Guest Column: The Second Amendment
I believe the Second Amendment needs to be evaluated not replaced. At the time the Second Amendment was authored our country was 90 percent wilderness, the most sophisticated weapon was a single-shot muzzleloader. This was a smooth-barreled weapon, no rifling, that you could not hit anything with at a distance of 20 yards. Also at that time we were in somewhat of a transition from The Articles of Confederation to the Constitution and there was mistrust of a strong federal government. We also thought the British might return.
Today, I don’t believe anyone has an issue with a person who wants to hunt, have a means of self-defense or even collect weapons. But my concern is with assault weapons in civilian hands. We in the United States have 5 percent of the world’s population, yet we are responsible for 30 percent of the world’s casualties from mass shootings. It is my understanding this 30 percent mass shooting figure does not include the nightly shooting in our cities.
Half of the guns in the world are in the United States. The other half are owned by people in other countries, and some of those countries control the ammunition for the guns. Switzerland is one example where every young man has to qualify as a marksman with a military weapon, after he qualifies he keeps the weapon and the government keep the ammunition. I don’t believe a civilian needs an assault type weapon, with a 50-round banana clip. That assault weapon can be converted to essentially a fully automatic weapon through a $15 purchase on the internet. You don’t need 50 rounds to drop a deer, defend yourself or collect antique weapons.
The amount of money the NRA contributed to lawmakers in this last election was $54 million dollars. Does that amount of money taint a lawmaker’s stance on gun control? I would also like to see a change in the NRA’s rhetoric of paranoia.
After Columbine, Sandy Hook, “The Joker” in a move theater, Florida night club shooting, Las Vegas concert shootings, I am sure I am wasting my time voicing my opinion about gun control, but I sure feel a lot better. I am David Marsh a parent, grandparent, great-grandparent and retired teacher. I own two shotguns and a lever-action .22 rifle. As a younger man I enjoyed hunting and still respect people who also enjoy hunting.
As I previously stated, I support the Second Amendment, but over 200 years have passed since its inception and our world has changed considerably over that time. We need to evaluate what makes sense today and focus on regulations that protect innocent lives.
This article was originally published about five or six years ago you can now add all the additional mass shootings.
David Marsh is a Noblesville resident and a retired school teacher.