@freemo right on. And before someone posts the "well regulated militia" argument, the militia at that time was the able-bodied male population. The 2a is definitely about the general public being armed and trained to repel either invasion or tyranny.
If the Federal government wanted to take the 2a seriously, they should be expanding the Civilian Marksmanship Program and offering free rifle lessons in high school.
@mike805 The well regulated militia is clearly an exemplary clause and not a qualifying clause
@freemo also "the people"in the 2a definitely refers to the actual human beings living in this territory. So that quashes any "collective right" claim.
The use of "the people" to refer to some theoretical group right is really a Marxist invention. The founders said what they meant and meant what they said.
@freemo @lmrocha @mike805
Maybe it is not ***the*** problem but it surely is ***a*** problem. We can argue about priorities, but I believe a well-regulated ecosystem of gun clubs with proper shooting ranges, competitions, and other social events may go a long way in easing the violence, especially among younger people.