The Constitution has a second amendment for a reason – for people to defend themselves against criminals and prevent an authoritarian state – but we must recognize the need for reasonable regulation, such as universal background checks, limitations on magazine capacity, and requiring training for gun permits to be issued. Our Founding Fathers enshrined a right to bear arms due to their experiences in their lifetimes with an authoritarian government doing things like forcing soldiers into their homes. They knew that words alone couldn’t stop those acts, and they also came from a culture where a gun was a necessity to survive for defense and often to feed a family. The world might have changed, but the second amendment has not. The only way to change, eliminate or actually infringe on the basic right as outlined in the second amendment is via Constitutional amendment, not through overreaching legislation or backdoor court interpretations.
My position on the second amendment is informed as the son of a holocaust survivor. My father and his family shared the story that the government confiscated guns before the Jews and other undesirables were rounded up. While some Nazi mothers might have been proud to lose their son fighting Russians, there is no pride in losing a son for the glory of looting Jewish homes. Knowing that Jewish homes were unarmed directly impacted the roundups and facilitated genocide. I also strongly believe that there would be no Uighur concentration camps if there was a second amendment in China. There would be far fewer instances of government sanctioned human rights violations, and much more conversation.
Survivors of genocidal government programs and other ghastly roundups of civilians can tell you about the importance of weapons. The second amendment is not there to enable crazy people to do crazy things, like shoot up schools. The second amendment protects citizens from a wayward government. It also ensures that citizens are sufficiently armed to preserve their life and property.
- Agree with and update proposed legislation to create and enforce a modern background check system which allow for 99% of all checks to be completed within 3 hours
- Deploy deep and extensive background checks; the kinds companies and private equity use when satisfying the demands of banks and insurance companies
- Encourage gun ownership by trusted community leaders, such as former soldiers, police officers and other respected community members/leaders who are interested
