There are many kinds of reasonable gun restrictions that would certainly survive a reasonable interpretation of the 2nd Amendment, like raising the age on assault weapon purchases from 18 to 21. Evidence suggests that simple act alone would have stood a good chance at stopping the 18-year-old Texas shooter.
Beyond that, the right-wing has just shown that serious and sustained political campaigns can change the meaning of the Constitution without any rewrites. The 14th Amendment was understood to protect a woman’s right to choose for 49 years — now that’s about to go away. Gun control advocates could achieve similar results over a timeline of 30-50 years if they’re prepared to relentlessly focus on the judiciary.
What would a conceptual reframing of the 2nd Amendment look like? Well, you could point to the evidence that shows the Framers intended it as a national security Amendment rather than conferring a personal right to a firearm. Citizens could be entitled to own guns if they volunteer or have volunteered for national service, for instance — but not if they have no demonstrated interest in or ability to defend the country.
