So what are the justifications for the Second Amendment? Specifically, what are the perceived reasons for the Second Amendment often cited by gun enthusiasts? (Incidentally, I assure you that James Madison, George Mason, Patrick Henry and the framers of the Bill of Rights never intended to codify an enthusiasm or a hobby as a human right.)
1) The Second Amendment is a necessary bulwark against tyranny.
Nonsense. It’s easily the biggest myth surrounding the Second. No gaggle of gun-toting rednecks or even a trained backwoods militia is any match for the American government and its military. If anyone is responsible for the exponential growth of the American government’s military might, it ought to be the far-right goons who wallow in These Colors Don’t Run! jingoism whenever the United States launches a war. I don’t care how badass you think you might be, if the government wants to take you by force, it will.
2) The Second Amendment protects our ability to defend ourselves against criminals.
Statistically speaking, you’re less safe if you have a gun in your house. And numbers don’t lie. Via Mother Jones, an Emory University study concluded, “For every time a gun is used in self-defense in the home, there are 7 assaults or murders, 11 suicide attempts, and 4 accidents involving guns in or around a home.” So basic math obliterates self-defense as a valid justification.
3) The Second Amendment is necessary in the absence of law enforcement.
This is the NRA’s popular post-apocalyptic scenario, suggesting that when society breaks down and complete anarchy sweeps the land, we’ll need guns or die. Okay sure. And we might need guns to help President Bill Pullman fight off space aliens, too. This argument redirects back to the previous point, which is that an amendment to protect something that’s statistically more dangerous for the average homeowner in the event of a home invasion (before the cops arrive) is completely ridiculous. And, while we’re here, what kind of shoot-outs are occurring during home invasions that require extended magazines and no time to reload?
4) The Second Amendment is liberty!
Sorry, but protecting the availability of firearms does nothing to foster a healthier democracy or perpetuate the existence of the United States. Nothing. The freedoms outlined in the Bill of Rights and the further amendments beyond it generally augment the sustainability of basic human rights and American democracy. Gun ownership, however, does not — at least in the modern context. (Interesting how the right to bear arms is codified in the Constitution and defended by mostly male enthusiasts, yet equal rights for women is not.)
5) The Second Amendment protects hunting.
First of all, there’s nothing in the amendment about hunting, either for sport or for food or as a tradition. Secondly, why should a “sport” or tradition enjoy its own constitutional amendment?