Heather Cox Richardson’s news of the day: March 23, 2021…

What does it mean to “bear arms”?

The entire 2nd amendment is a single sentence “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.” At the time, the phrase “bear arms” meant to be part of an organized militia.

So does “bearing arms” apply to individuals? The Tennessee Supreme Court said no. In 1840, it wrote: “A man in the pursuit of deer, elk, and buffaloes might carry his rifle every day for forty years, and yet it would never be said of him that he had borne arms; much less could it be said that a private citizen bears arms because he has a dirk or pistol concealed under his clothes, or a spear in a cane.”

So where did we get today’s claim that the 2nd Amendment gives individuals a broad right to own and carry guns? Answer: From the NRA.

Here’s a brief history:

1871:
- NRA is formed to teach marksmanship for military use, and for sport
- NRA runs tournaments with big cash prizes
- Lots of rifle clubs are formed to compete for the prizes

1920:
- Rifle shooting is a popular sport, and Olympic event

1925:
- NRA secretary is fired and sued for taking payoffs from gun/ammo
manufacturers
- NRA says criminals and mentally ill people should not own guns

1931:
- NRA supports laws to limit concealed weapons, prevent possession by
criminals, the mentally ill and children, to require all dealers to
be licensed, and to require background checks before delivery

1934:
- NRA supports National Firearms Act

1968:
- NRA supports Gun Control Act

And then things changed…

1975:
- A faction of the NRA forces the entire NRA to form a PAC and change
focus from gun sports to gun rights
- NRA embraces the politics of “Movement Conservatism”, to fight business
regulations and social welfare programs
- NRA portrays itself as white American cowboy fighting socialism
- TV shows appear, showing good guys shooting bad guys with no sheriff,
law enforcement, or government involved
- Reagan changes Republican Party platform. Was against cheap handguns.
Now opposed gun control and gun registration.
- NRA endorses Reagan — the 1st presidential candidate it ever endorsed
- NRA funds legal scholars to argue, for the 1st time, that the 2nd
Amendment guarantee individuals the right to own and carry guns

1981:
- James Brady is shot by a gunman trying to kill Reagan
- Reagan supports proposed Brady Bill (“Brady Handgun Violence
Prevention Act”) to require background checks
- NRA spends millions of dollars to defeat it

1993:
- Brady Bill passes and becomes law
- NRA funds lawsuits in 9 states to try to strike it down
- NRA gets millions of dollars from gun/ammo manufacturers

1997:
- NRA lawyers argue against Brady Bill before the Supreme Court
and get parts of it struck down.

2000:
- NRA is 1 of the 3 most powerful lobbies in DC

2008:
- NRA gives over $40 million to Republican candidates
- NRA lawyers get Supreme Court to strike down gun regulations and say
the 2nd Amendment DOES give individuals the right to own and carry guns

2012:
- NRA gives over $9 million to Republican candidates

2014:
- NRA gives over $13 million to Republican candidates

2016:
- NRA gives over $30 million to Trump, his largest single donor,
$10 million more than his own super PAC raises for him
- NRA gives over $20 million to other Republican candidates

Sounds to me like a good argument for campaign finance reform…

See:
- https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/march-23-2021

— Fred