This upcoming book from American University distinguished professor of history Allan J. Licthman will have members of the Civilian Disarmament Industrial Complex camped out in front of book stores and repeatedly hitting the ‘BUY NOW’ at Amazon in anxious anticipation of having their world view reinforced.
Why has America lagged behind the democratic world in protecting its citizens from needless death and injury? The culprit is not spending by the NRA on campaigns and lobbying, which other pressure groups exceed. The real problem is that which gun control advocates fear to name: the Second Amendment. Led by the NRA, the gun lobby exploits a historically defective, perverse reinvention of this amendment to inspire their grassroots supporters, sell guns, and provide constitutional cover for their opposition to making us safer by regulating firearms.
The competing movement for gun control has floundered in response to the gun lobby’s triumphant marketing of the Second Amendment. Gun control advocates have righteous zeal and noble motives but lack a winning strategy. Instead of forthrightly refuting the lobby’s bogus claims, the gun control movement has instead fallen into the trap of lamely insisting, “We support the Second Amendment, but we also support responsible gun control.” With such a self-defeating strategy, the movement can never win. It plays on the gun lobby’s home turf and fails to rally the American majority that favors stricter firearms regulations. It provokes only scorn from a gun lobby that dismisses “yes, but” assurances as rank hypocrisy. And it ignores the clear history and the true meaning of the Second Amendment itself.
The movement for gun control must strike hard with a new strategy. Repeal of the Second Amendment is not only right, but realistic. It would break open the political logjam and open a path for the comprehensive, national gun control and safety measures that have eluded the American people for so long. None of these measures would confiscate firearms or stop Americans from using guns for hunting, sports shooting, antique collecting, or legitimate self-defense.
– Allan J. Lichtman in Repeal the Second Amendment: The Case for a Safer America