To my former National Rifle Association supporter friends (they are still my friends but not still supporting the NRA), we need to speak and out donate to the campaigns of those wanting to enact sensible gun control laws. As long as the NRA is able to sit in their huge office building (Bankruptcy sale is my dream.) and decide who will be president, senator, congressman, governor or state legislator, we will not have meaningful gun laws.

The Second Amendment of the Constitution states “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 far right leaning judges in US Supreme Court used an obscure letter from a dissident founding father to allow for wholesale purchase of guns. How can anyone misconstrue a precisely worded sentence stating a city dweller, farmer, or a frontiersman must have an arm, preferably a rifle, to use in a militia call-up. The written intent is every man with a gun is in the militia. That would be the State National Guard today. The amendment was added because the founders did not want to trade one domineering government with a big army for another. The ones for adding the amendment called George Washington “King George” because they thought he would use his army to become a dictator. They thought militias could stand up to professional troops so they kept the army small and put their faith in the militia.

Apparently the rights can be restricted when the far right and the NRA deems it agreeable. The NRA often deceives us by saying one thing in public after an event and then quietly pushing for no change or easing existing laws. Unless and until the Supreme Court comes to its senses and the NRA quits running Congress, nothing significant will be changed to the people’s good.