New Book Debunks Spin on Second Amendment's Legal History
Robert J. Cottrol, a law and history professor, has published a book exploring the legal history of the Second Amendment. The work, released just after the Supreme Court's 2022 decision in the NRA-backed case New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, aims to debunk one-sided spin and deceits in gun-control politics.
Cottrol's interest in the Second Amendment began at age 12, sparked by watching 'The Diary of Anne Frank', reading 'Negroes with Guns' by Robert Williams, and learning about it in the Boy Scouts Handbook. He later joined the Army National Guard after college and picked up shooting as a sport during his graduate studies.
Cottrol sees parallels between the current resistance to the Supreme Court's Second Amendment decisions and the resistance to school integration in the 1950s. Justice Clarence Thomas' decision in Bruen restricted sensitive-place restrictions, but some jurisdictions like New York have broadened such restrictions. Cottrol notes that the Supreme Court only started incorporating rights, including the Second Amendment, to state and local governments in the early 20th century.
Gun control, Cottrol argues, has often been used to disenfranchise minority groups. His book explores this history and is timely, given the recent Supreme Court decision and the ongoing debate surrounding gun rights. Academics who previously held differing views, like Laurence Tribe, have revised their stances after reviewing scholarship on the topic.
Cottrol's book, published after the Bruen decision, provides a comprehensive look at the Second Amendment's history and the courts' interpretations. With ongoing debates and resistance to Supreme Court decisions, Cottrol believes his work is necessary to set the record straight and foster informed discussions about gun rights.
