The right to keep and bear arms is derived from and inseparably linked to the right of self-defense. Thus, by nature it is an individually possessed right, as are all rights protected in our Constitution.
The Founding Fathers, the Framers of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and those whom the Supreme Court (U.S. v. Miller, 1939) referred to as “approved commentators” could not have been more clear about the nature of the right and the purpose of the Second Amendment.
Thomas Jefferson said, “No free man shall be debarred the use of arms.” Patrick Henry said, “The great object is, that every man be armed.” Richard Henry Lee wrote, “To preserve liberty it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms.” Thomas Paine noted, “[A]rms . . . discourage and keep the invader and the plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property.”
Prominent Federalist Tench Coxe asked, “Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves?. . . Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American. . . . [T]he unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people.”
information taken from
http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=83
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
While the constitution does provide the right to bear arms, many peope think that this right refers to the right of the state to keep a militia, not as much to individuals.
the comment states that people have the right to bear arms for self defense. but in what case would you call somthing self defense? is someone coming into your house to steal your belongings call for a bullet to the chest? or does a man raising his voice to you in a public facilty entitle you to use it? unless we can state in which what is elligable for self defense this law wont be looked at seriously.
I think that we do have the right to bear arms for self defense. It is one of your rights as a citizen of the United States but the types of weapons and appropriate times to use them. A man rasing his voice to you in a public facility in my opinon does not give you the right to shot a bullet it his head. although he is verbally assualting you he is not damaging you pyhiscally.
I would have to disagree with Thomas Paine. I do not think that if every man was armed that there would be order in the world and property. I think it would create a society of fear and that the world would be more chaotic and violent.
It is the right of the American citizen to keep and bear arms; however, the proper time to use these arms is not always clear. Many people misuse this right believing it is self defense. Until "self defense" is clearly stated we must place the maximum amount of protection possible on buying weapons.- TB
You should be able to own ONE gun if you have proper permits, but no one needs any more than one gun.
AF
Post a Comment