In New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, the Supreme Court ruled that the appellants could not be denied the right to carry a concealed weapon in public for personal protection. This decision, along with others, makes us all more likely to be shot.

The recent rash of armed shooters reveals just how dangerous this trend is. Even more dangerous than pistols and sporting rifles is the AR-15. Those rifles have shredded the bodies of hundreds of innocent victims with ruthless firepower.

The writers of our Constitution obviously could not have foreseen the evolution of weapons. Muskets were the weapon of that time. It takes roughly 1 minute to reload a musket. Meanwhile, an AR-15 can blast off 60 rounds in a minute.

The primary wording of the Second Amendment includes the phrase “a well regulated Militia, being necessary … .” At that time there was no federal Army, no National Guard. Citizens were scattered widely over rural areas. This was a reassurance that they could protect themselves from raids. And arms were meant as arms for hunting. I don’t think they meant arms to shoot neighbors.

It’s time to come to our senses and reinstate the ban on semi-automatic weapons instead of unearthing old, ambiguous and obsolete language. It may not make an immediate difference since there are nearly 400 million “arms” in the hands of private owners. But it would be a start.

Bob Lown
Kennebunk

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