The One Where You Realize I Don’t Agree With Your Politics

There’s a lively (and by lively, I mean the usual, “I’m right and you have the IQ of a banana slug”) debate dusted up by today’s cartoon over at gocomics.com.

In the comments, Darkeforce has my back:

Sorry, but the Second Amendment is meant only to legalize State Militias. You’ll note two things; the first phrase of the Amendment — the most important part of the Amendment, “A well maintained and regulated militia being essential to national defense,”
You should also note that no where in the Second Amendment does it say that people should be allowed to OWN guns. Carry and keep, yes, but own, no. If personal ownership of the guns, don’t you think that the Founding Fathers would have mentioned that? Guns are meant to belong to the militia, not the militia members. The Second Amendment mandates that each community have an armoury, and guarantees the citizens’ rights to access that armoury at times when the community is at risk from enemies (not cat burglars!)

And trustedmechanic goes on to add:

If you visit the archives.gov website and pull up the Bill of Rights you will clearly see that Amendment II states “…the people…” as in plural as in society, not individuals. In the Amendment V it is clearly stated singular and meaning individual and in, “No person…” Amendment IV states, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons,” again the plural as in society shall be secure in their persons, granted a plural of their individual person. If the Founding Father’s meant the words to be interchangeable a you think, why did they deliberately word the Amendments to The Bill of Rights as carefully as they did?

Despite what I think was made clear by the Founding Fathers, the Supreme Court has many times held that the 2nd Amendment allows for individuals to own guns.  And I suppose they’ve done this for practical reasons like hunting for food to feed your family (in earlier times).  And I’m okay with that.  The Supreme Court should interpret the constitution.  If the majority of the Court really were the strict constructionists they claim to be, they wouldn’t allow anyone to own a gun for any reason other than for use in a militia.

Look, the 2nd Amendment, like the rest of the Constitution is open to interpretation.  There are many contradictions between what the Constitution says and how it can be practically applied to a modern, fast changing society.  That’s okay.  It’s not simple.  It’s complicated and difficult.  And well meaning people will disagree.  Democracy is messy.

So, for those of you who are realizing for the first time that I don’t agree with your politics, please don’t take it out on RJ, Verne and Hammy.   You enjoyed them before you knew I was a boring middle-of-the-road moderate’s moderate.  And you will enjoy them after.

I promise.

To check out the RJ Gets Shot storyline from 1999 referenced in today’s comic click here.