To the editor:

This is my response to the letter in the April 16 edition of The Portsmouth Times regarding gun rights (“Have lawmakers forgotten constitutional oath on guns?”). 

Why do most people only paraphrase the Second Amendment using “The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” If you’re going to quote the constitutional amendment, please use the whole of it, not just the sentence that supports your view. 

I believe the amendment states, “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.” I am a believer in the right of citizens to “keep and bear arms.” That being said, I also believe that means you have an obligation to your fellow citizens to “keep and bear arms” in a responsible manner. 

It is our elected governmental representatives’ duty to pass laws that ensure that gun owners are required to meet those obligations and responsibilities. If we didn’t have such laws, any citizen regardless of their mental or criminal history would be allowed to “keep and bear arms.”I don’t know about other people, but I personally don’t want that happening. To get a driver’s license, you need to pass both written and practical tests. Shouldn’t we hold gun owners to the same standard? 

When the Second Amendment was written, we as a nation didn’t really have a standing army, so militia was necessary for our common defense. While this is no longer true, we still have our rights. However, the beauty of our constitution is our ability to amend it as needed. The 19th Amendment for example. Gun ownership is our right but there are limits. For example, we are not allowed to have a flame-thrower or a Bazooka without having a special type of license. So, there are certain reasonable infringements on our right to own guns. All in all, while owning a gun is your right, it is also my right to make sure you are a responsible owner.

Michael Eyre

Portsmouth