Second Amendment (2A) true meaning

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  • Minuteman

    Member
    BANNED!!!
    Long ago, before I cared much or really even understood this issue, I often heard people say 2A was only about militias.

    With all the disinformation coming from those that want to curtail our freedoms, I can understand how a person might wrongly believe this; if they did not research it for themselves.

    The bottom line is our founding fathers all owned and routinely used firearms for all the same purposes we use them today. The authors of our Constitution intended for all of us to own, carry and use firearms for personal protection, hunting, sportshooting, and defending our most precious virtue, Liberty. If you have any doubt, read any of the volumes of records, catalogs of their letters, speeches, lists of their possessions, early drafts of the Constitution, and numerous accounts by others about their use of firearms of all types.

    One of my favorites, sums up the general intent:

    Edit: The following quote; I now believe to be misquote:

    George Washington's address to the second session of the First U.S. Congress:

    "Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty, teeth and keystone under independence. The church, the plow, the prairie wagon and citizens' firearms are indelibly related. From the hour the pilgrims landed to the present day, events, occurrences and tendencies prove that, to ensure peace, security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable. Every corner of this land knows firearms, and more than 99 and 99/100 percent of them by their silence indicate that they are in safe and sane hands. The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil influence. They deserve a place of honor with all that's good. When firearms go, all goes. We need them every hour."

    http://www.eskimo.com/~bpentium/articles/guns.html

    http://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/firearms
     
    Last edited:

    EL1227

    R.I.P.
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 14, 2010
    20,274
    +1

    What is amazing to me is how ignorant most people are of the origin and reason for 2A.

    You get it, I get it, and many here on MDS also get it, but much of the general population recalls history as the booring, rote memory exercise of their high school years instead of an illuminated path to the future. I'm afraid that along with the great unwashed, we will all have to stumble in the darkness before someone picks up the torch and turns us back from certain destruction.

    OBTW ... Charlton Heston (RIP) also 'got it'



    In this Olympic year, it's incumbant upon us to 'pass the torch'.
     
    Last edited:

    DaemonAssassin

    Why should we Free BSD?
    Jun 14, 2012
    23,970
    Political refugee in WV
    Long ago, before I cared much or really even understood this issue, I often heard people say 2A was only about militias.

    With all the disinformation coming from those that want to curtail our freedoms, I can understand how a person might wrongly believe this; if they did not research it for themselves.

    The bottom line is our founding fathers all owned and routinely used firearms for all the same purposes we use them today. The authors of our Constitution intended for all of us to own, carry and use firearms for personal protection, hunting, sportshooting, and defending our most precious virtue, Liberty. If you have any doubt, read any of the volumes of records, catalogs of their letters, speeches, lists of their possessions, early drafts of the Constitution, and numerous accounts by others about their use of firearms of all types.

    One of my favorites, sums up the general intent:


    George Washington's address to the second session of the First U.S. Congress:

    "Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty, teeth and keystone under independence. The church, the plow, the prairie wagon and citizens' firearms are indelibly related. From the hour the pilgrims landed to the present day, events, occurrences and tendencies prove that, to ensure peace, security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable. Every corner of this land knows firearms, and more than 99 and 99/100 percent of them by their silence indicate that they are in safe and sane hands. The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil influence. They deserve a place of honor with all that's good. When firearms go, all goes. We need them every hour."

    http://www.eskimo.com/~bpentium/articles/guns.html

    http://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/firearms

    Well said Minuteman! In this day in age few, if any students read the Federalist papers or the letters that the founding fathers sent back and forth to one another. I guess my generation was the last one that had to read those texts and be able to comprehend and understand the meanings and intent the founding fathers were trying to get across to each other. It is a sad day that the younger generations are being assaulted with this PC drivel that passed for an "education" these days. Hell, my girlfriend doesn't even know the importance of those texts because she probably doesn't even know they exist! Her mom on the other hand knows what those documents are and had to read them when she was in school but is a die hard Democrat who thinks Zero is doing a fantastic job and thinks he should get another 12 years in office! I reminded her about the 2 term maximum for a president and her reply was, "He deserves to be able to stay in as long as he wants, so he can keep the country on the right track!". :mad54: The girlfriend on the other hand is slowly starting to see that things are no longer what the founding fathers set up nor envisioned the future of this great nation to be. She won't vote for Obama this time around and she has buyers remorse over voting for him last time around.

