Hypothetical - You find authentic Bill of Rights documents

[leadcounsel]

Say you find, on your property, hidden in a wall or such, and you are the lawful owner of authentic documents from the Bill of Rights era. These documents are of incredible historic significance and importance to the United States and are worth a fortune.

Unfortunately, they also prove undoubtedly that the forefathers never intended gun rights to be individual nor did they intend individuals to own military style arms because they feared that would place the union, as a whole, in jeapardy.

I know this is fiction, and I firmly believe that the 2A guarantees an individual right to military style individual infantry type arms.

However, for the sake of argument, what would you do with the document?

Would you destroy it to preserve the 2A as an individual right? Would you donate it to the Congressional Library or other Federal institution? Would you sell it to the highest bidder knowing that you would be wealthy beyond your wildest dreams, knowing that it would likely result in the repeal of pro-gun laws?

What would you do?

 

[CoRoMo]

Okay... I'll play.

I would be certain that they weren't authentic for a couple reasons.

1. Documents like that would contradict most every similar thing we have already
2. My house was built less than ten years ago.​

But maybe the docs were from some oddball colonialist that was loyal to General Gage. In that event, I'd call up the NRA, try and convince them that I was honest and serious, meet with one of their representatives so that they could view them, and then I'd haggle with them for a good price. They can then decide on the fate of the 2A and the use of those documents.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

That's impossible.

We know exactly what the founders intended -- it was explained exhaustively in the Federalist-Antifederalist Papers and in the Debates in each state legislature at the time of radification.

 

[bthest86]

I wouldn't be sure if they were real because I'm not an expert. If I thought they could be real and important then I'd have to call around and see what my options are.

Even if they did without a doubt prove that the intentions of the founding fathers contradict us I don't think they'd affect any modern interpretation of the 2A and I'd stand by my beliefs on RKBA regardless of what founding fathers thought of it. I mean if the documents did the opposite and proved without a doubt our case it wouldn't overturn Miller or change the minds of antis.

 

[ArmedBear]

Yes. Since the papers are clearly fraudulent, I'd try to have them authenticated by an alcoholic historian in return for a bottle of cheap booze, then see what I can get for them form the Brady Bunch. Maybe play them against VPC.

 

[chiggerbyt]

I would take them to Pawn Stars out in Vegas...

 

[CoRoMo]

You could do better on ebay.

 

[wishin]

I'll assume that the documents are undeniably authentic and clearly prove what you say. I would really be torn between the ability to become rich beyond my wildest dreams and changing history to the detriment of RKBA.

Therefore, I would beg, borrow and "steal" enough money to buy all the firearms I've ever wanted, then fall back on my capitalistic leanings and sell out the Second. Sorry y'all.............

 

[RainDodger]

Hm. Perhaps let one of the brady (note no capitalization) groups pay me millions for it now, with the understanding that it would be left to them in my will. Then I'd go out and buy tons and tons of new toys and play with them for the rest of my life, leaving everyone out there that's younger than me, to suffer the consequences of my poor judgement. <sigh> I would at least die a happy, albeit guilt-ridden, man.

Way too hard a question for a Monday.

 

[leadcounsel]

Some of you have missed the point, and others have played along...

Assuming these were 100% no kidding legit documents that you found/inherited, what-have-you (maybe you buy an old musket and they're rolled into a scroll hidding in the stock or barrel, etc.). You discretely research and pay a bonafide historian to authenticate them and they are truely 100% legit.... what would you do?

Would you hold true the (for sake of this hypothetical) forefathers intentions and meaning of the 2A, if it did mean losing the individual RKBA? And in doing so sell the document for a fortune or donate it to the US Government?

Or would you destroy the history and go on with the individual right interpretation?

Or would you hide the document for future generations to find/gain/etc. Or keep it hidding within your family or pass it on in your will?

 

[leadcounsel]

To answer my own question, I don't think I have the wisdom to make that decision now.

I would keep it completely secret, and hide the document (and a copy) in two different secure locations. At some point in the future the time may be more clear for it to be revealed. But not today. For sake of argument, even if the forefathers had intended the right to be collective and only hunting arms, the 2A as an individual right serves freedom better and needs to be preserved.

