LogFAQs > #967606342

I think it's poorly phrased, and even some people at the time thought so, so I don't think that's unreasonable of me. I much prefer:

Constitution of Virginia
Article I. Bill of Rights
Section 13. Militia; standing armies; military subordinate to civil power
That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state, therefore, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.

Quite a few state constitutions have just flat-out "better" versions of the 2nd amendment, imo.

And I would add in a caveat almost word for word from the 13th amendment:

"except as a punishment for (violent) crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted"

No guarantee of armament rights for abusers, rapists, etc (basically the people most likely to go on murder sprees). Certainly a less egregious form of rights restrictions of felons than the forced labor the 13th amendment permits, and this one actually serves the purpose of harm reduction.