"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."
That is the Second Amendment to the Constitution. Yet the NRA — and recently the Supreme Court — have conveniently forgotten three little words: "well regulated militia." The early Colonists did not have a police force or a national guard or a standing army to resist the British. It was in this context that the Second Amendment was written. Those wishing to submit themselves to a "well regulated militia" were guaranteed the right "to keep and bear arms." Only those and no others.
It is time to return to the original intent of the authors of the Constitution. How many more senseless slaughters of innocents will it take before our elected officials find the courage of their convictions and stand up to the gun lobby? Let's return those three forgotten words to the prominence that they deserve. And do it now.
Ron Zager • Webster Groves
