Posted on 10/21/2005 3:21:50 PM PDT by Ain Soph Aur
Yes, the Swiss militiaman (Every male between certain ages) must keep a fully automatic assault rifle, or if an officer, a pistol, along with a sealed tin of ammunition. They can have more ammunition, and are encouraged to practice, but they must have that sealed tin available for emergencies. Subsidized ammunition is available at gun ranges. After they complete their militia service, which is decades after they begin, they may for a nominal fee, purchase their issue weapon and continue to keep it at home.
No sling shot?
I have a wrist rocket. I'm a pretty good shot with it too.
Lol. Well, you live in California, that shouldn't be too difficult.
Yes, absolutely. With the XM8 getting close to acceptance, it would make much more sense to give all those old M16 rifles to citizens, rather than just scrapping them or dumping them in warehouses somewhere.
You will never see an anti-gun nut put a "gun free home" sign on their house!
I have a Ruger Mini-14 (first gun I bought in 1985), Taurus 9mm (bought this when I turned 21), Colt 380 Mustang pocketlite, Ruger 10-22 with scope, Sig Sauer P229 40SW (this is such a cool handgun).
A conservatives looks at America and sees 300 million potential deputies.
The Congress of the United States disagrees. Just yesterday they officially found (HR 800/S. 397 was passed by the House and sent to to the President)
(1) The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
(2) The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the rights of individuals, including those who are not members of a militia or engaged in military service or training, to keep and bear arms.
What?
No third 'Eagle' stowed in the small of your back as a BUG?
Why..that's absolutely un-american !;>)
/jasper
The Swiss do, or at least all those of the same "cohort" do, older men have previous standard weapons.
The first Congress passed the first Militia Act, which required just this. Oh they gave some leeway as to the exact weapon, but they did require ownership and specified calibration. They also required a certain amount of powder and shot, as well as other accouterments be owned and in good working condition. I guess that founding generation was just a bunch of Big Government types? No but they recognized that citizens have both right and obligations.
BTW their power to do what they did, and could do again, is found in Art. 1, section 8:
"Congress shall have the power ... To provide for organizing, arming and disciplining, the Militia ... "
By disciplining they meant specifying the required drill standards, by organizing they meant saying what proportion of infantry, artillery, calvary, dragoons, etc, each state should have.
The Militia Act of 1792 was a federal law, adopted right after ratification of the Constitution, that made it MANDATORY for all male citizens between 18 and 45 to own a military-style rifle of a specified calibre:
I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That each and every free able-bodied white male citizen of the respective States, resident therein, who is or shall be of age of eighteen years, and under the age of forty-five years (except as is herein after excepted) shall severally and respectively be enrolled in the militia, by the Captain or Commanding Officer of the company, within whose bounds such citizen shall reside, and that within twelve months after the passing of this Act. And it shall at all time hereafter be the duty of every such Captain or Commanding Officer of a company, to enroll every such citizen as aforesaid, and also those who shall, from time to time, arrive at the age of 18 years, or being at the age of 18 years, and under the age of 45 years (except as before excepted) shall come to reside within his bounds; and shall without delay notify such citizen of the said enrollment, by the proper non-commissioned Officer of the company, by whom such notice may be proved. That every citizen, so enrolled and notified, shall, within six months thereafter, provide himself with a good musket or firelock, a sufficient bayonet and belt, two spare flints, and a knapsack, a pouch, with a box therein, to contain not less than twenty four cartridges, suited to the bore of his musket or firelock, each cartridge to contain a proper quantity of power and ball; or with a good rifle, knapsack, shot-pouch, and power-horn, twenty balls suited to the bore of his rifle, and a quarter of a power of power; and shall appear so armed, accoutred and provided, when called out to exercise or into service, except, that when called out on company days to exercise only, he may appear without a knapsack. That the commissioned Officers shall severally be armed with a sword or hanger, and espontoon; and that from and after five years from the passing of this Act, all muskets from arming the militia as is herein required, shall be of bores sufficient for balls of the eighteenth part of a pound; and every citizen so enrolled, and providing himself with the arms, ammunition and accoutrements, required as aforesaid, shall hold the same exempted from all suits, distresses, executions or sales, for debt or for the payment of taxes.In modern terms, this would translate into every citizen being required to own a rifle chambered for .223 or 7.62 NATO
If you want to own a firearm I have no problem with that at all, but I don't want one. What's the difference between guns laws banning guns and gun laws requiring ownership? Where does the second amendment say you must own a gun?
I won't make you give yours up so long as you don't make me own one. 'K?
The Iowa constitution has it's own definition: The militia of this state shall be composed of all able-bodied male citizens, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years, except such as are or may hereafter be exempt by the laws of the United States, or of this state, and shall be armed, equipped, and trained, as the general assembly may provide by law. From http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Constitution.html
My old ROTC manual, printed in the 1960's, defined "well regulated" as "uniform in training and organization" (implying a standard for training level that militia would be expected to satisfy)
The term "regulated" applied to clocks means "accurate in keeping time". It made sense, particularly in 18th Century armies, to have to pay a lot of attention to how well soldiers could operate in massed formations. Soldiers had to be drilled to load, aim, and fire as one unit. You do NOT want the rifle next to you to be firing (and emitting a shower of sparks) while you are pouring gunpowder into your musket. Everybody had to do every step together with no screwups
(2) The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the rights of individuals, including those who are not members of a militia or engaged in military service or training, to keep and bear arms.
I hope this bill is signed by Bush (or has it been?).
That one got me too. Nice.
What would 9/11 have been like if most passengers had been armed?
When I first read the article I was in total agreement.
Your mentioning of some who would want not to own firearms (Quakers maight be such a group) show some tinkering is necessary.
Why? What does my owning or not a gun have to do with my ability to vote? You don't want the government forcing you to get rid of your guns, I don't want the government forcing me to own one. Sounds like we both want the government out of it, huh? What makes you think that my not wanting to own a gun means I won't defend this country if it came to it?
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