When witnessing discussions of gun control I am amazed by the legions of constitutional scholars that come out of the woodwork. Those advocating an unconditional right to any arms demonstrate a profound ignorance of the Second Amendment.

The Supreme Court has been reluctant to hear many Second Amendment cases, recognizing that there are some circumstances that require regulation. For example, the late Justice Antonin Scalia and current Justice Samuel Alito have stated that firearm infringement is appropriate in some circumstance, such as for felons, the mentally ill, schools, government buildings, and courtrooms. Ownership of automatic weapons, armor-piercing ammunition, shotgun magazines, grenade launchers, explosives, and functional artillery is infringed by federal law. The Gun Control Act prohibits the possession or ownership of firearms by felons, fugitives, addicts, the mentally ill, immigrants in the country illegally, persons subject to a restraining order, and persons convicted of domestic violence or a misdemeanor.

The Second Amendment was drafted by the founding fathers for minutemen with muskets in order to maintain an army. They could have not contemplated the killing machines readily available today.

The times, they need some changing.

Harold Nilsson

Litchfield