Why have a Second Amendment? W&M law professor discusses
Why have a Second Amendment? W&M Professor of Law Michael S. Green sat down with W&M News to discuss the theories behind the Second Amendment. Photo by Stephen Salpukas
The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: "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."
Such language has caused significant arguments between American citizens and law-makers alike as to the meaning of the amendment’s intention.
Woodbridge Professor of Law Michael S. Green recently sat down with William & Mary News for an extended discussion on the five theories behind having a Second Amendment.
“Why have a Second Amendment? Well, maybe there is no reason to have a Second Amendment,” said Green. “Maybe we should get rid of it. But given that we do have the Second Amendment, it’s a good idea to have a coherent theory about what it is for.”
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Green joined the William & Mary faculty in 2006, and his area of specialization focuses on civil procedure, constitutional law and the federal courts. He is the author of numerous articles and essays, including publications in the Duke Law Journal, the Michigan Law Review, the Northwestern University Law Review, Oxford Journal of Legal Studies and the Virginia Law Review.
