Letter to the editor: 2nd Amendment refers to ‘people’

First of all, what does the U.S. Constitution actually say?

Secondly, I assume that a word used in the Constitution in one section has the same meaning or definition when used elsewhere in the Constitution.

The second part of the Second Amendment reads, “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

The key word in my argument is the word “people.”

The preamble begins “We the people ...” (you and I)

Article I, section 2 states, “The House of Representatives ... by the people ...” (you and I)

The First and Fourth Amendments state, “... the right of the people ...” (you and I)

The Ninth Amendment states, “... retained by the people ...” (you and I)

The 10th Amendment states, “... nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively or to the people.” (you and I)

The 17th Amendment states, “... by the people thereof ...” (you and I)

I conclude the preamble, article I, section 2, and the first, fourth, ninth, 10th, and the 17th amendments to the U.S. Constitution that the word people refers to you and me and not the federal government, states’ governments, national guard, nor the militia, but to you and me.

The 10th Amendment specifically separates states and people and does not imply states and people mean the same entity. So, the Second Amendment states that the people have the right to keep and bear arms. This decision was just made by the Supreme Court. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia remarked that the U.S. Constitution is not a living document, it is a dead document. You don’t interpret it according to popular sentiment.

If you don’t like what the Constitution says, then go to Article V for instructions on amending it.

George Maguire, Ventura

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Letter: 2nd Amendment refers to ‘people’