    There once was a time when we were taught American History in school and it included pre-revolution, revolution, post revolution, War of 1812, Civil War, and those were the main topics. When I moved from AACO to FredCo many moons ago, FredCo wasn't teaching those things (I learned all of that in the AACO public school system). Anything before the Civil War wasn't really covered in depth. Future generations are losing knowledge and focus on what this nation was founded on and why, due to so called educators being forced to go PC. It is a shame that my children (whenever I decide to settle down with a chick) will have to learn all the things I did, on their own time with no other references than the internet or books that I have.
     

    G O B

    Ultimate Member
    Nov 17, 2007
    1,940
    Cen TX
    The purpose of the 2nd amendment , is provide the guarantee for the average Citizen to arm himself with the same weaponry as the common soldier. If a Government can limit the effectiveness of militia (the body of able citizens) by removing their God given right to self defense by limiting them to weapons that are of no real threat to the average soldier, then tyranny has no counterbalance. The clear intent is that no ruling class shall ever be able to subjugate the will of the people by force of arms.
     

    WeaponsCollector

    EXTREME GUN OWNER
    Mar 30, 2009
    12,120
    Southern MD
    Here's some quotes that aren't bogus and they might even get me on another "watch list" :thumbsup:....

    "The peaceable part of mankind will be continually
    overrun by the vile and abandoned, while they neglect
    the means of self defense."
    - Thomas Paine

    "To disarm the people is the most effectual way to enslave them."
    - George Mason

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

    "The best we can hope for concerning the people at
    large is that they be properly armed."
    - Alexander Hamilton

    "Are we at last brought to such humiliating and
    debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with
    arms for our defense?"
    - Patrick Henry

    "The great object is that every man be armed. Everyone
    who is able might have a gun."
    - Patrick Henry

    "No Free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."
    - President Thomas Jefferson

    "Americans have the right and advantage of being
    armed -- unlike the citizens of other countries whose
    governments are afraid to trust the people with arms."
    - James Madison
     

    Minuteman

    Member
    BANNED!!!

    Thanks. I had no intent to deceive. After looking at the record of that session, http://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/United_States_Statutes_at_Large/Volume_1/1st_Congress#section_2
    I do not find that quote and now believe it to be an old fabrication. I have edited my original post to indicate the correction. Proves even the most well intended can be deceived.

    There are numerous real quotes that speak to our founding fathers use of firearms and true intent of the 2A. I find letter between them, as well as the federalist papers very enlightening.
     

    Second Amendment

    Ultimate Member
    May 11, 2011
    8,665
    Long ago, before I cared much or really even understood this issue, I often heard people say 2A was only about militias.

    With all the disinformation coming from those that want to curtail our freedoms, I can understand how a person might wrongly believe this; if they did not research it for themselves.

    The bottom line is our founding fathers all owned and routinely used firearms for all the same purposes we use them today. The authors of our Constitution intended for all of us to own, carry and use firearms for personal protection, hunting, sportshooting, and defending our most precious virtue, Liberty. If you have any doubt, read any of the volumes of records, catalogs of their letters, speeches, lists of their possessions, early drafts of the Constitution, and numerous accounts by others about their use of firearms of all types.

    One of my favorites, sums up the general intent:

    Edit: The following quote; I now believe to be misquote:

    George Washington's address to the second session of the First U.S. Congress:

    "Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty, teeth and keystone under independence. The church, the plow, the prairie wagon and citizens' firearms are indelibly related. From the hour the pilgrims landed to the present day, events, occurrences and tendencies prove that, to ensure peace, security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable. Every corner of this land knows firearms, and more than 99 and 99/100 percent of them by their silence indicate that they are in safe and sane hands. The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil influence. They deserve a place of honor with all that's good. When firearms go, all goes. We need them every hour."
    http://www.eskimo.com/~bpentium/articles/guns.html

    http://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/firearms



    Does this mean I can carry now?
     

