Another Look At The Origin Of The Second Amendment: The central question
boils down to the first two clauses of the Amendment, and this is where
gun control advocates get their ammunition, as it were. The Second
Amendment applies only to militias, not to individuals, goes an
argument. However, historically speaking, the militia was considered
every able-bodied free man between the ages of 15-45... The mindset of
our Founding Fathers, who grew up in this atmosphere, was that it was
necessary for all able-bodied men to be armed. The importance of the
right of individuals to keep and bear arms was never in question. In
modern America, it should not be in question either, considering the
mountain of evidence that when the people are disarmed, the criminals
remain armed, and crime skyrockets. An armed American can be called a
"citizen", while those who would allow themselves to be forcibly
disarmed, aspire to be known as, "subjects."
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/11/the_second_amendment_and_the_i.html
Related Commentary:
http://badgerherald.com/oped/2007/11/27/right_to_bear_arms_s.php
CBS Sports Second Amendment Poll: Your vote could not hurt.
http://www.sportsline.com/mcc/messages/chrono/5009541/0/1
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Arkansas AG To File Brief In Heller: Arkansas' attorney general says he
will join a brief to be filed with the U.S. Supreme Court saying the
constitutional right to bear arms extends to individuals, not just
members of a state militia... "I believe the Second Amendment confers a
Constitutional right to bear arms on individuals, not just on militia
members," Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said.
http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1107/475840.html
---
Total Gun Ban Won't Work In US: ... The other incident occurred in Japan
where the mayor of Nagasaki, Itcho Ito, was shot to death by Tetsuya
Shiroo. This was not the first time an assassination was carried out by
a shooting in Japan, just the latest, and yet nobody is surprised even
though guns are banned in Japan... It's interesting to point out that
the guy who shot Mayor Itcho Ito is an alleged member of the
Yamaguchi-gumi, which is not a Pokemon but in fact is the name of the
organized crime syndicate in Japan. It's estimated to have about 40,000,
members whereas the U.S. has fewer than 1,000 members of organized
crime. Neither group seems to have a problem getting guns...
http://www.newburyportnews.com/puopinion/local_story_331094119?keyword=secondarystory
---
Meanwhile, From Brady Bunch President...: ...That decision was clearly
erroneous for several reasons. Their opinion was an example of judicial
activism at its worst - a point I've made many times before - since the
Constitution in no way prevents communities from having the gun laws
they believe are needed to protect public safety. More specifically, the
two-judge majority in Parker ignored longstanding Supreme Court
precedent, discounted the express language of the Second Amendment, and
substituted its policy preferences for those of the District's elected
representatives. The case was wrongly decided, and the Brady Center has
the analysis to prove it...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-helmke/one-courts-second-amendm_b_74283.html
---
Misguided In Mississippi: ...The problem is that the horse is out of the
barn. Somehow, the muzzle loaders held by a few prosperous colonists
evolved into over 40 million firearms, so by any rational measure we are
a nation gone mad over weaponry. As I watch the Iraqi's dancing in the
streets with their AK-47's, I have to wonder if our future might
resemble theirs when it comes to guns, given our present momentum... As
much as I loved target shooting, maybe the court should only allow
muzzle loaders as in colonial days, when the amendment was written. My
bet is that few people would carry a 6-pound, single shot flintlock
pistol with a 10" barrel around, and the problem would be self
correcting. Unfortunately, it would take a couple of centuries for the
weapons now held by the public to rust out of service, so all the court
can really do is whistle by the graveyard. Stay tuned. (Someone needs to
tell Mr. Thomson that Michael Bellesiles was proven to be a fraud and
that most Americans did own firearms at the time our nation was founded.)
http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007711270305
---
Sen. Durbin, Next IACP President Receive Prohibition Awards: "Nearly
every gun-control law in the country will hang in the balance of what
will likely be a 5-4 court decision...," said U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin,
who was awarded the 2007 Abraham Lincoln Award from the Illinois Council
Against Handgun Violence (www.ichv.org). "That makes (the council's)
work even more important in Springfield and in Washington." Durbin, a
two-time winner of the Lincoln award, praised Algonquin Police Chief
Russell Laine, who won the law enforcement recognition award, and
legislative advocacy award winners U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk of Highland Park,
State Sen. Daniel Kotowski of Park Ridge and Chicago Alderman Isaac
Carothers...
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=84634
---
Oops, Wrong House, Missouri Version: A 39-year-old woman and a male
juvenile remained in custody Monday in connection with a foiled burglary
attempt at a grandmother's home outside Carthage on Friday...Richardson
said the alleged victim, who was home at the time with her grandchild,
grabbed a handgun and confronted the would-be burglars as they broke in
her back door. He said the grandmother tried to hold them at gunpoint
for law officers. But as she stepped back inside her place to make the
call to the Sheriff's Department, they slammed the door on her and fled...
http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_330172437.html
---
Oops, Wrong House, California Version: Police believe a man trying to
break into an Indio home was shot dead after a struggle for a gun with
the home's owner...Officers believe 31-year-old Genaro Munoz broke into
the home. That was when the homeowner inside was awakened by the
intruder. He confronted Munoz but was shot in the foot. After a
struggle, the homeowner got control of the gun and shot Munoz several
times killing him. (Strangely, for the last few years I lived in
California, none of my students were interested in training in weapon
retention and disarming.)
http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=7387233&nav=9qrx
---
From GOA: By now, you have probably heard the news which was delivered
prior to Thanksgiving that the U.S. Supreme Court will be taking up the
DC gun ban case. Gun Owners of America's foundation (GOF) will be
submitting an amicus brief before the Supreme Court in support of the
lower court's decision that the Second Amendment protects an individual
right. The case, D.C. v. Heller, resulted in nullification of the gun
ban in the District of Columbia. Judge Laurence Silberman wrote the
majority opinion for the DC Court of Appeals which decided that the DC
law violated the individual right to keep and bear arms protected by the
Second Amendment...
http://www.gunowners.org/a112707.htm
--
Stephen P. Wenger
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
