The Second Amendment
Covenant Circle Session
Greenville Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Opening Reading
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. ~The 2nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States
Chalice Lighting: “Here we are, together in this space. By our love and by our covenant, we make this
a holy place. We light the chalice of Unitarian Universalism in honor of the light that lives in each of us,
the light that shines among us, and the light we bring into the world.”
Check In:
Readings from the Common Bowl: Participants draw quotes from the bowl and take turns reading
them. Pass if you wish.
Questions for sharing and discussion: (The questions are meant to get you thinking and talking, not to
control how the discussion goes.)
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What do you think about guns?
The founding fathers believed it was important for citizens to be allowed to arm themselves.
How armed should ordinary citizens have a right to be?
How do you think gun control legislation would affect the amount of gun violence we see in the
US?
What gun laws do you think would be sensible and enforceable?
How do your UU values influence your opinions about owning and using guns?
First Sharing: No cross talk--Everyone has a chance to talk once before anyone talks twice. (When it is
your turn to speak, say whatever you wish related to the topic. You can respond to one of the quotes
or questions or tell about something you are thinking. When others are speaking, do not respond with
words. Just listen deeply and take in what they are saying without thinking how you want to react.)
Silence: After everyone has spoken, sit quietly together for a minute or two. Just breathe, and collect
your thoughts.
Second Sharing and Discussion: During this time, everyone shares freely, enlarging on and reacting to
others’ ideas. However, be careful not to interrupt or finish people’s sentences. Remember to use “I”
language—say only what the discussion brings up in your own self. It is usually not appropriate to give
advice or make value judgments about what others have said. Facilitators will be mindful of process,
making sure that everyone has the opportunity to speak.
Announcements and Planning: When the time is almost up, the facilitator will gently end the
discussion, and direct everyone’s attention to announcements about upcoming events and planning.
Check out: What are you taking away from this discussion? And how would you like us to think about
you until our next session?
Readings:
The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights
that protects the right to keep and bear arms. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, along with the
rest of the Bill of Rights. The right to bear arms predates the Bill of Rights; the Second Amendment
was based partially on the right to bear arms in English common-law. This right was described by
Blackstone as an accompanying right, supporting the natural rights of self-defense, resistance to
oppression, and the civic duty to act in concert in defense of the state. ~Wikipedia
This battle for 'common-sense' gun control laws pits emotion and passion against logic and reason. All
too often in such a contest, logic loses. So, expect more meaningless, if not harmful, 'gun control'
legislation. Good news - if you're a crook. ~Larry Elder
Gun control means being able to hit your target. If I have a 'hot button' issue, this is definitely it. Don't
even think about taking my guns. My rights are not negotiable, and I am totally unwilling to
compromise when it comes to the Second Amendment.
~Michael Badnarik
“The rifle itself has no morals, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for
evil purposes, but there are more good men than evil, and while the evil men cannot be persuaded to
the good by propaganda, they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles.”
― Jeff Cooper, Art of the Rifle
Americans have the right and advantage of being armed - unlike the citizens of other countries whose
governments are afraid to trust the people with arms. -- James Madison, The Federalist Papers
"Nothing reassures parents more than surrounding their kids with the kind of guys who have a lot of
weapons and nothing to do on weekdays." –Stephen Colbert on putting armed guards in schools
"No one's taking away ALL the guns. But I see what's happening. So this is what it is. Their paranoid
fear of a possible dehumanized and fearful future prevents us from addressing our actual dehumanized
and fearful present. We can't even begin to address 30,000 gun deaths that are actually, in reality,
happening in this country every year because a few of us must remain vigilant against the rise of
imaginary Hitler." ~Jon Stewart on The Daily Show