Since you seem like you’ve given a lot of thought to the 2nd amendment issue, I wanted to run an argument by you that I heard for the first time the other day and couldn’t really answer.
It refers the right of “the people” to bear arms, not the right of each person. You might think that’s a distinction without a difference, but the guy I talked to noted that “We the people,” for instance, was obviously referring to what representatives did on behalf of the whole people — not to the unanimous and individual agreement of every single person. In other words, he was saying the 2nd amendment is a collective right — just like many things done by “the people” are done collectively.
The guy then put this argument in the context of the “well-regulated militia” line, and I honestly didn’t know how to answer.
What do you think?
“We the People” in the preamble is a “big P”.
In section 2, the house of representatives is a “big P”.
Section 6, second paragraph, “any Person” is a “big P” referring to office holders.
Section 7, refers to congressmen as “big P’ “People”.
You get the idea.
in the second amendment,and in the bill of rights, “people” is “little P”.
Two different “people”.
TLR