Downfall Pt 13

Part 13

The 2nd Amendment is only 27 words, and those 27 words have been argued over as much, if not more, than the entire 1rst Amendment. The 2nd Amendment states,
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.

Legal experts from both sides of the gun control issue have argued this Amendment, and it's intent for many years. Some argue that the right of the citizens to 'keep and bear arms' only applies to the fact that at one time we had a militia and the citizens needed to keep arms to be ready to serve the militia. We apparently no longer have a militia, although I think we ought to, but since we don't that argument could be considered valid.

If you want to agree with that viewpoint than this quote by James Madison is applicable,

A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained in arms, is the best most natural defense of a free country.

Note however that he says, "...body of the people, trained in arms..." That leads me to believe that a militia should be composed of average citizens who are trained in the use of arms. Who is to provide the training if people do not grow up using firearms? There are no schools that teach you the proper use and safety concerns having to do with firearms.

When I was younger every summer I signed up for a Hunters Safety class sponsored by the National Rifle Association. They taught you the proper safety techniques for handling of firearms. They taught you how to aim and fire a firearm properly. I don't see those classes offered any more. Why not? Firearms are a part of our heritage and the proper use of them should be taught. Maybe they would be more respected by our youth if they grew up knowing how to use them properly.

Then there is the argument that the 2nd Amendment is a two part Amendment that authorizes a militia to be maintained, and also allows for the citizenry to keep their own arms.

There is an excellent article written about the militia and the 2nd Amendment. If you are seriously interested in learning more about this issue I suggest you go to the following link and read this article by Dr. Edwin Vieira. It is well worth your time.

here

The founding fathers, those who wrote the Constitution, included the right to keep and bear arms for specific reasons. It was not only for the maintaining of a militia ready to defend the states and the union. They also wanted to people to be able to stand up against an overbearing government should the need arise.

Daniel Webster once said, "God grants liberty only to those who love it, and are always ready to guard and defend it"

How are an unarmed people going to guard and defend liberty? Only an armed citizenry can defend something. Just like an unarmed citizen cannot protect and defend his home and personal property from criminals an unarmed citizen cannot defend his liberty from any number of threats.

If you don't believe that is the reason for keeping arms, pay heed to what Thomas Jefferson said,

"No free man shall ever be de-barred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain their right to keep and bear arms is as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

Noah Webster also said,

"Before a standing army can rule the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in 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 band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States."

James Madison said,

The Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation where the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.

James Madison also said,

"A government that does not trust it's law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms is itself unworthy of trust."

Proof enough for you that our founding fathers did not intend the 2nd Amendments' right to 'keep and bear arms' only for the maintenance of a militia?

Now people might say that times have changed, we live in a more violent and crime ridden society than our founding fathers did. I will not disagree with that, for it is true. The cure for that does not like in taking away the arms of peaceful, law abiding citizens.

Samuel Adams said,

"The Constitution shall never be construed...to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms"

So if we have a problem with crime we need to solve it by other means than by disarming the public. How is an unarmed public to defend themselves? We need to toughen our laws concerning crime, make the penalties harsher, the jail time more severe for those convicted of using a firearm in the commission of a crime. No cable television in prison, no free education. Make prison a place where people do not want to go to and they will think twice before doing something that will send them there.

So you can see that arms are a vital part of the rights guaranteed us in the 2nd Amendment. Any law passed to restrict our right to privately owned firearms is unconstitutional.
Our first President, George Washington once stated that,

"Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence. To secure peace, securely and happiness, the rifle and the pistol are equally indispensable. The very atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve a place of honor with all that is good."

That statement goes against the entire stigma that is common in today's society in which firearms are shunned and frowned upon. Groups that say firearms are bad, that guns kill go against the thinking of our founding fathers and are a threat to our national security, the safety of our homes and families and our own liberty from a tyrannical government.

I leave you with two more quotes by our founding fathers.


Arms are the only true badges of liberty. The possession of arms is the distinction of a free man from a slave.-Andrew Fletcher



"Divine providence has given to every individual the means of self defense...To disarm the people....is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."-George Mason

So it is up to you to choose. Do you wish to be free men, holding on to your Constitutional rights and your liberty, or do you want to be slaves?