Why do people think that the 2nd amendment says they can have guns?
March 11th, 2010 by eranio
The second amendment says:
"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."
Where does this say that every civilian has the right to own a gun? It says that a "well regulated militia" (military) has the right to have guns. Not civilians.
Posted in military guns
March 11th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Militia is made up of private citizens, not government employees.
"the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
It does not say that the right of the militia to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. It says the right of the people.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Do you have any idea how badly youve embarrassed yourself with this question?
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
people have always interpreted the constitution and the bible to fit their OWN needs, that’s why both are about as valuable as toilet paper.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
It says we can have guns for 3 reasons:
1. The Bill of Rights is not about giving rights to government. It is about restricting powers of government. It says right in the Amendment "The right of the PEOPLE…" Just like those same people whose individual rights are protected when "the people" are mentioned in the 1st, 4th, 9th, and 10th Amendments. Why does "the people" in the 2nd Amendment not mean the people? Why does it alone mean "the government."
2. The military has no need to guarantee it’s own right to keep arms.
3. The Militia is not a government organization. It is NOT the State or National Guard. Those entities did not exist until about 100 years AFTER the Bill of Rights was ratified. Militias are groups of citizen that organize, arm and train themselves.
So look at the flow of the 2nd Amendment. It states the reason for the right, and then it states the right. It’s as simple as that.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Because we have guns.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
you need to post the rest of it, it goes on to say that citizens have the same right.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
because we can and the Supreme court backs it up
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
"the people"
Right there in your quote.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
"The right of the people to keep and bear arms"
We, citizens of the United States, are "the people".
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
It says "The Right of the people to keep, and bear arms shall not be infringed"
Also a militia is an army of average citizens who are armed.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
"…the right of the people to keep and bear Arm, shall not be infringed."
We can all call ourselves a Militia if you’d like.
But I suppose on the other hand you believe in "Separation of Church and State," though it says that nowhere in the Constitution.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Somewhere around the words "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
Who do you think the people are? What do you think "shall not be infringed" means?
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
I want a 50 cal auto hand gun……the PNAC says I can have anything,,,,,im the chief defender of the faith thats why…baron
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
It is unclear what the writers of the amendment intended, but it does say that the right to bear arms shall not be infringed. That part is very clear. Look at the date it was written and you may get your answer about the first part of it. It does not say that gun ownership can only be done if it is the militia. I own a handgun and a rifle. I hope to never have to use the handgun, but it offers me some sense of security should someone break into my home when I am there and may put my life in danger. The word people mean civilians. I disagree with you on that point.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
YOU are a member of the militia, Jack.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Is this what they teach you in school, son ??
A militia, in that day and age, were " ALL ABLE BODIED MEN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 AND 51." That is what the definition of Militia was then and it’s still applicable now.
You really need to learn and know history before you spout off and make yourself look foolish.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
i double dog dare you to come and try and take them away from me. oh you can have them alright….bullet end first
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
The Bill of Rights addresses the rights of the individual, the phrase ‘right of the people’ refers to the rights of the individual, not the collective. The phrase is used also in the 1st and the 4th amendments, and there it refers to the right of the individual, why would it have a different meaning in the 2nd amendment? The 2nd Amendment protects our right to keep and bear arms.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
You need to be educated.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Militia means civilian. The Army, Air Force, National Guard, Coast Guard, Secret Service, FBI, BATF, and other parts of the federal government are most certainly not militias. Only civilians can form militias. So obvious the second amendment applies to civilians. It wouldn’t make sense to include and amendment saying the federal government has the right to keep and bear arms. Every federal government in the world does that.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Most of what needs said has been.
The term "the People" is used over 20 times in the Constitution and the Amendments, in NO other instance does it refer to the government, any government run entity such as a National Guard or any other military, nor anything other than an ordinary American citizen.
The Constitution is not so much about giving rights, it is more about limiting the government.
When has any government needed some piece of paper to authorize it’s military to actually use guns. As if our army wouldn’t be allowed to carry or use a gun if the 2nd amendment didn’t exist.
To think this amendment pertained only to any sort of military entity, or that the 2nd didn’t apply to everyone in the nation just like all the other rights, is not logical
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
if you want to play that card the constitution never says seperation of church and state
"congress shall make no laws regarding religion"
militia- a body of citizens organized in a paramilitary group and typically regarding themselves as defenders of individual rights against the presumed interference of the federal government
CITIZENS, not military hauss
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Well, according to 200,000 million people armed in 60 million households, the supreme court, the American Law Review, and countless legal scholars you are wrong. In fact they have letters from the authors that say exactly what they meant. They wanted to make sure that their new government would never be threatened by foreign takeover through vote manipulation according to the letters. They had evidence the Brit’s were planing it.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
The militia was made up of private citizens. It also says "the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
People think the 2nd amendment says they can have guns because it DOES say they can have guns.