[mass55th]

A militia is a military force that is raised from the civil population to supplement a regular army in an emergency. The civil population has the right to keep and bear arms so that in an emergency, a militia can be formed from that group of people, to supplement the regular army. What part of that the libs don’t understand is beyond me.

[Campion]

They argue with a straight face that the 2nd A was put there to make it clear that the government had the right to arm the National Guard. Seriously.

If you ask them what other amendments guarantee rights to the government, they look at you with a stupid look, before calling you a racist, sexist, climate change denier.

[bunkerhill7]

WEARING ARMS< BEARING ARMS Volunteers #War of 1812

"Governor Synder, 1815- Our militia and volunteers were actually engaged with the enemy.."p99 ...if we destroyed the militia system, we did not indeed take away the right of the people to bear arms, but we destroyed the inclination, the habit of WEARING ARMS; and such was not his [Gov. Snyder]sentiment as to what ought to be the condition of things in a country like ours. He believed that not only right, but the habit of WEARING ARMS was essential to freemen, and to the preservation of the liberty of freemen. This was the principle inserted into the Constitution of the United States; and if we did away with this, the effect would be to destroy the principle and the feeling altogether." .100 p.105.

The terms of the Constitution he need not refer to; and the amendment now under discussion was simply an AFFIRMANCE OF A POWER,-THAT THE RIGHT OF A PEOPLE TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED. Who fought the Battles, of Lexington,Bunker Hill and Saratoga?

...Who saved Baltimore? ... Who obtained the victory at New Orleans?

These militia, trained and disciplined in their own houses; not practised in the field, but BRINGING THEIR GUNS WHICH THEY WERE TAUGHT TO USE WHEN CHILDREN..".111

viz [all above from p.168 are sourced from �"Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania", Vol. 4, by the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention, 1837-8

". Every man should be a citizen, and every citizen a soldier; and then he would be best able to defend his country and his own property.'"

p.180. "he right of conscience in relation to BEARING ARMS is a sacred right. It is equally sacred with the right to self-defence.

But what is meant of our militia? Why, when he spoke of them, he meant American citizens, accustomed to the use of arms; not in the camp or in the field, but American citizens accustomed to use THEIR ARMS, and to all that manual dexterity which could only be gained by long practice; not field maneouvering and marching, but a perfect knowledge of the rifle and the musket. Such a use of the rifle that you could take the eye out of a squirrel on the highest tree.

This was in all, and beyond this there was no necessity to go in this country. In this the soldiers of our country had a superiority of those of any other. Ask the British officers who were engaged in the last war whether there was no superiority in our troops in this respect.

WEll, was this to be learned at military musters? ....But when it is necessary, the American citizen is always ready to BEAR ARMS without this militia training. how was it before in the last war in this State? [War of 1812] Were there any militia trainings to make the cititzens of Pennsylvania prepared for service?

Not At all-they were ready to meet the enemy in the east and in the west. How was it in Tennessee before the Battle of New Orleans?

Did the men who fought that battle perform militia service to prepare them for it?

No sir- it was known that they did not. Were the militia of Bunker Hill, prepared for the events of that day of glory by previous trainings as militia? No sir. p183 p.79

viz [all above from p.168 are sourced from �"Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania", Vol. 4, by the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention, 1837-8

[AFreeBird]

They’re libs. They don’t understand how to screw in a light bulb. Even a green one.

[ought-six]

A militia is wholly dependent on an armed people. Thus, a militia can only exist if the people are armed, but an armed people can exist without a militia. So, while a militia is dependent, an armed people is not so restricted.

[atomic_dog]

They didn't define milita because when they wrote the Constitution *EVERYONE*. Look at the state constitutions in effect at the time the US Constitution was adopted. They basically state "every able bodied man between 18 and 60." Now people who were averse to carrying arms (Quakers were often named) they could pay a fee to be excused from militia duty. Being in the militia was very popular as most of the states at that time had property ownership qualifications to vote, the exception was???

Anyone, anyone?

You guessed it. Serving in the militia qualified someone to vote who didn't own any property.