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Bob Henry, Special to The Desert Sun Published 5:00 a.m. PT March 1, 2021

These photos show a vehicle, gun and drug paraphernalia confiscated Monday, Nov. 2, 2020 at a Highway 111 checkpoint.(Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency)

The Second Amendment is not sacrosanct.

The Constitution and its amendments were written with the idea that this document could be added to and changed as the circumstances of our country changed. This also applies to the right to bear arms. Even if the writers of the Constitution believed that we had an unlimited right to keep guns, which they did not, they would have recognized the right to change or repeal the Second Amendment at some time in the future.

The arguments over the Second Amendment have never been resolved. Originally the amendment was interpreted literally: In order to maintain a well-regulated militia, citizens had the right to keep and bear arms. Up until 1980, it was understood that the two parts were linked.

The 1980 Supreme Court decision in District of Columbia vs. Hellerignored the linkage between state militias and owning guns, and ruled that citizens had a virtually unlimited right to own guns. It ignored the issue of what constitutes a well-regulated militia.

This is very troubling. The courts have sidestepped the issue of what constitutes a well-regulated militia. In the past, it was assumed that the amendment referred to state militias, which have become our state National Guard units. Our founders did not contemplate the rise of private armies.

So, we have two problems linked together that could destroy our democracy. They are a) everyone is allowed to bear arms and b) there is no restriction on forming private militias.

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Why not do away with the Second Amendment entirely? This would not eliminate guns. It would allow state and federal governments to regulate them. If this were the case, our politicians could not hide behind the Second Amendment to justify doing nothing. We would no longer hear the phrase, Of course I believe in the Second Amendment before every discussion of gun control.

According to a Pew reearch poll, 60% of Americans favor increased gun control (Pew Research Center, October 2019). The majority of Americans do not own guns. A November 2020 Gallup poll found that gun owners constituted only 32% of our population. Most people have no use for private armed groups. We are the majority, so why should we be afraid to suggest doing away with an amendment that is now a threat to our democracy?

We do not need weapons to defend ourselves from our government as long as we take our duties as citizens seriously; we are the government. Neither do we need armed groups to defend us from our fellow citizens. Thats what we have police for.

We are being held hostage by the fantasies of a segment of our society who picture themselves as Ramboesque characters who will defend their values with blood. Personally, I would rather defend our values with the political processes we have fought so hard to create.

Practically, I realize that it is extremely difficult to amend our constitution. It is only when an overwhelming majority of society insists upon a change. What we can do is start that discussion. There is no reason why the repeal of the Second Amendment should be a taboo topic.

Open discussion is the first step in making change, and this change is long overdue.

Bob Henry(Photo: Courtesy)

Bob Henry is a 45-year resident of the Coachella Valley. He is an educator and former teacher at Coachella Valley High School. He can be reached atbobhenrycve@gmail.com

Read or Share this story: https://www.desertsun.com/story/opinion/contributors/valley-voice/2021/03/01/voice-its-time-repeal-second-amendment/4508027001/

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Voice: Its time to repeal the Second Amendment - Desert Sun

McCOOK, Neb. No action could be taken on a proposal to make Red Willow County a 2nd Amendment Sanctuary County, but the idea received a positive reception at Mondays meeting of the Red Willow County Commissioners.

After a presentation by Stacie Sandall in the citizens comments portion of the meeting, commissioners agreed to place the Red Willow County Nebraska Second Amendment Preservation Act on their agenda for 9:30 a.m. March 15.

Sandall presented details of the HR 127 proposal which would impose strict requirements and fees on gun owners and ban many types of firearms, magazines and ammunition.

Commissioners Randy Dean and Earl McNutt expressed support for the idea, and Sheriff Alan Kotschwar said he campaigned for sheriff with the promise he would not enforce any attempt to violate citizens' Second Amendment rights.

Nine counties have already passed similar resolutions, as have four other states, it was noted.

We took our oath to uphold the Constitution, Dean said.

Sandall, who attended with Kerri Unger, April Kendall, and her son Isaiah Kendall, presented an informal petition with a number of signatures after only one week of effort.

Im sure your support would be near 100% with more time, McNutt said.

Sheriff Kotschwar said he had been following the issue, and one such proposal is LB188, which would keep state officials from enforcing potentially restrictive federal gun laws that dont already exist at the state level. It would not cover county or city officials.

