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You may have heard me say this before, but maybe this thread topic will catch some people's eye enough to make a point.
The other day I read a position paper by Trump about the Second Amendment being about having a gun for "self-defense".
You have all heard people saying that you don't need an AR or AK for duck hunting or even for home defense.
These people - including Trump (and many judges and LEOs) just do not "get it".
The Second Amendment does not mention firearms.
"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."
Notice the use of the word Arms and that it is capitalized.
"Arms", in this context refers to any military weapon - whether a firearm, a knife/sword/bayonet, a grenade or other explosive, mortar, cannon, etc.
The purpose is not hunting or other sport.
"Self-defense" as in personal self-defense, is not really the purpose either, although related.
The purpose of the Second Amendment is to serve as a balance of power.
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.
Noah Webster, An Examination into the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution (1787), Reprinted in Pamphlets on the Constitution of the United States, Published During Its Discussion by the People, 1787–1788, at 56 (Paul L. Ford, ed. 1971) (1888)
The basic idea being that an armed populace serves as a counter-balance against governmental power wielded by an elected few.
This is why it is so important. No so you can have a duck hunting shotgun, or a .22 for plinking, but rather so that we can remain free.
This is the real reason why so many in power want to restrict private ownership of firearms.
This is also why they want to have background checks and/or other systems that allow the government to know who owns firearms, what kind of firearms they are, and their serial numbers - so when it comes time to confiscate those firearms (or otherwise force owners to turn them in), then they have a record of the firearms, who owns them and who probably owns others - including a way to prove in court that those firearms weren't sold to somebody else.
This is why they portray gun owners as unstable "gun nuts"; to get public support not just for these systems, but to make gun ownership unpopular and not socially acceptable, so that when it does come time to prohibit private firearm ownership altogether, they have the support from the majority of the populace to do so.
This is why they are slowly whittling away at military weapons, especially NFA weapons. And not just guns, but edged weapons, pepper spray, you name it, anything that can be used as a weapon.
You may not own a NFA weapon. You might not be into edged weapons. But the Second Amendment is about all weapons, not just guns. And it isn't about self-defense, it is about freedom from tyranny.
Remember that.
Don't let other people forget it.
Don't let other people say it is about anything else.
The other day I read a position paper by Trump about the Second Amendment being about having a gun for "self-defense".
You have all heard people saying that you don't need an AR or AK for duck hunting or even for home defense.
These people - including Trump (and many judges and LEOs) just do not "get it".
The Second Amendment does not mention firearms.
"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."
Notice the use of the word Arms and that it is capitalized.
"Arms", in this context refers to any military weapon - whether a firearm, a knife/sword/bayonet, a grenade or other explosive, mortar, cannon, etc.
The purpose is not hunting or other sport.
"Self-defense" as in personal self-defense, is not really the purpose either, although related.
The purpose of the Second Amendment is to serve as a balance of power.
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.
Noah Webster, An Examination into the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution (1787), Reprinted in Pamphlets on the Constitution of the United States, Published During Its Discussion by the People, 1787–1788, at 56 (Paul L. Ford, ed. 1971) (1888)
The basic idea being that an armed populace serves as a counter-balance against governmental power wielded by an elected few.
This is why it is so important. No so you can have a duck hunting shotgun, or a .22 for plinking, but rather so that we can remain free.
This is the real reason why so many in power want to restrict private ownership of firearms.
This is also why they want to have background checks and/or other systems that allow the government to know who owns firearms, what kind of firearms they are, and their serial numbers - so when it comes time to confiscate those firearms (or otherwise force owners to turn them in), then they have a record of the firearms, who owns them and who probably owns others - including a way to prove in court that those firearms weren't sold to somebody else.
This is why they portray gun owners as unstable "gun nuts"; to get public support not just for these systems, but to make gun ownership unpopular and not socially acceptable, so that when it does come time to prohibit private firearm ownership altogether, they have the support from the majority of the populace to do so.
This is why they are slowly whittling away at military weapons, especially NFA weapons. And not just guns, but edged weapons, pepper spray, you name it, anything that can be used as a weapon.
You may not own a NFA weapon. You might not be into edged weapons. But the Second Amendment is about all weapons, not just guns. And it isn't about self-defense, it is about freedom from tyranny.
Remember that.
Don't let other people forget it.
Don't let other people say it is about anything else.
