Flawed argument I

Published: Saturday, May 10, 2014, 9:00p.m. Updated 12 hours ago

Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens' argument about fixing the Second Amendment ( Fix the 2nd Amendment with 5 words ) rests on false premises.

First is that Newtown and other killing sprees could be curbed by more gun laws. Cities where strict gun laws coincide with high murder rates contradict this.

Second is that state legislatures have a valid power to infringe the people's right to bear arms. No, because the Second Amendment, as applied to the states by the 14th Amendment, prohibits this.

The right of self-defense is an inherent human right that is not granted by government; it precedes government. The Second Amendment protects a right that exists by natural law.

Finally, the right of the people to arm themselves against tyrants cannot be regulated by the would-be tyrants. Notice that it is usually the party of big government that seeks to disarm the people.

Brad Tupi

Upper St. Clair

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Flawed argument I