“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.” (The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution Adopted on December 15, 1791, along with the remaining nine amendments comprising the Bill of Rights.)

Today, the Second Amendment is the subject of a great debate. Detractors claim it is no longer needed, that it is dangerous, that it is a relic from another time. Others, including Justices of our national Supreme Court, claim it has no meaning outside service in “the militia”. Advocates for the Amendment argue that it is the foundation for the remaining rights articulated in the Bill of Rights. Remove the Second Amendment, and there will be nothing to protect the remaining rights we have from being stripped away as well.

What does the language mean? Where did it come from? How should it be interpreted? Does it create a right of average citizens to own and possess firearms? Can a government, intent upon subjugating the people, strip the right away? What is the “militia”? Does it still exist? Must we be members of such a militia in order to protect our ability to arm ourselves for personal protection? How does the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution relate to American gun rights?

The Second Amendment and the American Gun – A Right Under Siege” is a book written by a lawyer, but written specifically for the average American citizen, not schooled in the law, or a Constitutional scholar. It explains the history of the Second Amendment and its surprising origin. It introduces the reader to people he or she has likely never heard of who figure so prominently in the amendments evolution and history, as well as the history of this country. It summarizes the case law that has evolved around the Second Amendment, including a very early opinion issued by the Unites States Supreme Court that holds that the Second Amendment does not create the right of average law-abiding citizens to own and posses firearms, but merely protects a pre-existing right to do so.

Whether you value the Second Amendment, or believe that it is no longer necessary in our modern world, you need to read this book. The Founders of our nation reach out to you with their words, explaining their thoughts, their beliefs and their reasons for creating the Amendment in the first place. At this time in our nation’s history, an understanding of the history and evolution of this Amendment is needed as never before.

Jim Fleming

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