Let's Have An Actual Second Amendment

The Second Amendment to the Constitution of The United States of America:

“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.”

Strict constructionists and their Second Amendment advocates contend that subsequent generations must not tamper with the text or (in their minds) the intent of this (in their minds and hearts) sacred text.  So be it.

If we assert strict adherence to this text, then we must embrace the whole of the statement. Thus, to earn the right to keep and bear arms the citizens must participate in the formation and execution of well regulated militias to defend communities and municipalities. For citizens to earn this right, in a strict adherence to the Amendment’s text, they must voluntarily be members of and participate in militia readiness.

This requires that if you own a firearm, you own membership in and regularly scheduled mustering of a well regulated state militia.  “Well regulated” assumes state proprietorship and financial support of the militia, including especially the proportioning and distribution of the relevant ammunition.  That is, if you want to own any kind of firearm in your state you must participate in that state’s militia and can avail yourself of ammunition for said firearm(s) only under the militia’s auspices.

In addition, firearms manufacturers and distributors must be licensed by each state to provide their products to citizens of that state.  The records of such sales will be stored in state databases and can be accessed only through state judicially executed warrants. 

Such strict and logical adherence to the full text of the Second Amendment would ensure multiple benefits.  It would free firearm owners from the fear that they alone could never have sufficient firearms to defend against the encroachment by the federal government on their rights and property as well as against foreign invaders—they would have their state brothers- and sisters-in-arms as support.  In addition, this strict adherence would comport with the wishes of the states rights faction among the citizenry, ensuring them that each state would control the application of the Second Amendment.  And finally, hopefully, our nation would gradually see a decline in the helter-skelter proliferation of firearms and their consequent use in the slaughtering of our fellow citizens.

Isn’t this what the original constructionists sought—a more assured and cohesive citizenry for our exceptional experiment?  Right?  A more perfect Union?  Yeah, right.