Ed, look at the Supreme Court 5-3 decision yesterday about abortion in Texas. And what I was quoted above: "Sure, we hold our constitutions dearly to our ideals but pro- and anti-gun control advocates use them to support opposing positions. Some of us are comforted by references to our constitutions although the evidence shows clearly that societies make of them what they will."

The Texas analogy of what states do and can't do with those "20,000 gun laws" and "inalienable rights" would seem to apply to Vermont and New York--- until the Supreme Court comes along and arbitrates on their constitutionality, finding pro and anti depending on Court and public points of view. Short answer: I don't know. The Court surprises me more often than not.