It was nice of Jay Miller, director of the ACLU of Illinois, to interpret for everyone what the 2nd Amendment means (Oct. 14). He states there is only a constitutional right for a state to maintain “a well-regulated militia” and, by this simplistic interpretation, determines there is no right for individuals to own arms.
Never mind that the phrase “well-regulated militia” has been interpreted by many to mean the citizenry, since everyone was in the militia at that time. Never mind that constitutional scholars and courts, including the Supreme Court, have found the 2nd Amendment to be upheld and the right to gun ownership consistently supported.
I wish Miller would do us the same favor in interpreting the 1st Amendment. For example, it declares the government shall not establish a religion. Using his approach, there should be no question prayers can be said in school since there was nothing specifically said against it.
However, when it comes to 1st Amendment interpretation, he, the ACLU and other left-wing extremists have read all types of things into it, not only involving church and state but also in pornography in the freedom of speech section, all the way to protecting the burning of the American flag.
I would have more confidence in Miller and the ACLU if they had the same consistency when interpreting the 2nd Amendment as they do the 1st.
