Read-In: The 2nd Amendment

This will be a donation-based event and every dollar will be donated to Black Lives Matter.

In our search for meaningful channels to direct our outrage and grief over mass shootings and gun violence, many of us have rightfully focused on the NRA and its campaign contributions to lawmakers. However, it is important to remember that the bulk of the NRA’s spending does not flow directly to legislators’ pocketbooks/elections, but rather to massive media campaigns designed to manipulate public opinion.

Thus, while we should continue to hold individual politicians accountable, we must also reckon with the possibility that the NRA’s political influence will not wane as long as their message dominates our discourse. In this spirit, we invite you to participate in a Think Olio Read-In of the 2nd Amendment.

Most Americans are aware of the somewhat murky wording of the clause, as it veers between individual rights and arming state militias. However, any discussion of the 2nd Amendment that does not include a broader analysis of the original purpose of the Bill of Rights, as well as the significance of the 14th Amendment will be lacking and misguided. Most Americans are simply unaware that original intention of the Bills of Rights was not to protect individuals’ freedoms. Moreover, our debate over gun ownership must include a deep understanding of how slavery played a role in shaping constitutional law. Through a close reading of the 2nd and 14th Amendments, along with excerpts from the Anti-Federalist papers, we will take on the task of informing ourselves in an effort to change the misinformed public discourse over the right to bear arms.