Halbrook: 'Second Amendment first'
Toolbox
By SARAH HINCKLEY Staff writer - Published: September 21, 2008
BARRE – As a young lawyer more than 20 years ago, Stephen Halbrook was published in the Vermont Law Review.
Saturday afternoon, he was in the Green Mountain State to promote his latest book, "The Founders' Second Amendment: Origins of the Right to Bear Arms."
At the Barre Fish and Game Club, standing among an assortment of game heads, with an occasional gunshot sounding in the background, Halbrook spoke of his law career that has focused on upholding the second amendment of the United States Constitution – the people's right to bear arms.
"Second Amendment first, and right of the people, not the power of the state," said Halbrook. "I have never understood the parts of this amendment that are so contradictory."
Based in Virginia, Halbrook's national career includes three cases tried before the U.S. Supreme Court – all decided in his favor. He was the lawyer who crafted the "friend of the court brief" in the D.C. vs. Heller case, which was filed by 250 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, 55 United States senators and Vice President Dick Cheney, who signed on as the president of the Senate.
"One of the senators that signed it was John McCain; we couldn't quite convince Senator Obama to sign it," said Halbrook, to the crowd made up of representatives from hunting and gun clubs around the state. "In this free country of ours you have the right to bear arms. There's no limit to the number."
Halbrook pointed out that Vermont has the oldest right to hunt amendment. His career includes working with other states toward adopting a similar amendment. Gun owners in Vermont are not required to have a license to carry their firearms.
"You've got a wonderful state, as far as traditions," said Halbrook, who addressed the crowd following at least seven candidates campaigning for local and state offices. "I'm not actually running for anything in this state … Your state is different in that there are a lot of people who call themselves so-called leftists and they still believe in the right to bear arms."
Halbrook fielded questions from members of the crowd, who asked about political leaders, different laws at the national and local level, justices in the U.S. Supreme Court, key issues in the upcoming election season and who supports the Second Amendment at the national level.
"The more we take the labels off the Second Amendment, the better off we'll be," said Trevor Lewis, a member of the audience. "This is an individual right, no party owns it, no conservative, no liberal owns it."
Diligence is needed, Halbrook and members of the audience both pointed out, in preserving a right granted the citizens of the United States by the founding fathers when they crafted the U.S. Constitution.
"I think there's also reason for optimism," said Halbrook, before signing copies of his book. "We've got the right to carry in the overwhelming majority (44) of the states."
Contact Sarah Hinckley at sarah.hinckley@timesargus.com.
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