The Second Amendment of the United States was ratified in 1791, and the semantics of this brief passage has been challenged many times throughout the years. It seems to me that the Founding Fathers drafted this amendment with the intention of having a well-organized armed militia at the ready in case of an emergency from within or from without. After all, they certainly realized that in addition to the regular army during the Revolutionary War, the militia was critical to our country’s success.
George Washington, in 1792, signed a federal law that required every man (which meant most able bodied white man between the ages of 18 and 45), eligible for militia service, to own a gun and ammunition suitable for military service. However, the Founding Fathers could never have envisioned the technological advances in handguns and rifles over the next 227 years. I wonder how they would react to the mass shootings of today when just about anyone, not as a member of an organized militia, is allowed to purchase a semi-automatic or automatic rifle with the potential to commit mass murder.
In doing diligent research I have discovered that the NRA stands in the way of any significant gun legislation that could potentially make our country safer. Politicians vying for nationwide and statewide office depend on funds to run successful campaigns, and many of them have accepted substantial money from the NRA; therefore they feel obliged to align their policies with this powerful lobbying group. They have made no attempt to offer up suggestions for gun control. Even after mass killings, such as the recent one in Parkland, Fla., only piecemeal efforts have been made to placate the masses.
Increasing the age to 21 to purchase a firearm and a mandatory three day wait for gun purchase will do little to stop these atrocious crimes. Many have stated that increased money and programs for the mentally ill would help a great deal. However, several of the perpetrators of these horrendous mass slaughters have shown no outward signs of mental illness.
Like alcoholics and drug addicts, mentally ill, emotionally distraught persons often are undiagnosed and therefor seem invisible in our society, and obviously don’t wear signs on their body to indicate their condition; for example; the shooter, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock in Las Vegas, with no history of mental illness, with intent and without mercy, killed 58 and injured 851 at the concert venue. Thus, the undiagnosed mentally ill or significantly distressed will still have no problem, irrespective of more funding for counseling, purchasing handguns, semi-automatic rifles (AR-15) or other automatic, high magazine equipped weapons, considered by most to be weapons of war.
Also, it baffles me how anyone can think arming school teachers now on the scene, or to encourage military veterans and retired law enforcement officers to take up careers in education would deter these kinds of invasions on school property. Teachers have more than enough stress in
