The Second Amendment, which concerns gun ownership, is as political now as it was during the Constitutional ratification process in 1789.

The Bill of Rights was proffered by James Madison to induce those colonies (states) that had not yet ratified the Constitution. Madison wrote his fourth proposed amendment (now the Second Amendment) in response to five states that were calling for an amendment to prohibit a federal standing army. They felt that permanent standing armies had historically been proven to be an enduring threat to Republican values. Madison’s amendment was meant to assure these skeptics that the defense of the United States would depend on state militias rather than a professional army. As written, Madison saw the right to bear arms as derivative, not inherent. The right to bear arms depended upon military service.

I suggest R.K. Smith and other writers to The Virginia Gazette do some original research before repeating stated positions of the NRA.

Ownership of weapons to change government policy was clearly not the intent. Voting in a representative government was the method the Founding Fathers laid out in the Constitution. Comments such as “individual ownership of weapons by citizens so that they would have the means to rise up against a harmful government in the nation’s future and not merely as a defense against foreign invasion” can only be read as “those purchasing military capable weapons are prepared to use them against the United States Government.”

I believe that in a democracy, all of the citizens should determine the direction of government, not just a cadre of armed militants.

J. R. Bowers

Williamsburg