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To: adopt4Him
I just find it hard to believe that the framers of the big C meant this to fit into the world we live in, that they could not possibly conceive of in their day. I fully get it, about protecting all of our "rights" as citizens. But I also cannot imagine what life in the U.S. would be like if there was no gun restriction of ownership at all. It is mind-boggling to me, despite what you all say we have a "right" to do under the constitution.

Then let's have that debate and amend the constitution. Until then, my reading of the document is clear: we have a right to bear arms.

1,081 posted on 02/08/2007 8:12:39 AM PST by Publius Valerius
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To: Publius Valerius; adopt4Him
Then let's have that debate and amend the constitution. Until then, my reading of the document is clear: we have a right to bear arms.

Regrettably, Publius, you still don't seem to understand. The right to bears arms is not "granted" by the Constitution, nor are any other rights so "granted". The Constitution is SOLELY a listing (an "enumeration", in the parlance of Constitutional law), of the "powers", i.e. the legal authority and duties delegated by "We the People" to the federal government, to be used on OUR behalf, and subject to OUR control. The so-called "Bill of Rights" grants NO rights - it is a listing of specific prohibitions on government power, and the 9th and 10th Amendments provide the catch-all safety-nets for protection of "the People and the States" from the abuse of those powers delegated to the federal government.

Now, since the Constitution grants no rights, from whence do our rights come? That is covered in the Declaration of Independence which clearly states that our rights come from ("are endowed by") our Creator. They pre-exist the Constitution, as the phrase so aptly states, and cannot be lawfully, morally nor "Constitutionally" taken from us. They can only be taken from us by force.

If we followed your suggestion, had that debate and repealed the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution, that would in no way remove our God-given, "inalienable" right to be armed to protect ourselves and secure our freedom. It would not remove the right, it would simply increase the level of tyranny we would be willing to tolerate, and further the already dangerously-advanced process of deconstructing and de-legitimizing the Constitution and the federal government.

1,160 posted on 02/08/2007 9:37:05 AM PST by tarheelswamprat (So what if I'm not rich? So what if I'm not one of the beautiful people? At least I'm not smart...)
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