This page gives my thoughts on gun control in the ever-popular FAQ format.

(Well, OK, maybe it really isn't all that popular.)

Well, obviously you're a gun nut. What do you think about gun control?
But the Supreme Court has ruled that the 2nd Amendment does not grant people the right to own guns. Doesn't everyone know that?
Well, I'm not going to own a gun because they're bad things. What do you think about that?
Look, I just don't like/am not comfortable with/wish you didn't have guns. I know we're friends and all, but when you come over to visit, you can't bring that in here. Can you accept that?
In several movies/TV shows I've seen, some of the people have these awful guns which can shoot for almost the entire movie without reloading. Surely you don't think that normal people should have those kinds of guns, do you?

Q: Well, obviously you're a gun nut. What do you think about gun control?
A: I believe that, as an American citizen, I have a constitutional right to keep and bear arms, including (horror!) machine guns. The 2nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States says:

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.

It says "the right of the people ." It does not say "the right of the militia" or "the right of the states" as some people claim.

The Constitution uses the phrase "the people" in 8 places, including the 2nd Amendment. If you think that the 2nd Amendment does not mean the citizens, then please explain to me why it would mean citizens in 7 places but not the 8th? (For reference, the eight places--and links to them--are: the Preamble ; Article I Section 2 ; the 1st Amendment ; the 2nd Amendment ; the 4th Amendment ; the 9th Amendment ; the 10th Amendment ; and the 17th Amendment .)

Despite the fact that it clearly says "the right of the people," some folks claim that it really means that the states have the right to form the national guard (referred to as the "states rights" position). There are two problems with this position: 1) the National Guard did not exist until the early 1900's, when Congress passed a law allowing the states to create the guard; and 2) the Constitution expressly forbids states from "keep[ing] troops" without the express consent of Congress (hence the need for the law mentioned in point 1). As far as I know, no one has been able to reconcile the "states rights" position with the Constitutional ban on state troops, which kinda rules out the "states rights" argument in the 2nd Amendment debate.

Q: But the Supreme Court has ruled that the 2nd Amendment does not grant people the right to own guns. Doesn't everyone know that?
A: Oh? The Supreme Court said that? Please send me an e-mail and cite the exact ruling and provide the appropriate quotation from it. (Don't take the quote out of context, or I'll publish your message on my web page and insult you.) I've been looking for a ruling that says that for years, but I haven't been able to find it yet.

Q: Well, I'm not going to own a gun because they're bad things. What do you think about that?
A: Bully for you. What do you want me to do, genuflect in your direction? While you're sitting there all happy about your decision over an inanimate object, why not visit this website and order one of their "gun free home" kits, or the Gun Free Zone website and proudly display some of their products? (Note: I will not accept responsibility for what happens to you if you do.) If you don't want to put one of the signs up, then send me a note explaining why, after you decided that guns are evil, you won't proudly display a sign announcing your decision.

Q: Look, I just don't like/am not comfortable with/wish you didn't have guns. I know we're friends and all, but when you come over to visit, you can't bring that in here. Can you accept that?
A: Surprise! Your home is your castle; you'll find that most gun owners think that way as well. If you absolutely will not allow firearms in your home, then that means I have to decide whether or not I will enter. Puts the ball in my court, doesn't it?

Q: In several movies/TV shows I've seen, some of the people have these awful guns which can shoot for almost the entire movie without reloading. Surely you don't think that normal people should have those kinds of guns, do you?
A: Don't believe everything you see on TV or in the movies. Very few movies and TV shows I've seen get the facts right, especially when it comes to guns. If you see someone do something totally amazing with a gun on TV or in a movie, such as fire a handgun for a half-hour without stopping or reloading, you can assume it's false. For whatever reason, the producers and staff simply do not bother to incorporate realistic scenes with firearms.

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Last update: May 24, 2003

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