# The 2nd Amendment was written to calm fears about ending slavery **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 11, 2017, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2nd-amendment-was-written-to-calm-fears-about-ending-slavery/790965 "2017-07-11T00:07:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2nd-amendment-was-written-to-calm-fears-about-ending-slavery/790965/81 "2017-07-15T15:39:39Z")
Unfortunately the very concept of “rights” as individual personal freedoms is coming under increasing attack. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2nd-amendment-was-written-to-calm-fears-about-ending-slavery/790965/82 "2017-07-15T19:57:07Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > Nope. Just tired of repeating myself; my goal was not to make a gun control argument, and I didn’t get this idea from somebody else. Notwithstanding the historical context of the amendment, I believe that the 2nd Amendment does, in fact, guarantee the right to bear arms. I dont know what \*your \*goal was. I do know what the goal was of the people that originally promulgated this false idea. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2nd-amendment-was-written-to-calm-fears-about-ending-slavery/790965/83 "2017-07-15T20:10:50Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > I will admit, however, that I am shocked by how sensitive gun enthusiasts can be anytime their favorite amendment is disparaged. > > Damn, people. Windsurfing was invented by the Nazis. Originally it was an entry in a design competition and the idea was these things would drag out nets full of Jews to drown them. It’s just a theory I’m noodling with, no real evidence so far. I should make clear that I totally support the right to windsurf. No hate plz. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2nd-amendment-was-written-to-calm-fears-about-ending-slavery/790965/84 "2017-07-16T01:50:50Z")
It seems to me that gun control legislation has a history far more connected to slavery and racism than the second amendment. In slavery times it was used to keep guns out of the hands of slaves, afterwards it was used to keep them out of the hands of blacks. Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2nd-amendment-was-written-to-calm-fears-about-ending-slavery/790965/85 "2017-07-26T01:52:35Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > Nope. Just tired of repeating myself; my goal was not to make a gun control argument, and I didn’t get this idea from somebody else. Notwithstanding the historical context of the amendment, I believe that the 2nd Amendment does, in fact, guarantee the right to bear arms. > > I will admit, however, that I am shocked by how sensitive gun enthusiasts can be anytime their favorite amendment is disparaged. > > Damn, people. If I stated that abortion was legalized in an effort to reduce the growth of the black population at a time when white America was getting scared of black criminals and an impending race war; or that it was an effort at black population control so that they wouldn’t suck up all the government benefits; then I’m pretty sure that people would challenge me. Similarly when you state that the second amendment was adopted to reassure the slave states that they could maintain their slavery, you should also expect to be challenged. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2nd-amendment-was-written-to-calm-fears-about-ending-slavery/790965/86 "2017-07-26T17:56:17Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > If I stated that abortion was legalized in an effort to reduce the growth of the black population at a time when white America was getting scared of black criminals and an impending race war; or that it was an effort at black population control so that they wouldn’t suck up all the government benefits; then I’m pretty sure that people would challenge me. > > Similarly when you state that the second amendment was adopted to reassure the slave states that they could maintain their slavery, you should also expect to be challenged. I’ve never argued that the rationale for Roe vs. Wade was to keep down the population of undesirables. But a prominent liberal judge HAS said that’s the case! > **[The Place of Women on the Court (Published 2009)](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/magazine/12ginsburg-t.html)** > > Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg talks about women on the bench and their effect on the dynamics and decisions of the court. Justice Ginsburg: “Frankly, at the time Roe was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don’t want to have too many of.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2nd-amendment-was-written-to-calm-fears-about-ending-slavery/790965.md?page=4)