Trey Smith
It seems that not a month goes by in the US when we don't hear about a crime involving an assault weapon. This summer there was Aurora, the Sikh Temple and just yesterday the killing of two police officers in Louisiana. Due to the overblown influence of the National Rifle Association (NRA), it is politically dangerous to suggest that maybe, just maybe, ordinary citizens shouldn't be allowed access to assault weapons in the first place.
We all know how the argument goes. The 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees the right of each citizen "to keep and bear arms." In the minds of conservatives, this means that Americans have the inalienable right to procure, own and use almost any weapon of their choosing. Regulations -- even meager ones -- of these firearms violates the spirit of our foundational document.
Well, I have an idea. If we really want to honor the men who wrote the constitution, we should interpret the 2nd Amendment in the same light as they did. Back in the late 18th century, the arms they wrote of were muskets and single-shot pistols. And so, if we want to be strict constitutionalists, we should allow every breathing man, woman and child in this country to own as many muskets and single-shot pistols as they can get their hands on. Any other type of gun should be illegal.
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