And a national registry is, in my opinion, expressly forbidden per the Second Amendment. We are permitted to own firearms for the purpose of self defense and defense of the State, per the Second Amendment, and to track everyone's purchases and ownership of what amount to protected implements is tantamount to unreasonable search, at the least.
Well, if we can't do it today with 200 million guns owned by 70 million Americans, we ain't never going to be able.
That's not a cause for preclusion of the Second Amendment, Sir! The need for the Second Amendment transcends the need for revolution. As Jefferson once said, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Just because it's been a while since a refresher doesn't mean we should be stripped of our right to do so!
There is. It's called the ballot box. Every two years we have the opportunity to start with a clean slate, electing the people who write the laws. We are a self-governing nation, you know.
Surely you jest, Sir! The ballot box is run by the candidates with the most money available to make their presence known. Politics in this country are no longer local and rural. They've taken on a sort of uber-national seed that has turned this country on its ear. With the national media taking over the airwaves, I would contend that politics go global to local instead of the converse, as it used to be. Our Congresscritters and Senators are locked in constant battle to retain their kushy lifestyles, and our local politicians are simply vying for primrose path to DC. We should get back to a pseudo-intellectual local discussion about issues instead of worrying about what Conservative talk show host is being censored now or what superbug is killing less than 2% of the US population.
That is not the case. I already answered that question from you in my post #137. Forget?
No sir, I didn't forget. I continue to bring that point forward to illustrate that you appear to mold it to your grammatical whim. I want to ensure that we're keep this dialog honest and open without attempting some lexical shenanigans. However, in post 137 you were marginally abusive, and I'd like to think that I've proven to you that I'm at least listening and attempting to have an intellectual conversation with you without being vituperative.
And finally, I think that your argument that every citizen of this fine nation isn't part of "the people" as laid out in the BoR is fatuous. If everyone in this nation followed your line of reasoning, we would have the Federal government doing everything they could to quash the rights of women and blacks with the BoR backing them up through some legal monkey business. Every man and woman, white, black, Asian or Mexican, short or tall, fat or skinny who is a citizen of this country is permitted the right to free speech, free exercise of religion, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure of private property and most of all the right to keep and bear arms for the purpose of lawful self-defense of self and State. If you'd like to contend otherwise, I believe there is a movement to have the Second Amendment stricken from the BoR. While your at it, have them strip out the Third as well. Who needs the quartering act anymore, anyway?
Cite, please.
Yes, and the average number of guns per American gun owner is 4. Now, how is one-gun-a-month not a reasonable restriction?
Or are you starting a different argument -- that our gun laws don't work? You're kind of confusing me here.
"If I were to buy 3 AK-47s in one day, I have that right, and no one should question it."
Oh, please. What percentage of American gun buyers does that describe? .00001%. Maybe? You can't spread that out over three months? Now who's being "unreasonable"?
"and to track everyone's purchases and ownership of what amount to protected implements is tantamount to unreasonable search, at the least."
No different than vehicle registration, or licensing pilots, doctors, truck drivers, etc. I think a warrant should be required to search the database for a particular serial number, however.
"Just because it's been a while since a refresher doesn't mean we should be stripped of our right to do so!"
Stripped how? I pointed out that 70 million Americans already have 200 million guns. That's not enough for your revolution?
"The ballot box is run by the candidates with the most money available to make their presence known."
So voting is a waste of time and an armed revolution is the way to go, huh? What is this, Uganda?
Why did the federal AWB expire? You think Sarah Brady simply changed her mind? You think Congress was lazy? Tell me why YOU think it expired.
"Every man and woman, white, black, Asian or Mexican, short or tall, fat or skinny who is a citizen of this country is permitted the right ... to keep and bear arms for the purpose of lawful self-defense of self and State."
Well, at least you didn't say "every person", so there's some hope for you. But every citizen? Hmmmm. The insane? The feeble-minded? Children? Prisoners? Felons?
And if the second amendment protects this right, then doesn't Due Process or Equal Protection mean that every state must have the same laws? Why do somes states allow concealed carry and some don't?
"I continue to bring that point forward to illustrate that you appear to mold it to your grammatical whim."
Then I can expect it to stop, now that you know exactly what I mean by it.
"I believe there is a movement to have the Second Amendment stricken from the BoR. While your at it ..."
While I'm "at it"? What makes you think I'm part of that movement?