Should we add the words 'when serving in the militia' to the Second Amendment?

 

CURRICULUM: Progress & The Future: Public vs. Private Good 

 

Summary: Although they conflated in modern times, there are two issues here. The first is whether personal gun ownership and personal gun use were, or are, protected by the Second Amendment (or any part of the U.S. Constitution). The second is whether citizens' right to bear arms when serving in a militia is relevant at a time when militias, by and large, do not exist. On the surface, this may seem to be question about gun control, but maybe we're really asking about how rules and laws ought to change over time.

 

Basic Understanding:

• What is the U.S. Constitution, what is the Bill of Rights, what is the Second Amendment?

• At the time it was written, what did the words and statements in the Second Amendment mean?

  Has the meaning of those words, statements and ideas changed over time?

  Has the cultural meaning of the Second Amendment changed over time?

• Who is granted the right to bear arms, who is granted the right, and what does the right guarantee?

• What is, or was, a militia?

  Purpose and membership in militias, before and after 1700s

  Is the right to bear arms limited to use of arms during militia practice and military action?

 

Issues:

• Statistics: gun ownership in U.S.; how people use their guns

  Guns for personal safety, protection, protection from fear, "just in case"

  Guns and criminal activity

  Guns and leisure activities, including hunting and target shooting

• State and Federal gun laws in U.S.

  Background checks, gun dealers, owner responsibility, gun registry, gun use in public places, child protection, consumer protection

• Compare statistics: gun use and gun laws outside U.S.

• Rights reserved by citizens vs. rights granted by government

 

Open Questions:

• Role and influence of NRA; change in political and social role

• Is American gun-crazy? Why? Should this change, or is this who we are?

  Guns made America (without guns, there would be no America)

• With regard to guns and the Second Amendment, what is the appropriate role of the U.S. Supreme Court? (How do other nations assure reasonable personal freedom and public safety?)

• Who should, and should be required to, own or use guns? How do we make reasonable, responsible decisions?

 

Conversation Pit: Possible Topics

• DC v. Heller: changes in government policy, impact of NRA and politics

• Guns, children and the next generation

• The U.S., guns and violence - why and how we differ from other nations

• Guns, violence and popular culture

• Contemporary Militia, need for citizens to protect themselves (perhaps, from their government)

• Individual gun ownership has nothing to do with Second Amendment

• The Push to Disarm Americans: is gun control about controlling guns or controlling people?

• Should every school be armed / every teacher be armed?

• Women and guns - perspective often marginalized

 

eBook Contents

• Who are "we" in "we the people," what is (or was) a militia? (Akhil Reed Amar)

• Origins and history of the Second Amendment

• History and function of militias; The Right to Bear Arms - expert interview (Michael Waldman)

• Welcome to Your NRA

• Evolution of individual right to own and use a gun

• Statistics and analysis: Guns vs. other causes of injury and death

• History of gun control and enforcement

 

Examples of Web Assets

• ABC News interview: Justice John Paul Stephens wants to add five words to Second Amendment

• Annenberg (name of service): The Bill of Rights (correct the title)

• WSJ Video: Hey Hey NRA: history of NRA as activist organization - video asset

• Atlantic / Reuters: Secret History of Guns - article, audio, video  - Adam Winkler

• Law Center for Guns: 

 

Scholars, Books, Other Sources

• Michael Waldman (NYU credential), name of book

• Akhil Reed Amar, The Constitution: A Biography, The Bill of Rights (book name?)

• Ben van Houton - name of organization

• The Road to Heller - 20__ U.S. Supreme Court decision and interpretations

  • Other relevant Supreme Court cases

• NRA spokesperson on Second Amendment

 

Creative / Educational Opportunities

• Song parody: "Guns, Guns, Guns" (..."now that daddy took the ouzi away...")

• Family Pride - guns, family history, the revolution, and gun collecting

• Hunting statistics, ethics; animal point-of-view