Firearm owners need no excuses

The Supreme Court is the final arbiter of the Constitution. Several of its rulings invalidated many points made in the Sept. 2letter “Excuses for guns unpersuasive.”

There is no need to persuade anyone or have excuses to own guns in the United States.

One need not be in a militia to own a gun. In the case of District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), it was ruled that the right to bear arms is an individual right unconnected to militia services. Those who join the militia must bring guns to join.

No one is advocating to allow anyone to shoot into a crowd of people. The Second Amendment protects the right to possess firearms that are in common use for lawful purposes, such as self-defense. Hunting and target practice are lawful.

In New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022), the court ruled that gun regulations must be consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation. If a regulation has no historical analog or is inconsistent with the historical understanding of the Second Amendment, it will be struck down. This ruling ensures that gun rights remain as they were when the Second Amendment was ratified.

The Second Amendment does not mandate the people to own and bear arms. No one has to have one. Those who want a gun need no excuses. The Bill of Rights protects the people from a tyrannical government, and it is not foolish to exercise the right.