Breaking Down the 27 Words of the Second Amendment

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/30/us/politics/second-amendment-explained.html

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The gun-control debate is one of the most contentious in American politics, pitting proponents of regulation against gun-rights advocates. Behind all of this is the Second Amendment.

“It’s only 27 words long,” said Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The New York Times. “But it is probably the most cryptic part of the United States Constitution.”

This video explainer breaks down those 27 words, teases out the two clauses that judges and scholars examine and looks at how the amendment is interpreted today.

In this video:

• Mr. Liptak has covered the Supreme Court for 10 years. Before that, he was a national legal correspondent, covering the law more generally. He joined The Times after practicing law for 14 years.

Background reading and watching:

• Trump Says Second Amendment ‘Will Never Be Repealed’

• Demonstrators Who Brought Guns and an Opposing Message: ‘Shoot Back’

• Trump’s Evolving Positions on Gun Issues

• Once Again, Push for Gun Control Collides With Political Reality

• 6 Stories and Charts to Help You Better Understand Gun Violence in the U.S.

From the opinion pages:

• John Paul Stevens, a retired Supreme Court justice, writes, Repeal the Second Amendment