THE 2ND AMENDMENT

RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS
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.

WHAT IT MEANS

• Over all it is the right to carry firearms.
• Some say the right is limited to just members of a millita.
• Others say that the right extends to all individual citizens.

Rights Reserved to Militia

“The Second Amendment was adopted to protect the right of the people of each of the several States to maintain a well-regulated militia… Neither the text of the Amendment nor the arguments advanced by its proponents evidenced the slightest interest in limiting any legislature’s authority to regulate private civilian uses of firearms.”
~Justice John Paul Stevens on the 2008 Supreme Court case District of Columbia v. Heller.

Rights to Individual Citizens

“The Second Amendment is naturally divided into two parts: its prefatory clause and its operative clause. The former does not limit the latter grammatically, but rather announces a purpose. The Amendment could be rephrased, ‘Because a well regulated Militia is necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.”
~Justice Antonin Scalia on the 2008 District of Columbia vs. Heller

Controversy on the 2nd Amendment

Many who support only the militia or police force only having firearms believe that this will keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of criminals.

Controversy continued

Those who support the individual side of the amendment, believe in owning firearms in self-defense.

Controversy continued

There are also people who do not support the 2nd Amendment in any way.

RESOURCES

Weeks, Linton. (January 9, 2012). The 27 Amendment: 27 words endless interpretations. Retrieved from: (http://www.npr.org/2013/01/07/168834462/the-2nd-amendment-27-words-endless-...

RESOURCES CONT.

Johnson, T. J. (1996). The Second Amendment Controversy: Explained. Retrieved from: http://adams.patriot.net/~tlj/xplaindp.htm

RESOURCES CONT.

Quattlebaum, Jeremey. (January 11, 2013). Speak Out: What does the Second Amendment Mean. Retrieved from: http://www.annenbergclassroom.org/speakouts.aspx?name=what-does-the-second-...