Table of Contents
Why is there a comma in the Second Amendment?
Although Judge Silberman reads it otherwise, the Second Amendment’s second comma tells us that the subsequent clause, “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed,” is the logical result of what preceded that comma, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State.” …
How does the interpretation of a comma in the Constitution lead to two different interpretations of the 2nd amendment?
“According to the court, the second comma divides the amendment into two clauses: one ‘prefatory’ and the other ‘operative. Regardless of the grammatical volleying, the Supreme Court upheld the D.C. court’s decision in 2008, invalidating the gun law. The high court invoked the same grammar logic as the appeals court.
What does keep and bear mean?
The right to keep and bear arms (often referred to as the right to bear arms) is a right for people to possess weapons (arms) for the preservation of life, liberty, and property.
What is so controversial about the content of the 2nd Amendment?
The controversy is about whether it protects an individual’s right to keep and bear arms or only applies to militia organizations such as the National Guard. Some argue that adding more gun regulation laws would reduce gun deaths while others think that gun ownership deters crime.
How does the 2nd Amendment read?
The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Such language has created considerable debate regarding the Amendment’s intended scope.
Is there an inconsistent comma in the Constitution?
It probably should be the lack of 2 commas surrounding “for public use.” In official versions of the constitution, the Takings Clause reads: “nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.” No commas in the original.
What does the Second Amendment mean to you?
So let’s return to the wording of the second amendment. The main idea is this: the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. But the first part of the sentence tells us why people have a right to keep and bear arms and why that shouldn’t be infringed. It sets up a cause/effect relationship.
What is the grammatical offence of the amendment?
As such, the primary grammatical offence in the text of the Amendment is that the third comma separates the subject and verb of the independent clause, which is a major no-no by modern rules. The odd capitalisation also doesn’t conform to modern rules, but that doesn’t change the meaning of the Amendment.
What is the ablative absolute of the Second Amendment?
In fact, if you don’t factor it in, it is easy to distort the import and force of the idea of the main clause. The ablative absolute is an anchor, a pointer, a stabilizing bracket. So let’s return to the wording of the second amendment. The main idea is this: the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.