Second Amendment doesn't allow for everyone to own a gun

Mr. Dean Cannon got it wrong in his letter to the Bee. (Aug. 7, 2022)

The Second Amendment didn’t allow everyone to own a gun. It specifically states that arming citizens was for a “well-regulated militia” (similar to our state National Guard units.) This was for defense of our nation, not to be used against our citizens.

He mentions some of the weapons used by our military. As a military veteran, I used some of these weapons to defend our nation from enemy attack. Never were any of those weapons designed to be used against our own citizens (or to attack our nation’s Capitol building, for that matter.)

Did the Texas 18-year old who easily purchased an AR-15 assault rifle intend to protect us against our government? No he used it to kill innocent school children and their teachers. Would you rather face a person with a musket, or an untrained 18-year old armed with an assault rifle?

Whether it was a musket or an assault rifle, the Founding Fathers never intended for anyone to use this weapon against its fellow citizens.

Seven states in the U.S., including California, have enacted assault weapons bans. And in 1994, Congress passed a national assault weapons ban that was in effect until 2004.

Courts in cases, including Supreme Court cases, have weighed in numerous times on Second  Amendment rights and have ruled that gun safety laws, such as an assault rifle ban, are constitutional.

JIM RAMSEY

Sandpoint