Bill Dunkel: Parsing the Second Amendment

Editor’s note: This commentary is by Bill Dunkel, of Windham, who is a retired teacher, coach and high school principal.
It is well known that the Founding Fathers opposed “standing” (i.e. permanent, professional) armies. History had shown over and over that armies often became the tools of tyrants. Instead, the Founders preferred to rely upon the militia to defend the state against its enemies, domestic and foreign. To cite but one example among many, Alexander Hamilton wrote