Virginia Delegate Tom Garrett Jr. delivered an extended statement arguing that efforts to restrict firearms represent a fundamental misunderstanding of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the historical basis of self-defense, asserting that the right to bear arms is inherent and not granted by government.
Garrett framed his remarks around what he described as repeated misinterpretations of the Second Amendment and broader constitutional principles, opening by questioning the motivation behind gun control proposals.
“Why would a government wish to disarm law abiding citizens?” Garrett asked. “I asked AI, Mr. Speaker, if the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were reduced to 12 point font, single spaced, how many pages they would take up? The answer is 11. And so our founders were brilliant in their brevity, but alas, we torture and misinterpret those words as a result.”