: IS THERE A RIGHT TO OWN A GUN?
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IS THERE A RIGHT TO OWN A GUN? (Thanx to Don Kates)
http://home.sprynet.com/~owl1/guncontrol.htm
ABSTRACT: Individuals have a prima facie right to own firearms. This
right is significant in view both of the role that such ownership plays
in the lives of firearms enthusiasts and of the self-defense value of
firearms. Nor is this right overridden by the social harms of private
gun ownership. These harms have been greatly exaggerated and are
probably considerably smaller than the benefits of private gun
ownership. And I argue that the harms would have to be at least several
times greater than the benefits in order to render gun prohibition
permissible.
MORE FROM DON KATES:
One of my correspondents sent me an article by my friend & co-author (on
another topic), Randy Barnett. My correspondent asked whether I thought
Randy is "right." Of course he is right in his analysis of what the
opinion says. But I am a very pessimistic old man, and so am very
pessimistic about honest and consistent judicial following of the
opinion in the future. And my predictive ability is almost unmatched
even by Nostradamus. For instance, I predicted the 9/11 tragedy as long
ago as 1951.
Nonetheless, as usual, Randy is interesting, insightful and interesting
to read. Of course, to be a Libertarian like Randy one has to be either
incurably optimistic or a masochist.
======================================
The Second Amendment Police Department
www.2ampd.net
ADVERTISEMENT
IS THERE A RIGHT TO OWN A GUN? (Thanx to Don Kates)
http://home.sprynet.com/~owl1/guncontrol.htm
ABSTRACT: Individuals have a prima facie right to own firearms. This
right is significant in view both of the role that such ownership plays
in the lives of firearms enthusiasts and of the self-defense value of
firearms. Nor is this right overridden by the social harms of private
gun ownership. These harms have been greatly exaggerated and are
probably considerably smaller than the benefits of private gun
ownership. And I argue that the harms would have to be at least several
times greater than the benefits in order to render gun prohibition
permissible.
MORE FROM DON KATES:
One of my correspondents sent me an article by my friend & co-author (on
another topic), Randy Barnett. My correspondent asked whether I thought
Randy is "right." Of course he is right in his analysis of what the
opinion says. But I am a very pessimistic old man, and so am very
pessimistic about honest and consistent judicial following of the
opinion in the future. And my predictive ability is almost unmatched
even by Nostradamus. For instance, I predicted the 9/11 tragedy as long
ago as 1951.
Nonetheless, as usual, Randy is interesting, insightful and interesting
to read. Of course, to be a Libertarian like Randy one has to be either
incurably optimistic or a masochist.
======================================
The Second Amendment Police Department
www.2ampd.net