[robertpaulsen]

Unless he said more than what you quoted in your post #569, I wouldn't say that he suggested it was a personal right, just that "a growing body of scholarly commentary indicates that the 'right to keep and bear arms' is, as the Amendment's text suggests, a personal right", and, ""[i]f . . . the Second Amendment is read to confer a personal right to 'keep and bear arms,'".

He cited Justice Story to support the conjecture.

I can make similar statements regarding UFO's, talking about a growing body of scientific commentary, and early hisorical writings, and even a quote from Art Bell. Does that mean I believe in UFO's?

That said, Justice Thomas may indeed consider the RKBA the key liberty of a republic -- it's just that he didn't say it, that's all.

[Ken H]

I can make similar statements regarding UFO's, talking about a growing body of scientific commentary, and early hisorical writings, and even a quote from Art Bell. Does that mean I believe in UFO's?

If someone said, "Marshaling an impressive array of evidence, a growing body of scholarly commentary indicates that UFO's are, as the evidence suggests, real", then I'd bet a hefty amount he believed in their existence.