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A Modest Proposal

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We must, finally, take effective steps to end gun violence:

I’m proposing that we campaign to reduce gun violence, and to meet our constitutional duty, by requiring that every member of the militia — which, of course, we’ll redefine to eliminate the obvious sexism and make it all adults — must own at least one long gun, one handgun, and 1,000 rounds of ammunition for each, or pay an annual $1,000 tax for failing to do so. As I pointed out the last time I brought this up, the Supreme Court’s decision on Obamacare makes it clear that it’s constitutional to require people to buy a product, so that shouldn’t be a problem. And, federal law would override the local laws in rogue cities like Chicago that prevent members of the militia from fulfilling their constitutional duty.

They can no longer be sanctuary cities from the 2nd Amendment.

13 thoughts on “A Modest Proposal”

  1. A $1,000 fine for skipping militia duty is awfully steep. Here it is a $20 fine or an equivalent value in furniture. Shakers were consientious objectors who made great chairs, so we wrote that in.

    1. A couple years ago some Swiss complained that the government was taking back the free ammo that everybody was supposed to use as they fought their way to their assigned rally points. Militia members are still supposed to keep a small supply of ammunition, but were supposed to purchase it themselves.

  4. >must own at least one long gun, one handgun, and 1,000 rounds of ammunition for each, or pay an annual $1,000 tax for failing to do so.<

    Oh good the government knows who has guns and where. Sad.

      1. Actually, under this proposal, the government will know who admits to not having a weapon – the people that pay the “tax”.

    2. Look on the bright side. If the names of those where had to pay the $1000 tax were published in the local paper the criminals would then know those who don’t have guns and leave the rest of us alone.

  6. I agree with the need to redo 10 U.S. Code § 246. Militia: composition and classes. It should not only include women, but there should be no upper limit on the age of the “unorganized militia.” During the 1788 Virginia [Constitutional] Ratifying Convention, George Mason said that he was asked who the militia were. His answer was “They consist now of the whole people, except a few public officers.” That was his preference, that everyone regardless of social standing be considered part of the militia.

    However, I don’t like the idea of forcing people into it. Nor do I think it necessary. It would be easy to establish a nationwide program of public outreach to offer firearms safety and use training to anyone who wanted it, even if they couldn’t afford it. People today might be astonished at how eager the young are to learn these things. I used to shoot at the NRA headquarters range in Fairfax VA (and still do when I need remedial training), and now do so at Elite Shooting Sports in Manassas VA. Both places are almost always packed with young people. Every race is represented proportionately, as are both sexes. The girls seem to be especially delighted with learning how to handle firearms.

    The NRA does do things like this, but a concerted nationwide outreach, perhaps funded by crowd sourcing, would be a big success IMHO. Especially in urban areas, where people are getting slaughtered by criminals who will always get guns, but whose law-abiding have no access to guns for self-defense. It would go a long way toward changing the laws to favor gun ownership if more people were familiar with firearms. The situation today is that people who are unfamiliar with them are afraid of them.

    1. It should not only include women, but there should be no upper limit on the age of the “unorganized militia.”

      Currently, there’s no way the Democrats would pass anything that implies there are only two genders.

      We’re living in the crazy years.

      1. Yeah, I had the same thought as I wrote that. It’s crazy how stupid we have allowed ourselves to become.

    2. “The NRA does do things like this, but a concerted nationwide outreach, perhaps funded by crowd sourcing, would be a big success IMHO.”

      That’s what the NRA CMP is all about:

      CMP = Civilian Marksmanship Program:

      The CMP is a federally chartered 501(c)(3) corporation that places its highest priority on serving youth through gun safety and marksmanship activities that encourage personal growth and build life skills.

      Statutory mission:

      The federal law enacted in 1996 (Title 36 U. S. Code, 40701-40733) that created the Corporation for the Promotion of Rifle Practice and Firearms Safety, Inc. (CPRPFS, the formal legal name of the CMP) mandates these key “functions for the corporation:

      To instruct citizens of the United States in marksmanship;
      To promote practice and safety in the use of firearms;
      To conduct competitions in the use of firearms and to award trophies, prizes, badges, and other insignia to competitors.

      The law specifically states: In carrying out the Civilian Marksmanship Program, the corporation shall give priority to activities that benefit firearms safety, training, and competition for youth and that reach as many youth participants as possible.

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