Editor,

It has again become painfully clear in the most recent mass murders and the lack of subsequent public debate on gun violence that one of the greatest frauds inflicted upon the American public is the gun lobby’s version of the Second Amendment, claiming that it guarantees the right of every individual to have any gun desired. Nothing could be further from the truth, as historians, constitutional scholars, and the Supreme Court have demonstrated repeatedly.

The Bill of Rights text makes it clear: “A well regulated militia” for each state is the focus and goal. At the time when states were embracing a new central government, it was important that they reiterated their intent to secure a militia (that is, state militia, i.e. national guard) within each state. Colonial governments of course had maintained militias for years prior to the American Revolution, and these militias were instrumental in the war for independence.

As a new constitution created a new national government, the states wished to be sure their militias would still be respected. Northern states wanted to be sure to address rebellions such as the previous Shay’s Rebellion, and southern states wished to be able to repulse potential slave rebellions (another topic unto itself).

It was—and is—the right of the people of the state to “keep and bear arms.” Notice that there is no mention of guns; the focus is arms—that is, armaments (which in that day was single fire rifles (muskets), bayonets, swords, cannons, etc.), precisely as would be kept by a state’s “well regulated militia”—not individuals.

All the nonsense about individual gun rights is just that—nonsense. Guns and gun violence are deeply embedded in our culture but not our constitution.

But just for the sake of argument, let’s pretend. Suppose everyone has a right to guns, just as we have rights to free speech, religious liberty, etc. It is obvious from historical and legal precedent that rights cited in the Bill of Rights are not absolute for all individuals.

All rights are qualified—and may be so—for the public’s health and safety. Free speech is restricted and does not include slander, libel, criminal threatening, and “fighting words.” All rights are subject to sensible and legal limitation for the protection of the people.

So, even if there were a right for anyone to have guns—which clearly there is not according to any honest and accurate understanding of the constitution—such a right could and should be regulated as all rights are. The Second Amendment doesn’t mention guns, only arms, and clearly we already regulate armaments.

Do we have a right to hand grenades, rocket launchers, missiles, chemical weapons, etc.? Only the decadent would argue for such. No less is true of other weapons of mass destruction, including the many military style assault rifles and multiple fire magazines currently available to most anyone.

It’s time that honest and responsible citizens—including those who have guns for sport, hunting, or protection—speak the truth: We have a right to safety, not guns.

We must demand of our public officials (especially the President and Congress) the courage to enact serious and substantial regulation of the kind of guns on the open market and the kind people to whom they are readily available.

Yes, there are many issues related to our violent culture besides guns—the violence of movies, video games, drug dealing, poverty, etc. These too need to be addressed. But let’s start with the most obvious: Get mass destruction weaponry out of the mainstream.

Rev. Dr. Wesley Joseph Mills

Wells