If you read The Second Amendment carefully it is quite clear that it permits "the people", ie the State, to raise a militia in the country's defence. This because that, at the time the constitution was drawn up, there was no standing army. It is not a licence for private individuals to carry arms. Of course no one takes a blind bit of notice.
Thats incorrect. The Supreme Court has ruled that the right, which is part of the first ten ammendments incorporating the bill or rights, belongs to individuals. Ironically it was modelled on the UK bill of rights of 1689n which established the right of protestants to have arms for their defence. Ibn the UK that right has been taken away from us along with many other freedoms but not in the US. That said the right in the US is not unlimited and does not prevent state or national government regulating the issue. Many do regulate firearms, but not all.
As for why anyone would want to possess such weapons, the answer is the same as the reason anyone wants to possess 190 mph sports cars. Call it excitement, little boy syndrome, whatever.
The real puzzle to me is why anyone would do these mass shootings. What is the mentality / motive? Its just totally incomprehensible
