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What Does the Second Amendment Mean?
americanthinker.com ^ | 4/9/2016 | David Deming

Posted on 04/09/2016 7:24:07 AM PDT by rktman

It's one of the most controversial passages of the Constitution. Allegedly, it's also one of the most obscure and unintelligible sections. The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads, "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."

Prior to the Supreme Court's decision in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), we were told for decades that the Second Amendment did not guarantee or even refer to an individual right. Based on the wording of United States v. Miller (1939), the theory was promulgated that the Second Amendment protected only State's rights to maintain organized militia. One problem with this curious interpretation is that States don't have rights, they have powers. But there's nothing new about twisting the truth into a pretzel so that it conforms to a dogmatic ideology. Some people still doggedly maintain that the Second Amendment does not refer to an individual right. Among these persons are some judges on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. In clear defiance of the Supreme Court, the Seventh Circuit recently announced that "states, which are in charge of militias, should be allowed to decide when civilians can possess military-grade firearms."

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: 2a; banglist; guncontrol; gungrabbers; rkba; secondamendment
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The "Miller" case has been so mis-intrepreted for so long that it seems to be the misinterpretation that is correct in the eyes of the mommunists and bloomin' idjits out there. Or maybe "infringe" has been redefined when I wasn't looking.
1 posted on 04/09/2016 7:24:08 AM PDT by rktman
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To: rktman

RKBA has never been controversial to me.


2 posted on 04/09/2016 7:27:23 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (Baseball players, gangsters and musicians are remembered. But journalists are forgotten.)
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To: rktman

The fact that someone has to ask this question pays tribute to lawyers and justices run wild. Shall not be infringed. No, I didn’t read the article. This is Free Republic after all!


3 posted on 04/09/2016 7:27:38 AM PDT by refreshed
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To: rktman

What Does the Second Amendment Mean?

It means that there is an inalienable right to bear arms, and that anything that any government does pertaining to that right is an infringement.


4 posted on 04/09/2016 7:27:55 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: rktman

In my opinion, if the founders had NOT wanted the American people to have the right to keep and bear arms, they would’ve used the word “militia” again instead of the word “people”...

They intended it to apply to everyone....


5 posted on 04/09/2016 7:29:02 AM PDT by JBW1949
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To: rktman

The meaning of the Second Amendment is completely clear and no honest person could claim it has any ambiguity at all. Only an exceptionally dishonest democrat (meaning 70% of their voters and 99% of their politicians) could claim any meaning other than the natural and literal reading.

Our individual, God-given right to keep and bear arms is given legal protection under that amendment. The legal protection granted is the highest level imaginable - not just a legislative constraint “Congress shall make no law”, but the much more stringent bar on any government restrictions: “shall not be infringed”.


6 posted on 04/09/2016 7:29:13 AM PDT by Pollster1 (Somebody who agrees with me 80% of the time is a friend and ally, not a 20% traitor. - Ronald Reagan)
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To: rktman
It’s one of the most controversial passages of the Constitution. Allegedly, it’s also one of the most obscure and unintelligible sections. …
It is neither.

Richard Henry Lee cleared up the issue back in 1788:
To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms, and be taught alike especially when young, how to use them. …

A militia, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves, and render regular troops in a great measure unnecessary. …
Therefore, all of us are the militia. Case closed.
7 posted on 04/09/2016 7:34:52 AM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: rktman

The meaning is clear. Been talked about forever.

The only people who really seriously ask the question are those trying to change what it means.


8 posted on 04/09/2016 7:38:40 AM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks

Well Eric in the Ozarks, that’s because you have a brain that functions for more than just breathing. The mommunists thought process is non-existent.


9 posted on 04/09/2016 7:41:36 AM PDT by rktman (Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?!)
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To: rktman
If I had a time machine and could talk to the founders, I would tell them to leave out the entire sentence reading “A well regulated militia being necessary to a free state...” and just include the “shall not be infringed” part. I fully understand their meaning and word structure. So do all of you. But it has invited misinterpretation and abuse.
10 posted on 04/09/2016 7:43:45 AM PDT by SkyPilot ("I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6)
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To: rktman

In modern language, it would read “A well equipped Militia being necessary for the security state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

Today the term regulation only refers to rules and bureaucracy. This was not always the case.


11 posted on 04/09/2016 7:43:53 AM PDT by DesertRhino ("I want those feeble minded asses overthrown,,,)
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To: rktman

no ifs,ands,nor buts.............???


12 posted on 04/09/2016 7:44:21 AM PDT by gunnyg ("A Constitution changed from Freedom, can never be restored; Liberty, once lost, is lost forever...)
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To: rktman
Allegedly, it's also one of the most obscure and unintelligible sections.

