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Submitted by Bad Lad, Feb 22, 2008 11:16

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.

It is unfortunate that our Founding Fathers included the opening phrase to the Second Amendment because the Liberals have jumped on it to misconstrue the intent of this amendment.

Actually, Arms, when applied to systems of offence and defense, can include anything from a club to a ballistic missile. However, the reality is that reference to arms is generally considered to be firearms. A firearm is a weapon, especially a pistol, shotgun, or rifle, capable of firing a projectile and using an explosive charge as a propellant. This definition could also be logically expanded to include cannons but I am not going to include that argument in this discussion.

The clarity of the second half of the amendment is obvious. The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed. Infringe means to transgress or exceed the limits of; violate. By this language, any restriction would be unconstitutional.

It is important to understand the frame of mind of those who wrote the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Having fought a long war and having freed themselves from a monarchy, where the whim of one man influenced the lives of all, the framers wanted to make certain that this could not occur with this new government. So important was the right of the individual to own firearms, that it was originally the First Amendment. It was considered every man's God-given right to defend himself including defense against one's own government.

James Madison said "A government that does not trust its law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms is itself unworthy of trust.

Gun control increases violent crimes by shifting the balance of power to favor criminals while it disarms law abiding citizens. Criminals are free to commit violent crimes and do so with impunity because they know their law abiding victims are unarmed. The violent crime rate in Washington DC exemplifies this.

