When guns are outlawed
Posted on 02/25/2008 3:21:43 PM PST by kellynla
Montana officials are warning that if the Supreme Court rules in the D.C. gun ban case that the right to keep and bear arms protects only state-run militias like the National Guard, then the federal government will have breached Montana's statehood contract.
Nobody is raising flags for the Republic of Montana, but nobody is kidding, either. So far, 39 elected Montana officials have signed a resolution declaring that a court ruling of the Second Amendment is a right of states and not of individuals would violate Montana's compact.
"The U.S. would do well to keep its contractual promise to the states that the Second Amendment secures an individual right now as it did upon execution of the statehood contract," Montana Secretary of State Brad Johnson said in a Feb. 15 letter to The Washington Times.
The resolution also was signed by Rep. Denny Rehberg, Montana's lone Republican congressman, and state Sen. Roy Brown, who is running to unseat Gov. Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat.
The dispute goes back more than a century. Back in 1889, the settlers of the Montana territory struck a deal with the federal government: They agreed to join the union, and the government agreed that individuals had the right to bear arms.
That has worked fine for the past 118 years, but the Supreme Court is expected next month to hear oral argument in District of Columbia v. Heller, the appeal of a federal court decision striking down the District's gun-ownership ban on Second Amendment grounds.
The high court has not issued a broad ruling on Second Amendment law in almost 70 years, including the key question of whether it provides an individual right, like speech and jury trial, or a "collective right" held by state governments.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Go Montana!
A few days ago someone posted the average Montana household has eight guns.
The Second Amendment along with the rest of the Bill of Rights, was a necessary precondition for the ratification of the Constitution in the first place, so it’s plausible that abrogation of an individual right to arms would void the Constitution entirely, not just for Montana.
Give em hell Montana
When guns are outlawed
We haven’t seen anything yet. If Obama or Clinton get in, look out. And our side has the guns.
I think the South and the Southwest will follow Montana’s lead on this.
Oh really? You think McCain has no plans to increase gun restrictions? You think our CURRENT prez wouldn’t sign new gun laws into place?
Think again.
Right.
If the court rules against us you will be amazed at how fast the RATs and LIBs moves take you’re property (guns) without due compensation. Bet on it!!!
Alabama Constitution states in:
Sec. 26 That every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself
and the state.
I believe it. But I’d bet a dollar that at least 75% of those firearms are, for all practical purposes, useless to a militia.
muzzle loaders, antiques, novelties, rimfire rifles and pistols, small guage shotguns, oddball calibers, etc.
This might be worth keeping in mind.
Now if we can just get one of the southern coastal states to go on record in the same way...
Cool... I just saw your post after I posted.
Good. We may need them soon.
Well you'd be wrong. The average Montanan doesn't have the income to collect eclectic odd firearms. They own rifles, shotguns and large caliber handguns -- and they use them.
I lived their for four years, and really miss that state.
Need I remind you that even an oddball caliber round, if placed in the appropriate place, can change the world?
Or do you think that the 6.5x52mm Carcano was a “mainstream round?”
I just bought a new bushmaster assault rifle because I really think they will be outlawed again within the next 2 years. I’d like to buy something in 308 caliber too. But I can’t decide what I want...AR10, HK/CETME, or the new FN SCAR heavy.
Ecclectic odd firearms are acquired from dead relatives. I have plenty of them, and not one of them have I paid for. They all came from dead ancestors.
Well, I take that back, I have one old bolt action rifle in 8mm mauser that I bought. THere are lots of people out there buying old surplus rifles for cheap. And there are lots of people out there that inherited old 303 british rifles from their grandfather, who got it for about fifteen bucks after world war 2.
A 303 british is just about useless. Where are you going to get reliable ammo?
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