How to Answer Stupid Anti-Gun Arguments
Posted by John Kullman on April 20, 2010 · Leave a Comment
If you have a well rounded circle of friends, at least one will be against private firearm ownership. This can lead to heated discussions. Invariably, your gun hating friend will resort to the slippery-slope argument. “If the 2nd Amendment allows you to own a handgun, why can’t you own an atomic bomb too?” Ridiculous, right? There are few individuals or groups that can afford the cost and maintenance atomic weapons require. But beyond this, the 2nd Amendment is clear. We have the right to “bear Arms.”
“Bear Arms” means to carry. When interpreting the Constitution the courts look too the language of the time the law was enacted. Arms included things like muskets, rifles and pistols. No one in the 18th Century had any notion of atomic weapons and their destructive force. In fact, the notion of destroying a city with any weapon was abhorrent to Europeans at the time. Large civilian population areas were not supposed to be turned into a battlefield.
Strictly interpreted, the 2nd Amendment only gives you the right to carry single-shot black powder firearms. It’s at this point that courts looks to modern improvements in technology and balance it with the intent of the law. Legitimate uses of firearms are examined and compared to illegitimate uses. For example, a person could hunt with a machinegun but this would violate the spirit of hunting and would be a public hazard. In other words, courts apply common sense when interpreting gun laws.
The main argument for allowing handgun ownership has to do with self-protection. Rifles and shotguns can be hard to wield and are burdensome compared to handguns. No one can seriously argue an atomic weapon is a useful weapon for self-protection. They are weapons meant to protect nations and armies, not individuals.
So next time your gun hating friend brings up a ridiculous argument, point out how laws are interpreted. Language, intent and common sense are used. After crushing your friend, invite him or her to go target shooting. You may create a convert.