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Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
OK, Obama believes that the 2nd Amendment provides an individual's right to bear arms. What he supports are a communities'... [MORE]	Julia	Mar 18, 2008 11:13
Almost nobody thinks a criminal should have the right to own a gun. What Senator Obama is saying is that... [MORE]	Gene Hillman	Mar 22, 2008 14:47
I TOLD ya not to vote for Obama! [MORE]	Ol'Bill	Mar 17, 2008 12:22
I feel very sorry for any one who will vote for this type of person who has been known to... [MORE]	Don Dille	Feb 23, 2008 19:32
Obama or Clinton will attack the NRA with more venum and vigor than they do Al keida or the Talaban.... [MORE]	Woodpiggie	Feb 23, 2008 12:01
Just like most Democrats Obama is showing his true colors.If he will take away your right to keep and bear... [MORE]	Ron	Feb 22, 2008 11:19
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep...	Bad Lad	Feb 22, 2008 11:16
Guns do not kill people, people kill people. Moreover, criminals kill people. Taking guns from law abiding citizens or forcing... [MORE]	Tim from SoCal	Feb 22, 2008 11:10
Jefferson once said, "The Tree of Liberty must be refreshed, from time to time, with the blood of patriots and... [MORE]	bo	Feb 22, 2008 10:21
You are confusing rights with priviledges. There is no natural right to drink alcohol. There is no natural right of... [MORE]	Patriot	Feb 22, 2008 10:16
Sorry to rain on your parade Patriot but the government of Great Britian took away the people's right to defend... [MORE]	Glenn	Feb 23, 2008 01:45
Senator Obama is very good at double talk, just read or listen to his words. Senator Obama is a Socialist... [MORE]	Mike Wolford	Feb 22, 2008 07:31
'Most everyone knows how anti-individual-liberty Senator Clinton is (and at least 50% of the population doesn't care, they'll vote for... [MORE]	Blaine Nay	Feb 22, 2008 02:10
What do we do when words fail us? [MORE]	grimmace	Feb 22, 2008 01:14
I find lately that I don't fear the Obamas, Schumers, etc. We know WHY they want to disarm Americans. I... [MORE]	Jay Oxford	Feb 22, 2008 06:21
Firearms are more than just guns.They are mechanical works of art. Anyway,the bible states every man shall own a sword... [MORE]	David T	Feb 22, 2008 00:41
Obama says we must change and that is a given. As a constitutional lawyer, he should know that it is... [MORE]	Retired Teacher	Feb 22, 2008 18:34
I have often wondered what it is that "they" want to do to us, that they can't do while we... [MORE]	Cal	Feb 21, 2008 23:02
Obama's position is that if a majority of people in a local community want to ban guns in their community... [MORE]	liberal internationalist	Feb 21, 2008 22:36
So if the majority of a community desides that they don't want a particular ethnic group living among them they... [MORE]	D. Anderson	Feb 22, 2008 02:51
Last time I read through the Bill of Rights I didn't see any mention of booze, hookers or games of... [MORE]	NRA Life Member	Feb 22, 2008 05:48
"Obama's position is that if a majority of people in a local community want to ban guns in their community... [MORE]	RG	Feb 22, 2008 08:24
None of the things you listed are guaranteed under the constitution. What if a majority of people in a community... [MORE]	DC	Feb 22, 2008 09:25
We have already been invaded fellow Americans. Arm&Get'm. The liberals want to remake the country into what THEY want- whether... [MORE]	ralphy	Feb 22, 2008 11:00
Alcohol, prostitution, and gambling are left to the seperate states and are not available to all Americans. The right to... [MORE]	Glenn	Feb 23, 2008 00:36
Submitted by liberal internationalist, Feb 21, 2008 22:36 "Obama's position is that if a majority of people in a local community... [MORE]	Jimmyjet	Feb 24, 2008 17:41
Spent a bit of time in WW2 exercising my second amendment rights. This for all in my country and even... [MORE]	Ol'Bill	Mar 17, 2008 12:33
Sen. Obama will say about anything to get a vote. What happens when he gets in??? Thats whats scary he... [MORE]	Jay	Feb 21, 2008 20:39
Well, Thinkgra, if we all uses your powers of reason, we'd be limited to quill pens and printing presses for... [MORE]	Doug	Feb 21, 2008 20:09
When the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution, firing a gun took a few minutes to pull off. You fired, put... [MORE]	thinkgra	Feb 21, 2008 18:51
Typical of you on the left who want to parse the constitution to fit your personal beliefs. I own several... [MORE]	john	Feb 21, 2008 19:31
So going with your logic, the city you live in is perfectly in line with the constitution if they decide... [MORE]	shawn	Feb 21, 2008 21:13
Yes Thinkgra, the founding fathers DID understand and forsee the fact that weapons in the future (todays weapons) would be... [MORE]	Charles Petrik	Feb 21, 2008 21:47
You need to do your homework. I also eat what I kill, except varmints. Wild meat tastes better, and is... [MORE]	Keith	Feb 21, 2008 21:55
The Founding Fathers did not have guns in mind when they wrote the Constitution, or the Bill of Rights. They... [MORE]	Patriot	Feb 22, 2008 10:32
Thinkgra states that because technological developments in the field of firearms have progressed in the last 300 years that removes... [MORE]	Agincourt	Feb 22, 2008 11:14
The Bill of Rights protects the rights of all Americans. Local governments CANNOT whittle away at those rights as they... [MORE]	Glenn	Feb 23, 2008 01:26
The D.C. gun ban applies to handguns, not rifles. I'm sure that since you are a member of the NRA... [MORE]	Zachary	Feb 21, 2008 14:11
DC's ban does not allow a person to have a rifle unless it is taken apart. Also, you are not... [MORE]	Crabman	Feb 21, 2008 15:14
"While the second amendment guarantees the right to own a firearm, it doesn't state that you are allowed to own... [MORE]	eric holtzman	Feb 21, 2008 15:51
As you stated Zach, the Constitution does not give us a right to have specific types of weapons, in fact... [MORE]	Glenn	Feb 21, 2008 15:51
Zach is incorrect about the Second Amendment, accepted as ratified, would permit law abiding citizens to own bazookas or other... [MORE]	Dave	Feb 21, 2008 18:50
One problem, though, and that is that with long guns, shotguns or other non-handguns, they MUST be either broken down... [MORE]	Benjamin Franklin McMillan	Feb 21, 2008 23:55
Most people think of the Brady Campaign as the leading gun control group. But actually the Joyce Foundation in Chicago... [MORE]	Jack	Feb 21, 2008 12:35
Thank you, Mr. Blackwell, for eloquently stating this "audacity of truth". Common sense makes a come-back! I was wondering when... [MORE]	Jared	Feb 21, 2008 11:07
Obama will get at least 30% of the vote. So how many millions of voters will be caught up in... [MORE]	Jeff Gross	Feb 21, 2008 11:04
We all knoe that Obama is making promises that he won't keep and he's just a liberal and will try... [MORE]	Jay	Feb 21, 2008 10:14
Oh please, this is barely worthy of a rejoinder. The fact is, there are few, if any, absolute rights. Just... [MORE]	Scott Baker	Feb 21, 2008 10:02
So, given that rights aren't absolute and reasonable restrictions can be made for specific reasons, what is it about all... [MORE]	Dave	Feb 21, 2008 16:36
We have sat and allowed our government to make a farce of our constitution to the point that it is... [MORE]	Jackson	Feb 21, 2008 23:43
On top of that, who will make the decisions to judge who is and who is not inelligible to own... [MORE]	Benjamin Franklin McMillan	Feb 22, 2008 00:09
"The fact is, there are few, if any, absolute rights. Just ask the average prisoner if they have a right... [MORE]	Deavis	Feb 22, 2008 00:20
Deavis - I didn't actually know the founders commented on the right of criminals and defective individuals to bear arms... [MORE]	Scott Baker	Feb 22, 2008 09:20
I can't remember the exact quote or which paper it was in but Hamilton said that all power rests in... [MORE]	Jerome	Feb 22, 2008 20:32
Scott, there is a great deal of difference between "a good idea" and "a good right". The two don't necessarily... [MORE]	Glenn	Feb 23, 2008 01:02
Anyone who thinks their own privite arsenal would stand a chance against the police and their far better armed swat... [MORE]	Scott Baker	Feb 23, 2008 05:48
A typical politician.Whichever way the wind of opinion is blowing. [MORE]	fred sanders	Feb 21, 2008 07:44

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