By Laura Wegmann
Woodburn, Indiana
Our nation owes its prosperity to the dauntless courage of our Founding Fathers. The Declaration of Independence was inscribed by patriots who pledged and gave their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor in its defense. Over two hundred years ago, our forbears penned the eloquent words of our Constitution in order to specify both the role of government and the protections for our God-given liberties. These rights, as John Dickinson proclaimed in 1776, "are created in us by the decrees of Providence, which establish the laws of our nature. They are born with us; exist with us; and cannot be taken from us by any human power without taking our lives." After enduring many years under Britain’s feral mercantile rule, the Founding Fathers recognized that any right not expressly cemented into our Constitution would be left shamefully unguarded. This lead to the protective necessity of our Bill of Rights. In his book, Origins of the Bill of Rights, Pulitzer Prize winner Leonard W. Levy states: "The triumph of individual liberty against government power is one of history’s noblest themes, epitomized by the Bill of Rights."
In this essay, we will examine one of the greatest triumphs of individual liberty, the Second Amendment. Does the Second Amendment still hold the same meaning today as it did to our forefathers 250 years ago? Is it still relevant to present day society? In order to answer this twofold question, we must examine the Second Amendment’s words and allow them to illuminate the author’s intent. "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." The very nature of the Bill of Rights and the wording of the Second Amendment presents a dilemma to those who believe it to be irrelevant. When one examines the amendment for its original intent - its sole intent, it becomes apparent that this amendment protects an individual’s right to posses arms. This is evident in the words of George Mason: "I ask, who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people, except a few public officers." (Mason 1788)
The claim that the Second Amendment addresses a "collective" right, that it belongs only to a group of people, is neither rational nor historical. Rights, by definition, belong to the individual. To speak of a "collective" right is not to speak of a right at all, but rather a privilege. The assertion that the Second Amendment applies only to the National Guard is also invalid. Historically, the right to keep and bear arms did not denote a military connotation. It must be stated that Pennsylvania’s constitution of 1776 was the first to use the phrase: "the right to bear arms" though it, itself did not posses a state militia. The essence of the Second Amendment can be further seen in the words of James Madison when he spoke of the Bill of Rights as: "guards for the private rights."
The effects of the Second Amendment are far reaching, for in 1803, even the English acknowledged its enduring significance. British statesman St George Tucker avowed: "In American we may see reasonable hope that the people will never cease to regard the right of keeping and bearing arms as the surest pledge of their liberty." Undoubtedly, this was the intent of our forefathers. The Second Amendment is most certainly an unchanging fundamental component in our freedom and independence.
Having addressed the meaning of the Second Amendment, we may now turn our attention to its present-day role in our society. Sir William Blackstone once stated: "[Self-defense is] justly called the primary law of nature, so it is not, neither can it be in fact, taken away by the laws of society." The stubborn reality is this: firearms are the simplest and most effective means of individual protection. In his book, Stopping Power, J. Neil Schulman points out that "American women use handguns 416 times a day in defense against rapists." The women of America cannot suffer this liberty to be denied. Not only do millions of Americans enjoy the right to keep and bear arms, but they have exercised this right to save countless lives. According to the National Rifle Association, "Each year in the U.S. gun owners use firearms for protection as frequently as 2.5 million times." America’s first patriots recognized that in order to secure the rights for posterity, free citizens must be able to arm themselves. In the words of Noah Webster, "Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom of Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword, because the whole body of the people are armed..."
The Second Amendment is freedom’s legacy. It is through the Second Amendment that we are guaranteed the ability to protect our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If we do not safeguard this cornerstone of independence we will certainly loose it. Over two centuries ago John Adams cautioned: "A Constitution of Government once changed from freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever." Let us see to it, that it is never so!
Editors Note: This essay was submitted for the National Rifle Association Foundation YES Competition in 2007. A YES Scholarship of $2,500.00 was awarded July 2007. As Winner of the NRA Grand Scholarship, $7,500.00 was awarded April 2008. For more information on YES, you may go to NRA’s website.
http://www.nrafoundation.org/yes/