The Second Amendment to the Constitution is very short — one sentence composed of two phrases. The second phrase is the one we are most familiar with: “ … the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

The first phrase, which most gun advocates conveniently tend to ignore, is very important, because it explicitly explains the purpose of this amendment: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State … ”

The people this amendment refers to are the members of the well-regulated militia, not all citizens. The purpose of this amendment is to ensure that the members of the militia (today’s Army, National Guard, etc.) are properly armed. Would our forefathers have included this first phrase if it had no real purpose?

Roy H. Tsumoto

Kaimuki

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