Splendid Isolation

Well, here we go again:

Rhode Island Democrat House members are pushing legislation to require Rhode Islanders to obtain a “Firearm Safety Training Certificate” prior to purchasing a gun.

The text of H 7755 requires the would-be buyer of a handgun to “Present to the person selling the firearm a valid firearm safety training certificate issued by the office of the attorney general.”

The text further states: “The firearm safety training certificate shall certify that the purchaser has completed and passed an approved basic firearm safety training course within the previous five (5) years.”

Of course, your initial reaction to this is going to be a snort of fury and the ensuing Red Curtain Of Blood coming impeding your vision — as was my initial reaction.

But then I started thinking.

Somebody remind me:  what does that Constitution thing say about guns?  Oh yeah (sing along with me):

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.

…and a damn fine piece of writing it is, too.

Now, for the benefit of the hoplophobes, let’s just get a few definitions out of the way.

“Regulated”, when it was written, did not mean “subject to laws and regulations” (as it might mean today).  Back then, “regulated” meant “trained”, as exemplified  by how several states used to mandate some kind of monthly military training (marching in step, learning to obey military commands, and so on).  That regulation also required learning proficiency in the use of firearms (and other military equipment, such as cannon).  We’ll get back to this in a moment.

“Militia”, also when it was written, did not mean the National Guard or anything like that, simply because the Guard hadn’t been invented yet.  A militia meant armed citizenry — and the United States Code goes on to define who constituted the armed citizenry as “every able-bodied man of at least 17 and under 45 years of age” (Teh Wimmens were added later, by the way).  And just so we’re all clear on the concept:  membership of the militia was compulsory.

So let’s take this proposal of the legislators of Rhode Island (lest we forget, one of the first states in the union) and make it comply with the spirit of the Constitution (because otherwise? it’s un-Constitutional).

• Install mandatory firearms training in the operation, safety and handling for all high school seniors. The only exclusions are students who have a conviction for a violent crime resulting in a juvenile criminal record.
• Certification must come from designated, qualified volunteer instructors (probably the sole reason for the NRA’s continued existence) who perform the function as a civic (i.e. unpaid) duty.
• A passing grade — 90% or better, because this is serious business (as opposed to English Lit., which isn’t) — will entitle the student to a state-certified proficiency license which will guarantee the holder the right to purchase any firearm, most definitely including “military” ones, after their eighteenth birthday.
• Re-certification must take place every five years until age 30 — once again, said service to be provided by volunteer agency and not the state — and after then at age 45 (kinda like how driver’s licenses require re-testing), whereupon the re-certification requirement ends.
• The proficiency certificate can be withdrawn only in the event the holder is convicted of a violent crime (any, not just firearms-related).

So, Rhode Island legislators (and others of the same ilk):  how about it?

And by the way:  this is an either/or choice:  either institute mandatory firearms training in high schools, or drop your current idea in the trash because it’s un-Constitutional.

Oh, and fuck you, all of you.