Well, look at me, critiquing the opinions of a Supreme Court Justice. The good Justice can relax, I approve of his work.
It is my pleasure to post a diary reviewing the newest book penned by retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, "Six Amendments - How And Why We Should Change the Constitution". This is my first diary, so please be gentle with me.
As I write this, there are visions in my head of Governor Nathan Deal and his homeys grinning like a pack of deranged hyenas as they sign the "Death Warrant for Georgian Citizens" law. There are images of the yahoos with their new-found freedoms to legally brandish weapons around children and intentionally intimidate others, and the gleeful "I have a gun and there's nothing you can do about it" spiking of the ball. The juxtaposition of these despicable acts and the release of Justice Stevens book is nothing short of stunning.
To begin, Justice Steven's book proposes changes in or additions to wording that could (and should) be made to the Constitution. These recommended changes are thoughtful and reasoned, and would further the goal of creating a more perfect union. Amendments that Justice Stevens recommends for such changes include the "Anti Commandeering Rule", Political Gerrymandering, Campaign Finance, Sovereign Immunity, The Death Penalty and the Second Amendment (Gun Control). I cannot find any instances on these subjects with which the Justice and I disagree, but for purposes of this diary, discussion will focus on The Second Amendment.
Full disclosure: my hatred of guns is long standing, deep and absolute. My reasons for this hatred are several, personal and not born of ignorance about guns; rather, it is rooted in an intimate knowledge and familiarity of what guns are and what guns do. Guns are instruments of death, nothing more, nothing less. At the risk of sounding arrogant I will state that my reasons for hating guns are better than any reason anyone could have for loving guns. There is not a gun on the face of this planet which is pro-life. I believe the 2nd Amendment has been perverted by special interest. I find the agenda of the NRA to be murderous, dishonest and immoral. I think that gun control is one of the most pressing issues of our time and may be approaching crisis stage. I believe that firearms belong exclusively in the realms of the military and law enforcement.
That said, I acknowledge, albeit reluctantly, that guns are a necessary evil in today's world. It is easy to declare that the 2nd Amendment has, like the electoral college, outlived its original purpose and intent. As much as I wish that the 2nd Amendment could be entirely repealed, that is not likely to happen, nor is it practical. There is a need for the amendment. For how else would there be a baseline for establishing rights and control without this amendment? But the amendment as currently worded is deeply flawed.
More below the orange gunshot wound scar.
Read More
