University of Utah, S.J. Quinney College of Law Jefferson B. Fordham Debate

This past Thursday, I was delighted to participate in the 36th Annual Jefferson B. Fordham Debate at the University of Utah, S.J. Quinney College of Law in Salt Lake City.

The topic of the debate was: “Be it resolved that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms should be limited to the home.”

My debate counterpart was George Mocsary, Professor of Law at the University of Wyoming, co-author of the casebook Firearms Law and the Second Amendment: Regulation, Rights, and Policy, and a guest blogger on this site.

There was an impressive turnout, with more than four hundred people signed up for the event -- one of the largest crowds for the Fordham debate, I am told.   From what I could see (and from the character of the questions) there was a mix of strong gun-rights supporters, strong gun-safety advocates, and people just curious to learn more about the topic.

Our moderator, Professor RonNell Andersen Jones is an old friend from my days in practice, and handled her job with characteristic brilliance.   Her goal, as she mentioned in this news story, was to allow the community to engage in a difficult discussion on a highly emotional topic with civility and thought, and I think that George and I were able to deliver.

The debate and Q & A afterward were recorded, and are available here.