EIN GEDANKENEXPERIMENT

Here’s a little Gedankenexperiment for your perusal. Suppose firearms had never been invented. The American colonists waged their struggle for independence with motor vehicles, which were used to move troops from place to place, to spy on the enemy, and also as moving platforms from which to pelt the Redcoats with snowballs or stones. The British were similarly equipped, but could not match the Americans in development of ATVs, hence they won most regular engagements but were eventually worn down by irregular warfare in the backcountry. The 2nd Amendment then might read, “The right of the people to keep and operate motor vehicles shall not be infringed.” Would we then be arguing that it is unconstitutional to require that motor vehicles be registered, inspected and insured, that drivers should be licensed and periodically given written or road tests, that drunk driving should be legal, that red lights and stop signs are a violation of citizens’ rights? The details are different, but the logic seems the same.