History prof: Founders' intent of 2nd Amendment not to guarantee private gun ownership
An American University professor recently published a book in which he advocates to "repeal the Second Amendment."
Allan Lichtman compares the constitutional right to prohibition and says the NRA "hijacked" the Second Amendment.
At American University in Washington DC, a history professor recently wrote a book in which he advocates to “repeal the Second Amendment.”
Professor Allan J. Lichtman published his book, Repeal the Second Amendment: The Case for a Safer America, in January. It focuses on the perceived need to abolish the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Lichtman’s book acknowledges gun violence in America and asserts that “the real problem is that which gun control advocates fear to name: the Second Amendment.”
In an excerpt of the book published by MSNBC, the professor writes, “Repeal of the Second Amendment is not only right, but realistic.” He argues that the gun control movement would have an easier path were the Second Amendment repealed.
Lichtman’s also claims that America’s founders did not intend through the Second Amendment to guarantee gun ownership rights to individual Americans. Instead, Lichtman argues that “the NRA hijacked the Second Amendment.”
He claims that the National Rifle Association redefined the interpretation of the Second Amendment a few decades ago in order to gain profit from gun sales. Before this, Lichtman argues that the general intent of the Second Amendment was to cultivate a militia.
Lichtman includes a call to action, stating that “Americans who care about gun safety must now take it back [the Second Amendment].” He compares the potential to repeal the Second Amendment with the past repeal of prohibition.
“Repeal will take a concerted effort from Americans who are well briefed on the true history of the Second Amendment,” he writes.
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Lichtman has been named a Distinguished Professor of History by American University and has published other books, including The Case for Impeachment in 2017, which laid out Lichtman’s various arguments for the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
He was also a consultant for Sen. Ted Kennedy and presidential candidate Al Gore.
Campus Reform reached out to Lichtman for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.
Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @carolinefshaver
