Letters to the Editor: We're letting the 2nd Amendment destroy us. The Kyle Rittenhouse verdict proves it

LA Times ^ | Nov 22, 2022

[where's_the_Outrage?]

To the editor: I was born and raised in England, and after many years in the U.S. I am still bewildered by how the 2nd Amendment has been manipulated by a powerful minority. ("Will Rittenhouse acquittal lead to more armed confrontations at protests?" Nov. 19)

The origins of this amendment, ratified in 1789, are clearly rooted in the desire to form state militias to frustrate any perceived overreach by a stronger federal government. The progenitor was the English Bill of Rights Act of 1689, which had a provision allowing the people to bear arms and possibly protect a newly formed Parliament against a misbehaving monarchy.

But somehow this original intent has morphed from allowing you to keep a slow-loading musket in your closet just in case a quickly formed militia is needed, to permitting a 17-year-old with an assault rifle slung around his neck to strut about a volatile riot area and shoot people he perceives as a threat.

I feel many in this country are so obsessed with guns and the 2nd Amendment that they cannot step back and see the mayhem they are causing.

Graham Martin, Woodland Hills

[where's_the_Outrage?]

A bunch of bloody Brits still believe the sun never sets on the British Empire. I tell them the difference is that they are subjects while Americans are citizens.

[Ronald77]

If britian is so great pack the hell up and go back. Just get the hell out of ours.

[Parley Baer]

What an ignorant POS Graham Martin is.

[qwertyz]

“Clearly” ... just try to form a militia with folks who can’t handle a gun ... imagine a movie star militia ... it’s easy if you try.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

If Kyle had not been armed that night he would be horribly dead.

This person believes that would be an acceptable thing.

I would suggest it return to the UK but I like some people in the UK and so would not wish this thing on them.

So sod off to france.

I do not like anyone currently in france.

[Telepathic Intruder]

"allowing the people to bear arms and possibly protect a newly formed Parliament against a misbehaving monarchy."

If that was the only reason then why is it not stated in the Constitution? Here we have another free interpretation with no context to justify it.

[17th Miss Regt]

Mr. Martin clearly believes that all rights are provided by the government. There is no room in his world for rights provided by God. That is the root of why he does not understand America.

BTW. Woodland Hills is a fairly upscale area of the San Fernando valley. Lots of brain dead liberals live there.

[DJ MacWoW]

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[gr8eman]

...rooted in the desire to form state militias to frustrate any perceived overreach by a stronger federal government.

Maybe he should go back to England and try that! LOL! At least this guy is happy...the price of petrol in Cali is almost as high as in England! He should be celebrating!

[cockroach_magoo]

If I took the initiative to submit a letter to the editor, the first thing I would do is make sure I got my facts straight so I didn’t come across as an idiot in front of the entire world.

[TigerClaws]

100 million were murdered by their governments in the 20th century alone.

Why the founders recognized the genius of the 2A.

It was also a factor in Japan not invading our mainland.

Brits are being conquered by third worlders because of fools like this.

[ealgeone]

And that empire is now a just a handful of little islands.

[South Dakota]

I would suggest that the British subjects are going to wish they had a second amendment

[Cincinnatus.45-70]

I don’t know what state that bootlicker lives in, but they should secede. Then they won’t be burdened by the Constitution.

[catnipman]

“I was born and raised in England, and after many years in the U.S. I am still bewildered by how the 2nd Amendment”

Americans like nothing better than foreigners who move to our country and then tell us how much better THEIR country is and how we should make our country be like the country they fled v... ...

[TigersEye]

How ironic!

This is why our forefathers killed the Brits and threw them out of the New World.

Like Mr. Martin they were not fit to live on this continent.

(Brits who don’t think like this jackanapes should not be offended.)

[Telepathic Intruder]

"and shoot people he perceives as a threat."

Getting hit in the head with a rock and knocked over, jump-kicked in the face, hit again with a skate board, and then rushed by another with a gun in hand is more than just a "perceived threat". These people can do nothing but lie their asses off when presenting their case.

[immadashell]

Interesting perspective about a Constitutional protection resulting from the behavior of the British monarchy.

[Leaning Right]

> I am still bewildered by how the 2nd Amendment has been manipulated by a powerful minority. <

It’s not a “minority” that believes in the 2A.

That aside, the Bill of Rights is all about protecting minorities: the journalist who is investigating a popular politician, the citizen who wishes to speak out against a government overreach, etc.

If this British guy cannot grasp this concept, perhaps he should go back to the UK and beg the Queen for protection.

[JamesP81]

We forcibly ejected the Brits from this country for a host of reasons. 245 years later, those reasons are just as valid now as they were then.