A Key Case on Gun Control
In a landmark case, the Supreme Court considers just how far the Second Amendment's freedoms go
Reader Comments
2nd Amendment
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"
Having the Equipment and training necessary for use of said equipment.
"Militia"
Citizens ordinarily, soldiers occasionally. Title 10 has definition for militia, has already been included in other posts. Not specifically the National Guard, since it had yet to be created.
"being necessary to the security of a free State"
As opposed to a tyrannical State or Dictatorship or whatever.
"the right of the people to keep and bear Arms"
These same people that have the right to peaceable assembly, religion... Rights are not created by the Constitution or Bill of Rights. They predate the Constitution and a few are enumerated in the Bill of Rights to remind the Government that they are there, just in case the Government forgets their place in the order of things.
"shall not be infringed. "
?????
Did I miss something?
Former Cop DKPD
I am amazed at how blind Americans are in terms of gun control. A person is smart, people are stupid. In current ad campaigns of tougher gun control laws, where I live (Chicago) you cannot own one. How much tougher do you get? Now, look at the flip side, how many crimes committed with a firearm are committed by individuals that lawfully posses them? .000000000001%
Well what about Mall Shooters? What about them or those that go nuts in school. Parents- DO A BETTER JOB. Hell, I still recall gun racks in trucks when I was in school 20 years ago. WTF Happened?! BAD and SINGLE PARENTING.
To feel that tougher laws will make it more difficult is not only illogical, but inherently flawed as the criminals do not lawfully posses these weapons and the ones that loose are law abiding citizens. I am not stating "all Americans get to carry a gun". However, take a look at FL. You have to take a comepentency course and field eval before license is granted. It is a unique situation to stand before a judge charged with an unlawful possession of a firearm in the course of defending yourself. "Well your honor, I am only here alive because I broke the law".
"For most of American history, courts have interpreted the Second Amendment to apply to the collective right...."
Only if "most of American history" has taken palce in the last three or four decades. The collectivist interpretation was unknown in the 18th and 19th centuries, unknown to Justice Story, Noah Webster and Blackstone. It was also unknown to James Madison, Thomas Jefferson and quite a few others who lived before the socialist awakening.
Gun Control
Traffic crashes kill roughly 35,000 U.S. citizens each year; so, when government bans the ownership of motor vehicles in areas with high fatality crash rates I'll listen to gun control advocates.
Right to Bear Arms
I'm impressed...Emma Schwartz got through 4 paragraphs before perpetrating her first bit of misinformation("For most of American history, courts have interpreted the Second Amendment to apply to the collective right of states to assemble groups of armed citizens, such as the National Guard.") One need only read the "Militia Act of 1792" to understand that all able bodied Americans are, in fact, the Militia(BTW, the National Guard was not created until 1903). As far as Chris of Fl, and his "child death" statistics, he might be getting his numbers from the Brady Bunch for the Disarming of Americans; they seem, for some unknown reason, to consider gang members(up to the age of 20) killed by other gang members, as children.
Militia vs.Citizen
I have thought of a novel approach to this issue.
Even if "The Supreme's" decide that the right to own firearms rests with "The Militia", then I offer the following....
Al Qaida considers us all soldiers in the fight against Islam.
(It doesn't matter what we think...that's what they think.)
My definition of terrorism is "...the intentional targeting of non-combatants." The US does not "intentionally" target non-combatants.
The jihadis do not recognize the concept of "non-combatants."
Therefore. if I am defined as a "Soldier in The Crusades" by my enemies, then I demand the US allow me to arm my family of 5 consistent with the TOE of a Fireteam.
Dad-M9 pistol/M4 rifle
Mom-M9 /M3 Benelli shotgun
First Son-M240G machine gun/M4/M9
First daughter-M4/M203 grenade launcher/M9
Second Son-M107 Barrett fifty/M4/M9
Lets throw in a M249 SAW, M224 60 mm Light Mortar, and a M72 LAW.
Do you see where I am going with this.
Our enemies consider us soldiers against Islam.
We are all militia.
I demand the goverment allow us to equip ourselves for this fight.
(Just a little bragging...Number One Son active duty USARMY-Ranger Grad-Infantry Platoon Lt. (Stryker)
Read the Declaration of Independence while you're at it!
Roger from FL wrote "...And from a quick scan , most believe that the right to own a gun is an inalienable right granted by the Second Amendment."
First Roger, The Bill of Rights doesn't "grant" rights, it simply enumerates those unalienable God given rights that are, among other places, stated in the Declaration of Independence:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,..."
In order to exercise and enjoy the God given rights to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness, we, all of us, must be able to defend them against those who would take them away, whether internal or external.
Additionally, the SCOTUS has 35 other cases that have, directly or indirectly, involved the 2nd Amendment:
(http://www.davekopel.org/2A/LawRev/35FinalPartOne.htm).
Most were "pro-2A" rulings; some weren't. I suggest you read them.
Also, think God is against Self-Defense... Guess again: Read Luke 22:36-38, or better yet, here it is:
"And he [Jesus] said to them [His disciples], ‘But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one. For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘And he was numbered with transgressors’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.’ They said, ‘Lord, look, here are two swords.’ And He said to them, ‘It is enough."
"If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed" Exodus 22:2
There are more...I'll leave them for you to find.
Lastly, here are a few other readings I would suggest to any and all who need ways to bring this issue closer to home for them to really grasp the issue and what it's really all about:
http://www.defensivecarry.com/vbulletin/bob-fords-place/24071-parable-sheep.html
http://mwkworks.com/onsheepwolvesandsheepdogs.html
http://www.the-eggman.com/writings/you_dont_know_me.html
2nd Amendment
This is soo ridiculous, ofcourse each citizen should be able to buy and legally obtain any kind gun!
Even if you take guns away from everyone, we still have knives!
2nd Amendment
It's not really a matter of gun control or not, it's about WE THE PEOPLE, our rights, liberties, and the pursuit of happiness. Loose this right, then whats next?
All senators, congressmen, and military personel take an oath to "defend the constitution against all enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC" obviously our legislatures have forgotten this part or they wouldn't be F'ing around with it.
It's also about WE THE PEOPLE, not we the GOVERNMENT, so if it's that important put it to a nation wide vote.
Confused asks: How many of you want to actually have a gun and shoot someone in your house anyway?
No one in their right mind would WANT to shoot someone in their own house. The legal ramifications and our prostituted legal system would make that a nightmare.
It is however, a nightmare that pales in comparison to what can happen when someone with no morals, no conscience and a twisted mind would do to my family if allowed to.
It also pales in comparison to what has happened to millions of people around the globe who were denied the use of defensive tools.
Roger in FL stated: "most comments gave no thought to the first clause of the Second Amendment that reads, "Lacking a well regulated militia." That clause gave support to the second clause which states, " the right to bear arms shall not be infringed."
Roger, you need to get those glasses checked.
The 2nd Amendment reads:
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.
Where in world did you get "lacking a well regulated militia"?
Our founding fathers of this country were great minds and knew the tyranny of absolute power.
I wouldn't trust our current crop of politicians to have 1/100 the brains or guts of those brave men.
