The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to possess and carry firearms.
In 2008 and 2010, the Supreme Court issued two landmark decisions officially establishing this interpretation. In District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008), the [Supreme] Court ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to possess a firearm, unconnected to service in a militia and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as; self-defense. In dicta, the Court listed many longstanding prohibitions and restrictions on firearms possession as being consistent with the Second Amendment. In McDonald v. Chicago, 561 U.S. 3025 (2010), the Court ruled that the Second Amendment limits state and local governments to the same extent that it limits the federal government.
One would presume that these two decisions would bring an end to the argument of the 2nd Amendment. It, unfortunately, does not. Therefore, it would help to further look into statements made by the Supreme Court & the ones who have so placed us, the ‘People’ at odds with one another, The Founding Fathers. In order to do this, we must first look at the 2nd Amendment as written;
“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.”
One can clearly see that it was not written in modern English but rather, in the English of the day. In the Heller Case, a portion of the Supreme Court Opinion by Justice Scalia can be quoted to clarify the Courts opinion of the meaning;
“The Second Amendment is naturally divided into two parts: its prefatory clause and its operative clause. The former does not limit the latter grammatically, but rather announces a purpose. The Amendment could be rephrased, “Because a well regulated Militia is necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.”
Again, one can clearly see that the intent of the Supreme Court is to guarantee “…the right of the people to keep and bear arms” and that, this ‘Right’ “…shall not be infringed.” To further clarify the decisions and to debunk the argument that the 2nd amendment doesn’t apply to modern weapons, we can once again grab a quote from the Heller Case;
“Some have made the argument, bordering on the frivolous, that only those arms in existence in the 18th century are protected by the Second Amendment . We do not interpret constitutional rights that way. Just as the First Amendment protects modern forms of communications, e.g., Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union, 521 U. S. 844, 849 (1997) , and the Fourth Amendment applies to modern forms of search, e.g., Kyllo v. United States, 533 U. S. 27, 35–36 (2001) , the Second Amendment extends, prima facie, to all instruments that constitute bearable arms, even those that were not in existence at the time of the founding.”
Again, one can clearly see that this statement reinforces the fact that “…all instruments that constitute bearable arms” are ‘protected’ by the 2nd Amendment along with an individuals ‘Right’ to bear (show) them. This, would mean inclusively that ‘We The People’ also have the ‘Right’ to own such ‘Instruments’ (guns). Sadly though, this is not how proponents of ‘Gun Control’ interpret the 2nd Amendment (not that it matters). For what matters is what our Founding Fathers wanted for us as a Nation and for us, as an Individual. This forces us to take a look into what the Founding Fathers believed. The easiest way to do this is to use quotes from their writings in their own words.
John Adams (1735 – 1826) 2nd U.S. President
_”To suppose arms in the hands of citizens, to be used at individual discretion, except in private self-defense, or by partial orders of towns, counties, or districts of a state, is to demolish every constitution, and lay the laws prostrate, so that liberty can be enjoyed by no man; it is a dissolution of the government. The fundamental law of the militia is, that it be created, directed, and commanded by the laws, and ever for the support of the laws.”
“Resistance to sudden violence, for the preservation not only of my person, my limbs and life, but of my property, is an indisputable right of nature which I have never surrendered to the public by the compact of society, and which perhaps, I could not surrender if I would. Nor is there anything in the common law of England … inconsistent with that right.”_
Thomas Jefferson (1743 – 1826) 3rd U.S. President
_”No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.”
“Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.”
“I hope, therefore, a bill of rights will be formed to guard the people against the Federal government as they are already guarded against their State governments, in most instances.”
“Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free state.”
“The constitutions of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed; that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property and freedom of the press.”
“When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.”_
Samuel Adams (1722 – 1803)
_”Among the natural rights of the colonists are these: first, a right to life, secondly to liberty, thirdly to property; together with the right to defend them in the best manner they can.”
“The said Constitution [shall] be never construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the press, or the rights of conscience; or to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms.”_
James Madison (1751 – 1836) 4th U.S. President
_”Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation…”
“A people armed and free forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition and is a bulwark for the nation against foreign invasion and domestic oppression.”
“…The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed.”
“The right of self-defense never ceases. It is among the most sacred, and alike necessary to nations and to individuals.”_
These quotes could go on for page upon page. That, would be pointless. The point of showing one these quotes, is to show that the Founding Fathers in every aspect meant for ‘We, the People’ to be armed at all times and at all times, bear those arms. Obviously, this will not work for every Citizen as some lack the Good Intent, the Fortitude or the Mental Capacity for such things. Proper training by law enforcement would suffice in finding out who is capable and responsible enough.
I beseech upon your commonsense to educate yourself of what this Nation, as a group of Free Individuals, was meant to look like by our Founding Fathers and recently guaranteed by the Supreme Court of The United States of America. Then, to make the Right decision regarding Guns.
I was born into a Nation that Guarantees me the Right to Defend Myself, My Family, My Friends, My Property & the Helpless. Please, do NOT take that Right away because of fears, idiots and bad decisions.
— A Concerned U.S. Citizen
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