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2nd Amendment 2.0

The only part of the US Bill of Rights dealing with technology needs an update.

Consider this time shift. 220 years ago:

  • we all faced attack on and siege of our properties by animals and non-US forces.
  • we all lived rurally without electricity, phones, automobiles, or medicine.
  • a gun could shoot 1 round at a time, and no more than 4 times per minute.
  • a gun was 4.5 feet long and weighed 15 lbs.
  • a single gun cost a good portion of a years wages

Thus, in this environment, the founding fathers of this brand new and highly sought after country developed the 2nd amendment:

“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.”

…or as I read it, a guarantee that the new US government wouldn’t sell out to the Brits. Or French. Or whoever. We the people had an out if the whole thing was compromised!

The 3rd amendment drives that home with the guarantee that you won’t be forced to house US troops during war or peace time.

We’ve come to an argument, 220 years later, over how many, how powerful, and how prevalent guns should be for each American, regardless of where they live or what they use them for.

There is no well-regulated militia, yet there is a full police force, amazing technology, medicine, animal control, etc. all proving that we’ve moved far beyond requiring a musket to protect your farm from redcoats or injuns.

America is sick with guns. There’s plenty of other prosperous countries that have violent video games, violent movies, mental illness, sex deviance, fatty diets, and money stress. What they don’t have is more weapons than people.

The entire German police force fired less than 100 rounds last year in all of Germany (population: 82 million). Think about that. These people live peacefully, using guns for hunting and collecting. Spare me your nazi jokes, that was 80 years ago.

Anyone who thinks a solution involves more guns is a junkie. A Junkie. A violence junkie. If you are so concerned about your personal self-defense I suggest boxing or martial arts. A mastiff will protect you from almost anything.

Someone needs to say it and keep repeating it: The 2nd amendment is legit. The NRA is bullshit.

We need to update the 2nd amendment before we devolve into armed chaos.

Constitution-era weapon
Constitution-era weapon

If you feel you need a gun you should have a full background check, including your medication, violence and mental health history. No loopholes. Tell the local police where you intend to keep it, what you might use it for, and take a safety class.

If you need more than one, or a more powerful option, you should have to apply for permission. Ammunition sales should be limited and tracked.

Anyone stockpiling should be investigated by the local police and kept in a national database. Military-grade weapons and clips should be illegal for everyone but the military. They were from 1994-2004 and they should be again.

Then the police, the hunters, the house protectors, and the tough guys all can have their necessary guns.

The rest of us can live without fear of every garage holding a military arsenal one room over from the sad, medicated, home-schooled kid playing video games all day and night.