Dear Editor:
Does the Second Amendment guarantee individual gun ownership? Not clearly anyway.
Let's read it: "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed."
It doesn't say we believe in the individual right of gun ownership. It is talking about militias and well regulated. Well regulated.
Why doesn't it say the right of individual firearm ownership? Then say the people's militia?
If you wanted to stop an oppressive government like many gun rights supporters talk about and the Second Amendment does, it would have to be well regulated and orderly. Not a bunch of hillbillys and untrained persons doing whatever they wanted.
I was talking to a guy I know the other day about this subject. He said we need semi autos to protect against an out-of-control government. I said okay. Who are you going to shoot first and who is going to lead all these groups. He just laughed.
I don't read about private gun ownership in the Second Amendment. If it is talking about individual gun ownership it should state that.
We must have common sense about this issue whether you're a crazy liberal or a nutty conservative.
Let's redefine the Second Amendment, change it to fit modern times. Put it on the mid-term ballot in 2014. Same with abortion and other hot topics.
Let the people decide, not some legislators who may be biased.
And God bless Governor Nixon.