2nd Amendment: ‘History Lesson’

In response to your editorial “Guns, a History Lesson,” Aug. 17:

Are you sure that the Second Amendment gives a “state militia, not an individual” the right to keep and bear arms? Really? I thought the Bill of Rights was for citizens. Since when does the state need a constitutional amendment to possess weapons?

The Second Amendment states, notwithstanding the conditional clause, “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” Does the conditional clause mean that those of us who keep arms have half a right to do so? . . . A third of a right, maybe?

The Second Amendment is the second amendment, not the seventh or the tenth. Obviously the Founding Fathers felt that the right of the citizens to be armed was important, since it follows the first, and equally important right, “freedom of speech.” The voting citizens of California apparently agree. Several years ago we overwhelmingly defeated a measure to regulate ownership of guns.

The Second Amendment is not only about national security, as you state; it’s about personal security, too. The Founding Fathers were pioneers. I believe they would have had a lot of trouble with any effort to restrict or regulate ownership of arms.

DANTON DEMETOR

Los Angeles