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To: Pontiac

The anti-gun nut cases cling to those two subordinate clauses “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state” like a drowning man clings to stray bit of driftwood. But they are subordenate clauses that can be dropped from the sentence without altering the meaning of the sentence. Which when done leaves; “the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”


A ‘Well regulated militia’ at the time of the signing of the Constitution meant one thing... One that was well practiced in the use of their firearms.At that time there was a training system called the ‘Regulations’ that detailed how to properly load aim and fire a muzzle loading rifle.

I believe that an Englishman came up with the Regulations. It was used by the British Army and was so well known that the professional members of the Army were known as the ‘Regulars’. That tradition carries on even to today where we have the ‘Regular Army’ and the Reserves.

So if you wanted to put the second amendment in modern perspective you might say that:

In order to preserve the peace and safety of of the United States the private citizens must practice regularly with their weapons so as to be competent with their usage and maintenance. The right to own and use their weapons may not be taken away from them or have undue or unjust regulations placed upon their rights to own, use and carry them where they desire.


13 posted on 05/17/2016 3:21:51 AM PDT by The Working Man
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To: The Working Man
To 'regulate' something had a pretty distinct meaning back in the day. If you had a 'well regulated clock', that means that it's mechanism had been adjusted to insure accuracy of its timekeeping.
17 posted on 05/17/2016 7:16:05 AM PDT by zeugma (Today is Pungenday, the 60th day of Discord in the YOLD 3182)
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To: The Working Man
The right to own and use their weapons may not be taken away from them or have undue or unjust regulations placed upon their rights to own, use and carry them where they desire.

No good. The words undue and unjust are subject to interpretation, and you know how leftists would interpret them.

"The right to own and use their weapons may not be taken away from them or have regulations placed upon their rights to own, use and carry them where they desire" works better.

Even freed criminals and crazies have the right to self defense. If they shouldn't be armed, they shouldn't be running around loose.

28 posted on 05/17/2016 1:19:31 PM PDT by JimRed (Is it 1776 yet? TERM LIMITS, now and forever! Build the Wall, NOW!)
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To: The Working Man

Actually ‘Regulated’ at the time of the revolution meant ‘drilled’. So a well regulated militia would be a well drilled as to the militia would be made regular or Uniform in their performance.


30 posted on 05/18/2016 11:56:30 AM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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