2nd Amendment Refresher Course

[rd_zzyzx]

"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."

And what is the militia? The armed citizen of the United States of America.

Who defined militia? That would be James Madison.

Where can you learn about it? The Federalist Papers #46.

"a militia amounting to near half a million of citizens with arms in their hands, officered by men chosen from among themselves, fighting for their common liberties"

" Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation"

"forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of."

" it may be affirmed with the greatest assurance, that the throne of every tyranny in Europe would be speedily overturned in spite of the legions which surround it. Let us not insult the free and gallant citizens of America with the suspicion, that they would be less able to defend the rights of which they would be in actual possession, than the debased subjects of arbitrary power would be to rescue theirs from the hands of their oppressors."

 

[josiewales]

Thanks very much.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

What kind of malarky is that? Quoting from old white men who did not have a clue that the real rights of humans are free food, housing, and medical care all paid for by somebody else. You guys are living in the past, which is also a great song from Jethro Tull!!!!

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

For your downloading and reading pleasure, a link to a pdf of the Federalist Papers:

http://www2.hn.psu.edu/faculty/jmanis/poldocs/fed-papers.pdf

 

[Wachtelhund]

The 2nd Amendment of the Constitution, wasn’t written by our forefathers to guarantee our right hunt or pleasure shoot; it was written for three reasons:
1. for common protection against foreign attack,
2. for protection against insurrection
3. to guarantee the people a means of protection from an oppressive government!

The 2nd Amendment stems from a long-established natural right in English law, auxiliary to natural and legally defensible rights to life.

To fully understand the 2nd Amendment one needs to understand the Articles of Confederation and Federalist Papers, which pre-dated the Constitution. At the time of the writing of the Articles of Confederation and Constitution, the colonies had no standing army or navy. The Articles of Confederation prohibited a standing Army or Navy, but required every able body man between the ages of 18 and 45 years old, to own a musket and a supply of ammunition for the protection of the colonies. In the event of attack or war, the men were expected to report for military duty within six months; they were the militia. They had to provide their own weapons, clothing, food and etc. The Articles of Confederation specified the type of musket, caliber and number of munitions suitable for the defense of the colonies, weapons of war for that time period.

Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton and others in their published letters to the people, printed in local newspapers which are known today as the Federalist Paper; all stated their concerned about creating tyrannical and oppressive government. Therefore they insisted on the 2nd Amendment. The words, “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state” was the final wording of a number drafts over many years.

All first year law students learn when dealing with laws written in earlier times, they are to interpret those laws in the mind set of the people who wrote them.

Justice Roberts, issued his opinion stating the 2nd Amendment term “militia” expanded to today, means all legal law biding citizens.

One could say the 2nd amendment gives all law biding citizens the right to own all weapons of war currently used by today’s military forces.