In very few places has the syntax of a sentence caused more excitement, passion, hatred, and hyperbole than the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights.
"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."
Is the militia a limitation on who gets guns? The people an afterthought? Or, is it the other way around and the militia is the less important of the two?
In his new book, "The Second Amendment: A Biography," Michael Waldman, who moonlights as the president of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU's school of law, traces the evolution of thought on the Second Amendment, and how it has changed over time.
The absolute right of having a gun, argues Waldman, hasn't always been the mindset of America.
Guest:
- Michael Waldman, author of "The Second Amendment: A Biography"
*This is the second segment in the July 17 edition of The Source, which airs at 3 p.m. on KSTX 89.1 FM. Audio from this show will be posted by 5:30 p.m.
