Ex-Justice: 2nd Amendment Needs “Fixing” [Commentary]

Does the Second Amendment need fixing?

Retired Justice John Paul Stevens, in his new book “Six Amendments: How and Why We Should Change the Constitution,”  proposes we modify the Second Amendment (the one about the "right to bear arms") with words to clarify that the amendment specifically applies to citizens in the "well regulated Militia."

This would be "bad law," in my opinion. In effect it's saying we need to protect the right to "arm" soldiers. Well, OF COURSE soldiers get guns. By implications, this implies that no one else has the right, ANY right, to bear arms. I'm OK with reasonable constraints on certain types of weapons, but this goes waaaaaaay to far.

As far as where to draw the line, my view (based on a logical extension of the Tenth Amendment) is that the burden of proof should always be on the government to justify restrictions. That would allow for "reasonable restrictions" without giving the gun-grabbers in government carte blance. Your thoughts welcomed...

[SOURCE: WASHINGTON POST]