Dobbs Ferry, February 17, 2008, President’s Day
Another senseless act of gun violence torn out the heart of America last week. A lone gunman opened fire at Northern Illinois University and killed five innocent students, wounding 7 others. It is reported that the gunman didn’t know any of the deceased or wounded and was not settling a grudge. The gunman apparently had stopped taking his medication and started acting eratically. In the view of this author, the gunman’s name and ethicity are irrelevant and should not be reported by the media lest copycats think that similar acts will gain them notoriety.
Northern Illinois University is another example of how individuals do not have an inalieinable right given to them by their creator to bear arms.
There are two ways to amendment the US Constitution and repeal the Second Amendment:.
To quote the entry in wikipedia, "Article Five describes the process necessary to amend the Constitution. It establishes two methods of proposing amendments: by Congress or by a national convention requested by the states. Under the first method, Congress can propose an amendment by a two-thirds vote (of a quorum, not necessarily of the entire body) of the Senate and of the House of Representatives. Under the second method, two-thirds (2/3) of the state legislatures may convene and "apply" to Congress to hold a national convention, whereupon Congress must call such a convention for the purpose of considering amendments. As of 2008, only the first method (proposal by Congress) has been used.
Once proposed—whether submitted by Congress or by a national convention—amendments must then be ratified by three-fourths (3/4) of the states to take effect. Article Five gives Congress the option of requiring ratification by state legislatures or by special conventions assembled in the states. The convention method of ratification has been used only once (to approve the 21st Amendment). Article Five currently places only one limitation on the amending power—that no amendment can deprive a state of its equal representation in the Senate without that state’s consent (limitations regarding slavery and taxation having expired in 1808).
So write, email, shout at and petition your Senators, your Congress person, your Governor, your State Senator and your State Assemby person and tell them that there is a new litmus test. Either publically support the repeal of the Second Amendment or lose my vote.
Here is a list of representatives for my home town, Dobbs Ferry, Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Charles Schumer, Representative Nina Lowey; Governor Eliot Spritzer State Senator Andrea Stewart Cousins and State Assemblyman Richard Brodsky.