# Let's re-write the 2nd Amendment! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 26, 2000, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846 "2000-03-26T19:01:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/1 "2000-03-27T06:27:00Z")
Much of the debate over gun rights involve the interpretation of the 2nd Amendment. I propose that we re-write the thing for clarity. If you can, try to defend your new “2nd Amendment v.2.0” * * * Eagles may soar free and proud, but weasels never get sucked into jet engines. ---
**Author:** ![Nu\_Vo\_Da\_Da](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/97f17d/32.png) [@Nu\_Vo\_Da\_Da](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nu_Vo_Da_Da)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/2 "2000-03-27T06:32:00Z")
“In order that people may at all times be able to employ lethal force to defend themselves, shoot deer and other small woodland creatures, and exact bloody revenge upon those who irritate them, the right to bear semi-automatic **fire** -arms shall be upheld.” I think this would clear up quite a few misunderstandings… ---
**Author:** ![PatrickM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@PatrickM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickM)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/3 "2000-03-27T06:47:00Z")
“Each citizens over the age of 18 years shall have the right to possess up to two (2) deadly weapons, for use in self-defense, for target shooting, for sport hunting, an attempt to overthrow the government, or in case the British Red Coats come back. The Federal government may require each citizen to register each such weapon with a governmental agency to be selected by Congress and to pay a one time registration fee per weapon, with the amount of such fee to be determined by Congress and adjusted annually for inflation, and the proceeds of such fee to me, Al Franken.” ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/4 "2000-03-27T06:58:00Z")
To fecure the Liberty of the People and to protect faid Liberty from threatf internal and external, whether arifinf from the State itfelf or from another citizen or from outfide the State, no citizen not having been juftly convicted of an offenfe of violence fhall be prevented, prohibited or reftrained from owning or carrying perfonal firearms. The Several Statef fhall duly record each firearm and each firearmf owner in a manner of itf choofing. Sorry, couldn’t refift the old-fafhoned lower cafe “effef.” * * * [NYC IRL III](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/006163.html) is on April 15th. Do you have what it takes? ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/5 "2000-03-26T19:01:00Z")
Now now, manhattan, even back when the “s”'s in the middle of a word looked like “f”'s, the “s” on the END of a word was still written like a modern “s”. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/6 "2000-03-26T19:04:00Z")
Here is how I would reword 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, **dammit**.” ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/7 "2000-03-26T19:22:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by tracer: > **Now now, manhattan, even back when the “s”'s in the middle of a word looked like “f”'s, the “s” on the END of a word was still written like a modern “s”.** ## Yef, but that would not have been af humorouf. [NYC IRL III](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/006163.html) is on April 15th. Do you have what it takes? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/8 "2000-03-26T20:35:00Z")
I think it should be changed to the marvel of clarity that Jefferson proposed to be part of the Virginia Constitution: **No freeman shall ever be debarred the use of arms.** ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/9 "2000-03-26T21:06:00Z")
“Neither the federal government nor the states themselves shall not make any law, levy any tax, nor use any manner of coercion whatever to that would infringe on the right of any person who is eligible to vote to own, manufacture, purchase, sell, or lawfully use any manner of firearm anywhere within the United States at any time or for any reason whatever unless as a part of a punishment for a violent felony that that person has been convicted of. The states shall have the power to require registration of firearms and owners, as well to require fees and education of any owner that do not serve as a barrier to ownership.” I suppose that does leave some small loophole somewhere, but you get the point. ---
**Author:** ![RoboDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bbe5ce/32.png) [@RoboDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RoboDude)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/10 "2000-03-26T21:08:00Z")
“The right of law-abiding adults to keep and bear arms in a safe, responsible manner shall nor be infringed.” Clears up any confusion, and still leaves room for reasonable measures to try to reduce gun crimes and accidents. * * * Life is a tragedy for those who feel and a comedy for those who think. ---
