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.” The whole sentence applied, not just the last part.

When enacted, the United States did not have an army or navy. Local militias were called up when the country needed them. The civil war was fought using militias from all over the country. The “need” was for all these individuals to have their own guns to bring with them when called up. It was not intended for just anyone to have a gun.

If the Founding Fathers were alive today, in this country, they would abolish the 2nd Amendment because we have standing Army, Navy, Air Force, etc., to use instead of militias. Otherwise, those who own guns, “under the 2nd  Amendment,” should be willing to be called up into a militias and go to war with their weapons.

Joe Venuti
Nokomis, Fla.