Fixing America In 500 Words Or Less Chapter 5 DOES THE NRA REALLY SUPPORT THE 2ND AMENDMENT?      According to the 2nd Amendment, ". . .the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed". ¹  The word "Arms" was deliberately capitalized in the original document, a common practice used at the time for emphasis.  Since Thomas Jefferson later owned a private cannon, the largest weapon available in his day, the term "Arms" to the original framers clearly meant more than small arms one can easily "bear"; note, the word to "keep" and bear Arms.       The word "gun" is found nowhere in the United States Constitution, a very carefully worded document.  It should also be noted that in the pre-amble to the Constitution, one of the main purposes listed is to "insure domestic Tranquility" (also capitalized). ²  To honestly and correctly interpret the intentions of the framers, everything that follows the pre-amble in the original document, including all ten original amendments soon added, must be interpreted in light of the Constitution's stated purpose.      For many years, the NRA has been guilty of drawing a non-existent, artificial line down the center of the 2nd Amendment, limiting the debate to guns, knives, grenades and similar small arms.  To argue that the 2nd Amendment permits unlimited unregulated private ownership of modern assault weapons is no more Constitutionally rational than to argue that the 2nd Amendment allows unlimited private ownership of chemical weapons, nuclear bombs and space-ray weapons, which are also modern "Arms" unknown to the framers.      In order to engage in an honest Constitutional debate, the NRA must admit that, according to their interpretation of the 2nd Amendment, we have just as much right to own private  nuclear bombs and anthrax as we do to own a multi-round handgun, none of which existed when the 2nd Amendment was drafted.  If we wish to have a society at all, then the 21st Century question is not “if” we are going to restrict the NRA's interpretation of the 2nd Amendment but rather, in what manner are we going to restrict it. As a matter of record, if any Americans have the right to argue in favor of restricting the 2nd Amendment, it is Bill and Sarah Brady. ³  And, as the “founding fathers” wisely allowed for, we can always amend what they originally wrote down.  A perhaps better and much saner idea would be to amend the NRA, entirely and altogether, by forcing our reluctant media to point out their deceptive and entirely irrational position. The NRA has no more rational or Constitutional right to restrict the 2nd Amendment to an issue of guns than the ACLU has a right to restrict the 1st Amendment to a moronic fairytale of natural unguided processes.  Perhaps Thomas Jefferson's re-write of the New Testament today would include the following:  If conservatives and liberals crawl into a similar dark bed of deception, they will likely both end up in the same bottomless black hole, accordingly.  Does the NRA really defend the 2nd Amendment?  You decide. NOTES: 1. The U.S. Constitution Online. 2. Constitution of the United States.  The significance of the Preamble is often ignored by many so-called "scholars" when addressing various constitutional issues.  In order for a Constitutional position to be correct, it must fall within the stated purposes of the document as outlined in the Preamble. 3. Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.  The modern NRA position does not remotely fit within the Constitution's stated purposes, as outlined in the Preamble. Click to Go Back to Contents Other Books by Richard Aberdeen Click Here to eMail the Author Copyright © by Richard Aberdeen Copyright © by Freedom Tracks Music No part of this material may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including printing, photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.  Inquiries: Freedom Tracks Music ~ Records / 292 Trails Circle / Nashville, Tennessee 37214 or requested via eMail.  Appendix Revolution and Revolution/Side B are open copyright and may be reproduced or utilized as desired.