Which people? The over 21 white male property owners or the over 18 white male taxpayers? (Actually even by your definition it would the over 18 white male taxpayers, since the House of Commons was likely the most populous branch of the legislature).
But the point is there were *different* subsets of "the people" defined for different purposes, voting, mandatory militia service, etc. But they were always spelled out where they applied. That is the militia act spelled out what subset of the people were required to serve in the militia, the North Carolina provisions spell out the subsets of the people who could vote for state Senators or members of the state House of Commons respectively.
The second amendment doesn't offer any qualifications, ergo, like the rest of the bill of rights, it's the whole people that is being referred to.
Bingo.
If the federal government infringed either one it's unconstitutional -- the enfranchised body politic is the entity protected.
I used "adult, white, male citizens" because I knew you wouldn't understand the big-person words.
You go ahead and substitute "the voters" for "the people". Then you won't have to worry your little brain with that messy 21 here and 18 there and taxpayers over there and property owners here and all that.
Who? The whole people? Not to be confused with the partial people? What are you talking about?
Do you think you're actually adding clarification to the issue by saying the whole people? Who are the whole people? Everyone? All citizens? Did you mean "The Mole People"?
