27th, 2019
- What's standing in the way of new gun restrictions in Texas? Here are the key players - Times Record News - October 27th, 2019
- UK Terror Serves as a Warning to United States: Protect The 2nd Amendment! - Newstalk1290 - October 27th, 2019
- Van Ens: Hit the Second Amendment's bull's-eye - Vail Daily News - October 20th, 2019
- Why Don't People and Vogue Celebrate the Second Amendment? - AmmoLand Shooting Sports News - October 20th, 2019
- Gun advocates seek 'friend' to take over Fish and Game - The Union Leader - October 20th, 2019
- 2020 Dem candidate opposes mandatory gun buybacks not because of the 2nd Amendment, but because of police brutality - TheBlaze - October 20th, 2019
- Sturbridge gun rights advocate is Blogger of the Year - Worcester Telegram - October 20th, 2019
- The art of the boast: Trump's a master - Star Tribune - October 20th, 2019
- Marianne Preger-Simon: Why is half of the Second Amendment ignored? - GazetteNET - October 16th, 2019
- Opinion: What the gun lobby gets wrong about the 2nd Amendment - Los Angeles Times - October 16th, 2019
- CEO talks second amendment freedom - The Branding Iron - October 16th, 2019
- Weiser: Sheriffs Will Enforce Red Flag Orders When Faced With Reality Of Dangerous People - Colorado Public Radio - October 16th, 2019
- Sheriff Leads Charge for Hood County to Become Fifth 'Second Amendment Sanctuary' in Texas - The Texan - October 16th, 2019
- Attend the 2nd Amendment Rally: November 2, 2019 - NOQ Report - October 16th, 2019
- Grassroots Spotlight: NRA-ILA Fighting the Bloomberg Money In Virginia 2019 Elections - NRA ILA - October 16th, 2019
- Supreme Court gun case: the biggest Second Amendment case in years - Vox.com - September 29th, 2019
- Opinion/Letter: 'Militia' key to 2nd Amendment - The Daily Progress - September 29th, 2019
- '2nd Amendment Rally' Planned Nov. 2 in Washington, DC - AmmoLand Shooting Sports News - September 29th, 2019
- Gregory L. Schmidt: The true meaning and purpose of the Second Amendment - Madison.com - September 29th, 2019
- 'Federalist Papers' explain the Second Amendment | News, Sports, Jobs - Maui News - September 29th, 2019
- What's At Stake In The Guns Case At The Supreme Court? - KCUR - September 29th, 2019
- Q&A of the Day Supreme Court's ruling regarding the 2nd Amendment - On Air With Ryan Seacrest - September 29th, 2019
- Letter to the Editor: Rebuttal to letter about the Second Amendment - Northern Virginia Daily - September 29th, 2019
- Join Us for the 2019 NRA-ILA Firearms Law & The Second Amendment Symposium Next Saturday October 5th - NRA ILA - September 29th, 2019
- Breyer: Second Amendment Not About 'the Right of an Individual to Keep a Gun Next to His Bed' - PJ Media - August 25th, 2017
- D.C. attorney general wants federal judges to look at city's strict gun ... - Washington Post - August 25th, 2017
- 'The Gun Guy': Radio host Guy Relford defends 2nd amendment from Carmel office - Current in Carmel - August 22nd, 2017
- After Charlottesville, the First and Second Amendments Are Under Fire - National Review - August 20th, 2017
- ACLU Refuses to Defend Protesters Exercising First and Second Amendments Together - Breitbart News - August 20th, 2017
- Second Amendment | Wyoming County Free Press - Wyoming County Free Press - August 18th, 2017
- Ban the Open Carry of Firearms - New York Times - August 18th, 2017
- Armed private militias like Charlottesville's offend the Founding Fathers' intent: This is not what the Second ... - New York Daily News - August 16th, 2017
- Collins says his bill would restore New Yorkers' Second Amendment rights - Wyoming County Free Press - August 16th, 2017
- The Guns Won - Slate Magazine - August 15th, 2017
- State faces lawsuit over guns in foster homes - WSYM-TV - August 15th, 2017
- Commentary: The dangerous new threat to gun ownership: 'Gun Violence Taxes' - Elko Daily Free Press - August 15th, 2017
- Second Amendment Author and Attorney Documents Lethal Government Actions - AmmoLand Shooting Sports News - August 13th, 2017
- Collins: My bill would restore New Yorkers' 2nd Amendment rights - Lockport Union-Sun & Journal - August 13th, 2017
- Foster Families Torn Apart By Anti-Second Amendment Regulations - America's 1st Freedom (press release) (blog) - August 11th, 2017
- Gun Control: How To Solve The Second Amendment - Mintpress News (blog) - August 9th, 2017
- Shock: Gun Control Icon Defends Second Amendment Rights of Grandparents Targeted in Michigan - Breitbart News - August 9th, 2017
- Second Amendment insight - Winona Post - August 8th, 2017