[montag813]

Olson, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, was reflecting the view of Attorney General John Ashcroft (news - web sites) that the Second Amendment confers the right to "keep and bear arms" to private citizens and not merely to the "well-regulated militia" mentioned in the amendment's text.

What is all the fuss about this? Seems pretty obvious. Was it REALLY the position of former administrations to state the opposute? Bizarre.

[john in missouri]

Was it REALLY the position of former administrations to state the opposute? Bizarre.

In the case of the Klinton administration, absolutely. Believe it or not, Reno's Justice Dept issued a public statement that the official position of the United States government was that individual citizens had NO Constitutional right to keep and bear arms.