Posted on 04/04/2013 10:31:15 AM PDT by neverdem
The answers are far from simple, and lie in American constitutional and military history.
A key narrative in the push to ban assault weapons is that they are exceptionally powerful, firing rounds with a special capacity to pierce body armor and pulverize human bodies. The AR-15 infamously used in the Sandy Hook massacre fires the same 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition as its cousin the M16. The “NATO” designation seems to validate Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and company’s fear that these are military weapons which do not belong in the hands of civilians. The language of the Second Amendment and historical context in which it was conceived fundamentally undermine this logic:
A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
The Bill of Rights was adopted as a precaution against tyrannical government, with the Second Amendment democratizing military force. The Framers believed that citizens should have access to the military hardware they themselves would use to defend the homeland against tyranny, foreign or domestic, as members of militias. Whether this standard applies to artillery (reasonable persons may differ), it surely includes firearms. If anything, an originalist interpretation of the Constitution privileges the right to keep and bear arms suitable for militia service.
Progressives counter that the homeland has long been protected by a standing army. In their view, the right to keep and bear arms was confirmed strictly in the interest of military preparedness. No less than the Father of the Constitution expressly warned against a standing army. James Madison spent many months before the Constitutional Convention studying the history of governments. As he said to that body:
A standing military force, with an overgrown Executive will not long be safe companions...
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
Yes, and since we are looking at either Civil War 2 or Revolutionary War 2, we need them.
Is an AR15 a defense rifle?
The Constitution includes a proviso for Letters of Marque -- if a private citizen happens to have a war ship, loaded with cannon, and capable of engaging ships of the British fleet, the Constitution provides grounds for Congress to authorize use of such a private vessel in official servive to our country.
So ... yeah ... US citizens can arm themselves with just about anything, Bucko.
bump!
2A is ABOUT WEAPONS OF WAR.
It is for keeping weapons of war in the populace, and as written it guarantees ANY warmaking weapon as a correction to the government.
A short-barrelled weapon with a high ammo capacity, be it a shotgun or an AR, is superior for home defense over a long-barrelled hunting weapon.
Nothing like Joe Biden, a man with Secret Service protection, lecturing those without bodyguards on how to defend themselves and their homes. Hint, Joe - your Secret Service detail does not pack duck-hunting shotguns.
Why do cops have them?
Is an AR15 a defense rifle?
YES, Homeland security even said so.
Origin of Assault Rifle is German. Sturmgehwar, most notably the Sturmgehwar 44. Lightweight bullets, high capacity, auto-fire rate that was respectable.
AR-15 has a lot of similarities except it is semi-auto. So does the civilian equivalent of the AK-47....so what?
Weapon of war? Well, yes, we are in a war with our government right now - it just isn’t ‘declared’ formally.
They shoulda' known better than tinker with the militia clause back in the 70s to put the wymen in eh! Put in the old ausfahrts as well Bwahahahaha!
All the fricken Democrats and RINOs who wish to bask in the “security” of communism should move to Russia or China or Cuba. Leave freedom for the true Americans who can handle it!!
There are bolt action rifles that shoot 30.06 Springfield (NATO 7.62mm). It is the same round that the M-1 Garand and M-14 uses. By using the above logic, the bolt action rifle is also a "military weapon".
Fire on dem Grills!
Could not agree more.
In fact, we should be able to freely obtain Barrett .50 cal rifles, M60 mini-guns and 40mm grenade launchers. Methinks we'll need them.
7.62 is similar to .308, not .30-06
LOL I like that.
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