Only to an indoctrinated liberal.

13 posted on 04/09/2016 7:44:25 AM PDT by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal the 16th Amendment)
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To: rktman

http://www.constitution.org/mil/militia_debate_1789.htm


14 posted on 04/09/2016 7:47:28 AM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: rktman

Second Amendment first of all, like all of the first eight amendments, reminds the feds some specific individual and state rights the feds cannot violate. (The first ten amendments are NOT a bill of rights but a REMINDER of SOME of the rights the feds cannot violate. As the Ninth and Tenth Amendments point out, it is not an exhaustive “list” but a sampling of rights out of many not mentioned. “Bills of Rights” are for communist countries.)

Specifically, the Second Amendment is reminding the feds they cannot violate states’ rights to maintain state militias nor violate individual rights to own and carry guns.

Unconstitutional SCOTUS decisions do not override the Constitution as written and originally understood and interpreted (Art VI, Sec 2) and should be treated by the states as null and void. Also SCOTUS decisions that ARE constitutional are limited in authoritative scope to ONLY those parties in the case involved and any other case with the same d questions of law. THE CONSTITUTION DOES NOT GIVE SCOTUS THE POWER TO MAKE NATIONAL LAW. That is the job on Congress.


15 posted on 04/09/2016 7:50:41 AM PDT by Jim W N
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To: JBW1949
In my opinion, if the founders had NOT wanted the American people to have the right to keep and bear arms, they would’ve used the word “militia” again instead of the word “people”...They intended it to apply to everyone.

Exactly.

...a well-regulated militia being necessary... = because the sky is blue...

They should have left out this meaningless clause. The action part of the sentence is, "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall NOT be infringed".

16 posted on 04/09/2016 7:50:57 AM PDT by libertylover (The problem with Obama is not that his skin is too black, it's that his ideas are too RED.)
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To: BenLurkin; JBW1949; Pollster1; Olog-hai; Secret Agent Man; DesertRhino

Second Amendment first of all, like all of the first eight amendments, reminds the feds some specific individual and state rights the feds cannot violate. (The first ten amendments are NOT a bill of rights but a REMINDER of SOME of the rights the feds cannot violate. As the Ninth and Tenth Amendments point out, it is not an exhaustive “list” but a sampling of rights out of many not mentioned. “Bills of Rights” are for communist countries.)

Specifically, the plain meaning and original understanding of the Second Amendment is to remind the feds they cannot violate states’ rights to maintain state militias nor violate individual rights to own and carry guns.

Unconstitutional SCOTUS decisions do not override the Constitution as written and originally understood and interpreted (Art VI, Sec 2) and should be treated by the states as null and void. Also SCOTUS decisions that ARE constitutional are limited in authoritative scope to ONLY those parties in the case involved and any other case with the same d questions of law. THE CONSTITUTION DOES NOT GIVE SCOTUS THE POWER TO MAKE NATIONAL LAW. That is the job on Congress.


17 posted on 04/09/2016 7:58:42 AM PDT by Jim W N
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To: libertylover
"the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall NOT be infringed".

Nice, tight, package, no frills.

The right, is not bequeathed upon the populace by an amendment.

No, it pre-exists the amendment.

it is mentioned in passing, that the right (to keep and bear arms), the one we already have, simply shall not be infringed.

18 posted on 04/09/2016 7:59:30 AM PDT by going hot (Happiness is a Momma Deuce)
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To: rktman

“The “Miller” case has been so mis-intrepreted for so long ...”

It sure has

http://www.constitution.org/2ll/schol/gun_control_dencite.htm


19 posted on 04/09/2016 8:03:07 AM PDT by MileHi (Liberalism is an ideology of parasites, hypocrites, grievance mongers, victims, and control freaks.)
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To: rktman

Problem Solved:

Any person granted a “Privilege” to “keep and bear arms, without being infringed” shall be prohibited from using that privilege in the defense of others for profit or gain.

Any person violating this law shall be guilty of a Felony, Punishable by a mandatory sentence of not less than 25 years in Prison.

There are NO POLICE OFFICERS or any other person in “Law Enforcement” anywhere in the US, that has a “Duty” to protect the citizenry. The Only “Legal Duty” any Police Officer has,is to the political entity that employs them.

This would eliminate ALL Private Body Guards from carrying guns to protect the elitist ruling class and HOLLYWOOD.

If it is a RIGHT then you can use your gun in defense of others, if it is a “PRIVILEGE” then it is a FELONY TO DO SO.

Pass this law and watch them change their tune overnight.


20 posted on 04/09/2016 8:05:51 AM PDT by eyeamok
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