**Author:** ![SingleDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@SingleDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SingleDad)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/11 "2000-03-27T03:11:00Z")
Section 1: Every adult of the age of 18 to the age of 45 shall be considered a member of the militia of the state in which he or she resides. As such he or she shall be compelled to purchase and maintain such weapons as necessary to exercise that responsibility, and compelled to maintain proficiency in the use of those weapons. Section 2: The members of the militia when on active duty, and at all times regarding the care and use of their weapons, shall be under the command of the Governor of the state in which they reside or the President of the United States when when called into the actual service of the United States. Section 3: No person may be a member of the militia who has committed a felony or has at any time been judged mentally incompetent. Persons with a religious objection to serving in the militia shall be exused without penalty. * * * If Cecil Adams did not exist, we would be obliged to create Him. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/12 "2000-03-27T03:29:00Z")
SingleDad, might I propose an addendum? Section 4: The state militia shall be independant of all other militias. The Governor, or selected representatives of the Governor, shall be the Supreme Commander of this Militia. * * * Eagles may soar free and proud, but weasels never get sucked into jet engines. ---
**Author:** ![SingleDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@SingleDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SingleDad)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/13 "2000-03-27T03:41:00Z")
**Slythe:** I like keeping the President’s power to call the militia to the service of the United States; It preserves the body of the Constitution (Article II, Section 2). It also keeps the philosophical concept that our primary loyalty is still to the United States and only secondarily to our individual state. * * * If Cecil Adams did not exist, we would be obliged to create Him. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/14 "2000-03-27T03:43:00Z")
Just trying to pander to all those who think that the President is part of some evil “One World Government Conspiracy” 🙂 * * * Eagles may soar free and proud, but weasels never get sucked into jet engines. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/15 "2000-03-27T04:22:00Z")
Just FYI, SingleDad, Section 2 of the Military Law of New York State provides: > [@](#): > > ``` > Sec. 2. Militia of the state; division and composition. 1. > > ``` > > The militia of the state shall be divided into the organized > militia, the state reserve list, the state retired list and the > unorganized militia. The organized militia shall be composed of > the New York army national guard; the New York air national > guard; the inactive national guard; the New York naval militia; > the New York guard whenever such a state force shall be duly > organized and such additional forces as may be created by the > governor. > 2. The unorganized militia shall consist of all able-bodied > male residents of the state between the ages of seventeen and > forty-five who are not serving in any force of the organized > militia or who are not on the state reserve list or the state > retired list and who are or who have declared their intention to > become citizens of the United States, subject, however, to such > exemptions from military duty as are created by the laws of the > United States. For mor information, and to see what the responsibilities of the unorganized militia are, see [http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/cgi-bin/claws?law=63&art=2](http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/cgi-bin/claws?law=63&art=2) . (Basically, they can be drafted by the governor in times of emergency). ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/16 "2000-03-27T04:30:00Z")
Billdo, that’s good research, but since we are trying to re-write the 2nd Amendment for all the states, a single state’s interpretation would just confuse the issue, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/17 "2000-03-27T04:42:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by MaxTorque: > \*\*I think it should be changed to the marvel of clarity that Jefferson proposed to be part of the Virginia Constitution: > > **No freeman shall ever be debarred the use of arms.** \*\* Hear, Hear!!! I second. * * * ## If you say it, mean it. If you mean it, do it. If you do it, live it. If you live it, say it. Joe Cool ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/18 "2000-03-27T04:52:00Z")
Would you go by his definition of “Freeman”? ---
**Author:** ![Breckinshire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71c47a/32.png) [@Breckinshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Breckinshire)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/19 "2000-03-27T05:01:00Z")
Second Amendment v2.0 “Okay, you can buy a gun. You can even buy a lot of guns. But if you shoot somebody, then the US government gives their spirit the right to haunt you for the rest of eternity. In fact, all of the Founding Fathers will haunt you. And not only haunting. Oh, no. They will put shaving cream inside your shoes. They will rearrange your CD’s so you can’t find Barry White when you’re entertaining members of the opposite sex. They will smear peanut butter on your computer monitor. And all this is sanctioned by the US Government. Ha.” * * * \*“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop to look around once in a while you could miss it.” - Ferris Bueller \* ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846/20 "2000-03-27T05:06:00Z")
I believe that hiding the Barry White has already been covered by the Supreme Court. It’s Cruel and Unusual. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-re-write-the-2nd-amendment/17846.md?page=2)