Another bill, not mentioned Monday, is LB 236, which would give counties the ability to declare themselves Constitutional Carry communities and allow for the lawful carrying of firearms by legal gun owners, regardless of whether or not they have a carry license.

April Kendall said her son, Isaiah, 15, is interested in law enforcement but doesnt want to be put in the position of enforcing restrictions of citizens' Second Amendment rights. Frontier recently passed a sanctuary county resolution, and her brother plans to introduce one in Furnas County, she said.

In other business, a bid of $1,850 was accepted from Tracy Soderlund for a county surplus 1985 Chevrolet pickup truck, and accounts payable of $41,028.51 were approved for a health insurance premium and claims.

The county is receiving $306,663.23 from the Nebraska Emergency Management Cares Act for Law Enforcement Expenses during the COVID crisis. Because it was not budgeted, however, it will go into the general fund until paperwork requirements can be completed.

Read more here:
2nd Amendment proposal finds favorable response in county - McCook Daily Gazette

Portsmouth Herald

March 2 -- To the Editor:

Gavin McCurdy recently voiced an opinion concerning firearms and referenced a previous opinion by Dr. Fieseher. They both talked about a regulation of firearms and quoted the portion of the Second Amendment that states, a well-regulated militia. In doing so, they were both making a common mistake. Clearly, neither of these gentlemen researched the subject very well or they would have found that the wording has nothing to do with control of firearms.

The phrase "well-regulated" was in common use long before the Second Amendment was ratified in 1791, and remained so for a century thereafter. It referred to the property of something being in proper working order. Something that was well-regulated was calibrated correctly, functioning as expected. Establishing government oversight of the people's arms was not only not the intent in using the phrase in the 2nd amendment; it was precisely to render the government powerless to do so that the founders wrote it.

Regardless of these gentlemens feelings, the amendment was clear in its intent.

Everett Leland

Kittery, Maine

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Letter: The 2nd amendment was clear in its intent - Seacoastonline.com

PENN FOREST TWP., Pa. - A national movement aimed at protecting residents' gun rights has made its way to our area.

A Penn Forest Township resident is on a one-man mission to convince leaders in Carbon County to designate every municipality as a Second Amendment sanctuary.

Brandon Bell is a U.S. Marine Corp veteran and Second Amendment champion.

He's concerned about two pieces of proposed federal legislation: one he says prohibits the possession of certain ammunition, and another allows officers to visit gun-owners' homes to confirm a firearm is properly secured.

Bell says both violate the Second Amendment.

"They kind of contradict the Constitution in the sense that they nit-pick and they go after specific articles of the Second Amendment, Bell said.

Bell recently started a Change.org petition requesting Carbon County's commissioners designate it a Second Amendment sanctuary.

He wants each of the 22 municipalities to adopt an ordinance that would reject those federal gun laws if they're passed.

"This doesn't stop you from being prosecuted if you commit a crime. All this does is protect you as a gun owner, Bell said.

In January, Bowmanstown adopted a resolution declaring it a sanctuary.

And on Thursday night, Palmerton Borough Council voted 5 to 2 to adopt a resolution but stopped short of passing an ordinance.

"There's a few individuals on council who weren't really thrilled with the idea as a whole, Bell said.

While Bell wants leaders in the nearly two dozen municipalities across Carbon County designate them as Second Amendment sanctuaries, not everyone is on board.

"We feel that these ordinances are unconstitutional and unenforceable, Max Milkman, lead organizer with CeasefirePA, said.

Milkman says the organization wants to strengthen gun laws across the Commonwealth.

"They are just symbolic measures that put public safety at risk. We should have our local governments who are working on protecting citizens from gun violence instead of making it harder and more confusing for law enforcement to do their job, Milkman said.

Read this article:
Penn Forest Twp. Marine vet on 1-man mission to make Carbon County a 2nd Amendment sanctuary - 69News WFMZ-TV

House Bill 124 is a golden opportunity for those of us that love the Second Amendment. Its titled The second Amendment Preservation Act. Its lengthy, but well worth reading.

It essentially puts the state of Wyoming between gun owners and any federal efforts to undermine the Second Amendment, such as registration, taxation, confiscation, etc. I am baffled by the fact that the bill only has 12 state representatives and six state senators as sponsors. Why not 100% of them??

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Read the rest here:
Bill if good one for Second Amendment | Letters to the Editor | gillettenewsrecord.com - Gillette News Record