No shot against the government

Editor,

While “Thankful for Second Amendment” M. Flemming writes (Letters, Tuesday) that it protects us from tyranny and that armed citizens could have overthrown repressive governments in Iran, North Korea and Venezuela. Accordingly, Americans should be well-armed if our government becomes tyrannical. I think he’s wrong and advise him to actually read the amendment and subsequent Militia Acts. Unless we possess arsenals that match those of our armed forces, namely high-powered fully-automatic weapons, shoulder-fired missiles, anti-tank guns and more, we wouldn’t stand a chance. In fact, a revolt by mostly untrained civilians would result in a horrendous bloodbath. Moreover, the 1792 Militia Act requires the president to mobilize state militias “in case of an insurrection in any state, against the government.” So, if Mr. Fleming thinks his guns will allow him to resist a tyrannical government by insurrection, he’ll be facing the National Guard whose constitutional duty is to prevent precisely such an insurrection.