You have to give Michael Moore this much, he says what many progressives are thinking but are afraid to vocalize. In this case, he’s not calling for the return of the assault weapon ban, he’s calling for the repeal of the 2nd Amendment:

I, Michael Moore, along with all who support an end to this epidemic of gun violence, propose a new Amendment to our Constitution that repeals the ancient and outdated 2nd Amendment (which was written before bullets and revolvers were even invented), and replaces it with a new 28th Amendment that guarantees States can have State militias (a.k.a. State National Guards which are made up of citizen-soldiers who are called upon in times of natural disasters or other State emergencies), allows individuals to use guns for sport and gathering food, and guarantees everyone the right to be free of, and protected from, gun violence (i.e., the public’s safety comes ahead of an individual’s right to own and fire a gun).

According to Moore, his proposal would add a series of major hurdles to gun ownership including getting a license (similar to the PAL in Canada) and a total ban on all semi-automatic weapons:

•As over 90% of gun violence is committed by men, in order for a man to purchase a gun, he must first get a waiver from his current wife, plus his most recent ex-wife, or any woman with whom he is currently in a relationship (if he’s gay, he must get the waiver from his male spouse/partner). This law has greatly reduced most spousal/domestic gun murders in Canada. •All automatic and semi-automatic guns are banned. •No gun or clip can hold more than 6 bullets. •To activate a gun for it to be used, the trigger must recognize the fingerprint of its registered owner. This will eliminate most crimes committed with a gun as 80% of these crimes are done with a stolen gun.

In addition, under Moore’s plan you would not be able to keep your gun at home but would be required to store it at a “licensed gun club or government-regulated gun storage facility.” This is considerably more restrictive than the current law in Canada which, for instance, does allow gun owners to keep their guns at home and does not require fingerprint technology. Despite this, Moore frames his proposal as joining the enlightened nations of the world:

We will never eliminate all murder; that’s been with us since Cain killed Abel. But we CAN join the community of enlightened nations where gun violence is that rare occurrence — as opposed to the daily tragedy we now suffer here in the United States of America. This can come to an end with the repeal of the 2nd Amendment and replacing it with the 28th Amendment.

Again, I think Moore is saying what a lot of progressives believe but few Democrats are willing to say. However, if the goal is to get people on board why not argue for something less draconian? His proposal doesn’t represent a compromise unless you assume the starting point is banning all guns. In fact, what Moore is really proposing is a total ban with a fig leaf of legal ownership…for now. Good luck finding support for that.

Vice put together this clip on gun laws and the experience of buying a gun in Canada last December. It’s clearly much more restrictive than here in the U.S. and yet not nearly as restrictive as what Moore is suggesting:

[[guarantees everyone the right to be free of, and protected from, gun violence]]

A typical idiotic utopian fantasyland dream- where the world is made up of only good people who always help and never hurt others because hell, we have a constitutional edict declaring noone shall ever have to face violence ever again

Cripes- liberalism is a mental disease that thinks everything can be solved by creating more laws- that bad people will all of a sudden start to ‘see the light’ and turn over a new leaf to never hurt others again

Hey Mikey- Evil exists- and you don’t make people safer from evil by taking their means of self defense away from them when the evil perpetrators are armed to the teeth- They- the bad guys mikey- will ALWAYS be armed- whether it be with guns, vehicles, bombs- planes etc- and WE THE PEOPLE have an INALIENABLE RIGHT to Self Protection regardless of what you and your demented liberal friends think.

Now go sit in the corner and put your dunce cap back on- you look odd without it

Quotes on the Second Amendment

The Founding Fathers on the Second Amendment

"I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
George Mason
Co-author of the Second Amendment
during Virginia's Convention to Ratify the Constitution, 1788

"A militia, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves …"
Richard Henry Lee
writing in Letters from the Federal Farmer to the Republic, Letter XVIII, May, 1788.

"The people are not to be disarmed of their weapons. They are left in full posession of them."
Zachariah Johnson
Elliot's Debates, vol. 3 "The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution."

"… the people are confirmed by the next article in their right to keep and bear their private arms"
Philadelphia Federal Gazette
June 18, 1789, Pg. 2, Col. 2
Article on the Bill of Rights

"And that the said Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the Press, or the rights of Conscience; or to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms; …"
Samuel Adams
quoted in the Philadelphia Independent Gazetteer, August 20, 1789, "Propositions submitted to the Convention of this State"

The Founding Fathers on Arms

"Firearms stand next in importance to the constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence … from the hour the Pilgrims landed to the present day, events, occurences and tendencies prove that to ensure peace security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable … the very atmosphere of firearms anywhere restrains evil interference — they deserve a place of honor with all that's good."
George Washington
First President of the United States

"The supposed quietude of a good man allures the ruffian; while on the other hand arms, like laws, discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as property. The same balance would be preserved were all the world destitute of arms, for all would be alike; but since some will not, others dare not lay them aside … Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them."
Thomas Paine

"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
Richard Henry Lee
American Statesman, 1788

"The great object is that every man be armed." and "Everyone who is able may have a gun."
Patrick Henry
American Patriot

"Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in possession and under our direction and having them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?"
Patrick Henry
American Patriot

"Those who hammer their guns into plowshares will plow for those who do not."
Thomas Jefferson
Third President of the United States

"The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that … it is their right and duty to be at all times armed; … "
Thomas Jefferson
letter to Justice John Cartwright, June 5, 1824. ME 16:45.

"The best we can help for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed."
Alexander Hamilton
The Federalist Papers at 184-8

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