 

[Bobarino]

unless the document was signed by members of government and ratified by the states, it would carry no meaning as far as legislation and court precedence go so i would happily sell it to the highest bidder. it's not going to effect gun rights one way or another.

the founders likely didn't want interstate commerce regulated the way it is today but does that stop the .gov? heck no.

in the end, only the Constitution matters. period. point me to the auction block please, then to the nearest gun store.

Bobby

 

[Tommygunn]

I'd burn the stuff and scatter the ashes at sea.
And that should be taken solely as an indicator of how alarmed I am at the direction this country is going . . . . . . . . . .

 

[ClayInTX]

Wealth? You can eat only so much.

Our Founding Fathers proved their selves to be greater than ordinary men and they risked their lives and all they owned and all they held dear to obtain freedom for not only them but also for a nation.

We know whom they were and we venerate them, they are not anonymous. Fame and acclimation are to be desired.

Greater than that is to do for the good of our country when no one knows what we did and it would be detrimental to let it be known that we did it. That’s difficult to allow.

Should I find a document such as you describe I would burn it and no one would ever know it had existed and no one would ever know that I did that.

Well, I might commission a statue with a legend on the base saying,

ClayInTx
He (classified).
​

 

[bluecowdawg]

i would burn them imediatly ,it would only make matters worse

 

[Radagast]

I would hide them on my secret Overlords Lair, along with the original Mona Lisa (she has a buck toothed grin) Dead Sea scrolls, Arc of the Covenant ( dunno why I glow in the dark after dusting that one), and that dead alien I bought at the Area 51 garage sale (I think I was ripped off on that one, they didn't include the brain).

Seriously? I would sit on them. The pre-existing right that the Second Amendment guaranteed is more important than any piece of paper. If proof appeared that the Founding Fathers had welshed on the agreement they made with the people, that would only prove that the founding fathers were wrong, not that the right didn't exist.

 

[CajunBass]

Deleted. I read what I wrote and realized I wasn't answering your question.

Move along. Nothing to see here. Move along...

 

[sniper5]

Sounds like "The Word". Novel based on the discovery of documents proving that Jesus didn't actually die on the cross and then what the world council of churches does with it. Same moral dilemma.

 

[Kingofthehill]

It would accidentally fall into a fire.

JOe

 

[MisterMike]

I've long held the belief that the Constitution is near-sacred, and is one of maybe four or five of the most important documents created by mankind. Given that belief, I think it would be unconscionable to withhold a document that could shed light on the intent of the founders.

Nonetheless, I think this hypothetical is pretty far-fetched. There is incontrovertible evidence indicating that the founders had no such intent.

 

[CraigC]

Burn it and never speak of it again. Liberty is invaluable.

 

[Guns and more]

they also prove undoubtedly that the forefathers never intended gun rights to be individual nor did they intend individuals to own military style arms because they feared that would place the union, as a whole, in jeapardy.

Your hypothetical today will be revisionist history tomorrow.
"The founding men and women from all corners of the globe, and all religions, (oh, yes) never envisioned citizens owning guns. It's right here in the newly discovered Constitution."

Why you even think of a reason to discount the Bill of Rights frightens me.

 

[Firethorn]

Let me guess, the documents would be in 12 point times new roman? Perhaps Calibri?

At least there you'd wouldn't have issues of a variable spaced font being supposedly typed on a mono-spaced typewriter.

 

[Zundfolge]

I see the point of some hypothetical discussions, however you'd be just as likely to find Benjamin Franklin's hand written correspondence with aliens from Betelgeuse scribbled on the back of pages from the original manuscript of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical Oklahoma that ole Ben found in a worm hole that dumped out in Sam Adams root cellar.

 

[cchris]

After having a historian analyze them as fake/forged, I'm going to agree with selling them to Sarah Brady for a nominal fee ($5000 to $10000) after appearing to her as a strong anti-second amendment advocate, take the money, and buy myself a nice new M1A