The Right to Bear Arms and Rock Out: The Second Amendment’s Influence on Music
The Second Amendment has sparked significant conflict, but no matter what side of the debate you’re on, you can’t deny the impact of the right to bear arms on our culture.
As part of 101.9 FM WDET’s Book Club, we’re inviting the Detroit region to examine and discuss the text that impacts every resident of the United States: The Constitution. Whether you’re revisiting the documents or reading them for the first time, join us in reading along and engaging in civil conversations with your community.
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Actual tangible items are largely missing from the Bill of Rights.
While speech, press, assembly and religion are crucial concepts, they are just concepts; you can’t go to the speech store and buy some speech. The right to throw soldiers out of your house or protection against search and seizure are important, but still concepts.
Arguably, the most tangible right in the Bill of Rights is the Second Amendment:
“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.”
Curious that 27 words have sparked so much conflict, but no matter what side of the debate you’re on, you can’t deny the impact of the right to bear arms on our culture.
There are tons of guns in popular music. In fact, after love and sex and cars, guns turn up in American songs with alarming frequency. But it’s something that dominates our culture, so it’s no surprise it dominates musical culture as well.
Click the audio player above to hear Rob’s picks for songs representing the Second Amendment.
Listen to the full playlist:
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