Let's take a look at the true meaning
of the 2nd amendment, shall we?
“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.”
“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, ...” - this, despite what gun-grabbers will say, is not the main part of the 2nd amendment. Truth be told, there's really not much reason for this to even be part of the amendment, except to explain that the “militia” was made up of all free, able-bodied men (to the Lurking LiberTrolls, that would be We the People), as is shown in the 2008 Supreme Court decision in District of Columbia v. Heller.
“... the right of the people (there We are again) to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” this IS the main part of the 2nd amendment. There is no possible way to misinterpret this *unless* you have an agenda. The Framers were incredibly brilliant in their use of the word “Arms” - they understood that advancements would be made in the field of firearms. If you read the words of the people who actually wrote the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, you'll see that it was their intention to ensure the people (that's US, LiberTrolls) were on an equal footing with any military, from any country, including our own.
I'd prefer you look them up yourselves and make up your own mind, but here's a few pertinent ones. The first three quotes are the ones I believe most thoroughly destroy the “militia” argument.
"Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom of Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any bands of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the United States" (Noah Webster in `An Examination into the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution', 1787, a pamphlet aimed at swaying Pennsylvania toward ratification, in Paul Ford, ed., Pamphlets on the Constitution of the United States, at 56(New York, 1888))
"I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for few public officials." (George Mason, 3 Elliot, Debates at 425-426)
"The Constitution shall never be construed....to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms" (Samuel Adams, Debates and Proceedings in the Convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 86-87)
"Americans have the right and advantage of being armed - unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." (James Madison, The Federalist Papers #46 at 243-244)
"Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation. . . Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several kingdoms of Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." (James Madison, author of the Bill of Rights, in Federalist Paper No. 46.)
"...but if circumstances should at any time oblige the government to form an army of any magnitude, that army can never be formidable to the liberties of the people, while there is a large body of citizens, little if at all inferior to them in discipline and use of arms, who stand ready to defend their rights..." (Alexander Hamilton speaking of standing armies in Federalist 29.)
"The strongest reason for people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." -- (Thomas Jefferson)
"No Free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." (Thomas Jefferson, Proposal Virginia Constitution, 1 T. Jefferson Papers, 334,[C.J.Boyd, Ed., 1950])
These are but a few of the quotes from this nation's Founders, detailing the PEOPLE'S right to keep and bear arms. There is no “redefining” it, there's no quibbling about the militia. *WE* are the militia, even today. That may make some people uncomfortable, but their discomfort doesn't make it any less true.
What I really want to know, gun-grabbers, is why you feel that every other right enumerated in the Bill of Rights is an individual right except the “right to keep and bear arms.” The meaning of the word “people” doesn't vary throughout the rest of the document. Why is it only different in this circumstance? ~ Hunter
“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.”
“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, ...” - this, despite what gun-grabbers will say, is not the main part of the 2nd amendment. Truth be told, there's really not much reason for this to even be part of the amendment, except to explain that the “militia” was made up of all free, able-bodied men (to the Lurking LiberTrolls, that would be We the People), as is shown in the 2008 Supreme Court decision in District of Columbia v. Heller.
“... the right of the people (there We are again) to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” this IS the main part of the 2nd amendment. There is no possible way to misinterpret this *unless* you have an agenda. The Framers were incredibly brilliant in their use of the word “Arms” - they understood that advancements would be made in the field of firearms. If you read the words of the people who actually wrote the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, you'll see that it was their intention to ensure the people (that's US, LiberTrolls) were on an equal footing with any military, from any country, including our own.
I'd prefer you look them up yourselves and make up your own mind, but here's a few pertinent ones. The first three quotes are the ones I believe most thoroughly destroy the “militia” argument.
"Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom of Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any bands of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the United States" (Noah Webster in `An Examination into the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution', 1787, a pamphlet aimed at swaying Pennsylvania toward ratification, in Paul Ford, ed., Pamphlets on the Constitution of the United States, at 56(New York, 1888))
"I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for few public officials." (George Mason, 3 Elliot, Debates at 425-426)
"The Constitution shall never be construed....to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms" (Samuel Adams, Debates and Proceedings in the Convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 86-87)
"Americans have the right and advantage of being armed - unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." (James Madison, The Federalist Papers #46 at 243-244)
"Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation. . . Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several kingdoms of Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." (James Madison, author of the Bill of Rights, in Federalist Paper No. 46.)
"...but if circumstances should at any time oblige the government to form an army of any magnitude, that army can never be formidable to the liberties of the people, while there is a large body of citizens, little if at all inferior to them in discipline and use of arms, who stand ready to defend their rights..." (Alexander Hamilton speaking of standing armies in Federalist 29.)
"The strongest reason for people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." -- (Thomas Jefferson)
"No Free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." (Thomas Jefferson, Proposal Virginia Constitution, 1 T. Jefferson Papers, 334,[C.J.Boyd, Ed., 1950])
These are but a few of the quotes from this nation's Founders, detailing the PEOPLE'S right to keep and bear arms. There is no “redefining” it, there's no quibbling about the militia. *WE* are the militia, even today. That may make some people uncomfortable, but their discomfort doesn't make it any less true.
What I really want to know, gun-grabbers, is why you feel that every other right enumerated in the Bill of Rights is an individual right except the “right to keep and bear arms.” The meaning of the word “people” doesn't vary throughout the rest of the document. Why is it only different in this circumstance? ~ Hunter
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