re: #329 allegro

The words “well regulated militia” are present in the second amendment. I don’t see any need to remove/change any amendment myself but I’ve often wondered why that particular phrase is ignored. I also don’t see anything in that amendment that prevents sane gun control.

It isn’t so much ignored as the Founders, with their faith in Militia instead of Standing Armies, had a very different idea of what it ment. Look at the Militia Acts of 1794 - they required every free citizen (ie white male over 21) to own a gun in the military’s caliber, 20 rounds of ammo & drill twice a year. The latter, esepecially, is why the original concept of “well regulated” ie disciplined in marching and fighting in the european style, fell by the wayside after the end of the war of 1812.

So what does well regulated mean in the modern context? Should we issue a M16 to every adult citizen who can pass NICS and promises to train twice a year? That’s what ol’ TJ would say, I’d bet.

I like the idea of requiring training and licensing. But by the same token, I think that schools should be required to give that training to all high school aged kids that want it much as they do drivers ed or, in some states, hunter safety. Combined with proper national ID (passport, drivers license, firearms license, voter id, single payer insurance id ;) it would be a reasonable regulation without infringing upon anything. I’d also want the automatic weapons registry reopened but that’s another story…