    Zombie_013

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Aug 30, 2011
    2,212
    Germantown, MD
    Here's some quotes that aren't bogus and they might even get me on another "watch list" :thumbsup:....

    "The peaceable part of mankind will be continually
    overrun by the vile and abandoned, while they neglect
    the means of self defense."
    - Thomas Paine

    "To disarm the people is the most effectual way to enslave them."
    - George Mason

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

    "The best we can hope for concerning the people at
    large is that they be properly armed."
    - Alexander Hamilton

    "Are we at last brought to such humiliating and
    debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with
    arms for our defense?"
    - Patrick Henry

    "The great object is that every man be armed. Everyone
    who is able might have a gun."
    - Patrick Henry

    "No Free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."
    - President Thomas Jefferson

    "Americans have the right and advantage of being
    armed -- unlike the citizens of other countries whose
    governments are afraid to trust the people with arms."
    - James Madison


    ha - how many lists are you on?
     

    krew08

    Lurker.
    Feb 26, 2010
    532
    PA
    I also like to point out, as far as that militia thing goes:

    http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/311

    (a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.
    (b) The classes of the militia are—
    (1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and
    (2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia.
     

    Walter

    Active Member
    May 23, 2010
    868
    Thanks. I had no intent to deceive. After looking at the record of that session, http://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/United_States_Statutes_at_Large/Volume_1/1st_Congress#section_2
    I do not find that quote and now believe it to be an old fabrication. I have edited my original post to indicate the correction. Proves even the most well intended can be deceived.

    There are numerous real quotes that speak to our founding fathers use of firearms and true intent of the 2A. I find letter between them, as well as the federalist papers very enlightening.

    It's cool. Plenty of my favorite Founding Father quotes have turned out to be fabricated. So instead, I just went with this: "People who choose to ignore their God given right of personal safety should carry chalk in their pockets at all times in case the police forget to bring theirs." :D

    Could you provide a link with the relevant federalist papers? I would like to read them.


    ha - how many lists are you on?

    I think the better question would be which list isn't he on? :lol2:
     
    Oct 27, 2008
    8,444
    Dundalk, Hon!
    "One of the best ways to get yourself a reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating the very phrases which our founding fathers used in the great struggle for independence." ~ Charles A. Beard

    Reading Article II of the Bill of Rights along with 10 USC § 311 - Militia: composition and classes will suggest to the thoughtful reader that the most easily-obtained firearm ought to be whatever the Army and Marine Corps have adopted for their foot soldiers - in other words, a lawful citizen ought to be able to obtain an M16A2 or M4A1 with no interference from the government - indeed, he should expect the government to approve of and assist him in getting it.
     

    md_rick_o

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 30, 2008
    5,112
    Severn Md.
    “A well regulated library system, being necessary to the literacy of a free State, the right to keep and bear books shall not be infringed”

    A different way to look at the wording.
     

    randian

    Active Member
    Jan 13, 2012
    715
    Long ago, before I cared much or really even understood this issue, I often heard people say 2A was only about militias.

    With all the disinformation coming from those that want to curtail our freedoms, I can understand how a person might wrongly believe this; if they did not research it for themselves.
    Why would this require research? Anybody proficient in sixth grade English (and the attendant rules for independent and dependent clauses) would know the 2A has nothing to do with militias. When people say the 2A is about the rights of militias they are simply being dishonest. They do not make that error for other sentences of similar construction. It is only the 2A where they suddenly forget the rules of English grammar.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    I also like to point out, as far as that militia thing goes:

    http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/311

    (a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.
    (b) The classes of the militia are—
    (1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and
    (2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia.

    This is also exceedingly important to understand. Middle aged men who are anti-gun do no realize they are members of the militia.
     

    GRAY GHOST

    The 43rd
    Jul 24, 2012
    637
    C.S.A.
    the very sad truth is, if you perform any of your true constitutional rights in this country in todays world. you will be shot and called a terrorist. your true constitutional rights died in 1864.
     

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