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Last week's mass murder of 20 kindergartners in Newtown, Connecticut was America's wake-up call on gun violence. Without a gun, the perpetrator could not have killed 20 kids before he would have been stopped by the six heroic women caring for them. Without two semi-automatic pistols and an assault rifle, he could not have killed so many so quickly. The gun, as the ultimate force multiplier, is equally to blame for the crime with the human perpetrator.
Guns will never be properly regulated as long as the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States is in force. Every attempt to meaningfully limit and control guns will be overturned by the judiciary as unconstitutional. Examples include last week’s ruling by the Supreme Court overturning Illinois’ ban on concealed guns and the 2008 decision of the Supreme Court which overturned a 32 year-old law banning the sale of guns in Washington D.C. With respect to firearms, the rule of law is the problem. It is perpetuating gun violence across America and creating a climate of fear. When the law is the problem; the law has to be changed.
Some will argue that the Second Amendment has been misinterpreted by the judiciary. They will say that if only the phrase “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State” was properly interpreted, guns would be appropriately regulated. But these (mis)interpretations of the Second Amendment go back to the very beginning of the Republic, so as precedents they will not be overturned. The only solution is outside the judiciary in the legislative branch. The only real fix for gun violence is for the legislative repeal the Second Amendment.
Repealing the Second Amendment does not mean that guns will be illegal. It just means that the legal framework will be put in place for the legislative branch to regulate firearms in accordance with the will of people.
Please join me and sign the We The People petition at http://wh.gov/Rord If we can get 25,000 votes by January 14, 2012 the Obama Administration will issue a public position on the Repeal of the Second Amendment. Perhaps if we can get as many votes as a finalist on American Idol, we can force our elected officials into action.
The petition reads: Petition the Congress and the States to REPEAL THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
Repealing the Second Amendment is the only meaningful way to control firearms in the United States of America. Without the repeal of the Second Amendment, gun control initiatives will be found unconstitutional and nullified. Piecemeal reform of gun laws has not and will not work to solve the gun violence problem in America.
Paul L. Sterne Dobbs Ferry
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