Unfortunately the only solution is repeal of the second amendment. However the wrongful interpretation of the second amendment down the ages is a huge American tragedy.
Repealing the second amendment is highly unlikely. However, I agree that it’s wrongful interpretation since the last Supreme Court ruling on it has been a major source of trouble in this country. I only hope that it can be modified to fit the times we live in.
The fact is that America is a massive outlier when it comes to gun deaths.
True. It’s a fact that too many in this country ignore.
The second amendment was enacted when the US was a young fragile country. The second amendment was to allow states to raise militias for the protection of states.
The second amendment was written at a time when there was no intention of the USA maintaining a standing army. After independence was achieved from Great Britain, the Continental Army was disbanded. A tiny standing army was established after 1794, but citizen militias were relied upon in case of conflict. That is the reason why the second amendment says, “In order to maintain a well-regulated militia”, armed citizens were the source of an army in case of war. Note that the second amendment never mentions any right to own firearms for any other reason, such as self-protection.
The plan of the founding fathers was to avoid forming a professional military class in the USA. Over the years, as the USA’s international role changed, that plan was gradually abandoned.
A professional military academy was first established in 1801. It remained quite small until the Mexican War. The army grew large because of the Civil War, but was largely disbanded afterwards. Similarly in WW1, a large army was raised, and after that war, it didn’t shrink quite so much as after the Civil War. After WW2, the army never became truly small again.
So the reason for the second amendment went away some time ago.
… While I agree, we 'all' have the right to live safely in a peaceable society, it in NO way trumps out my right to own firearms. As far as the selfish part, utter nonsense, do you not understand the term 'responsible' ?
I’ve made an effort to avoid responding directly to responses such as this, but I cannot ignore yours. The second amendment clearly does say that arms ownership is meant for maintaining a well-regulated militia. It never said that that people must be exposed to the risk of slaughter in public in order to allow unrestricted ownership of firearms. I’m not trying to single you out for criticism or ridicule, as others besides you, including the NRA, get that wrong.