Rich Neel transitions into the drafting of the Second Amendment, spotlighting its carefully chosen language and enduring significance. He recites the full text, emphasizing key phrases like “a well-regulated militia” and “the right of the individual to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” Neel unpacks the deliberate wording, explaining how it reflects the balance between collective security and individual freedoms.

The founders, particularly James Madison, crafted the amendment to address both external threats and internal risks of tyranny. Neel explains that Madison’s focus was on ensuring individual resistance to oppression, while other framers emphasized the need for local militias to maintain a free state. By the time the Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791, these debates had shaped an amendment that would stand as a safeguard for liberty and independence.

Neel highlights how this foundational text has been both challenged and upheld over the centuries, serving as a litmus test for American values and governance. This section reinforces the Second Amendment’s role as a cornerstone of the Constitution, designed to empower individuals and protect against the overreach of power.