The Second Amendment Survives.....BARELY!

The U.S. Supreme Court has rightfully ruled that the 32 year old ban on handguns in Washington D.C. is unconstitutional. Do you know why this is the very first time in the history of this great nation that the U.S. Supreme Court has officially interpreted the Second Amendment? The answer is in the wording of the Amendment itself. “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.” What is to interpret here? Nothing….zilch….nada!!! Opponents of the Second Amendment have argued recently that the reference to a “well regulated Militia” is evidence that the intended purpose was for the military and not citizens to keep and bear arms. What are these people smoking? Apparently, Marion Barry passed that crack pipe around to more people in Washington D.C. than just the prostitute. How much more specific could these words have been authored? Do these people know anything about the history of this nation? The U.S. Constitution served as a blueprint of our government and was ratified four years prior to the Bill of Rights, but was sorely lacking in granting rights to the citizens of the 13 states. In fact, Thomas Jefferson was a driving force in the Bill of Rights, which was originally drafted by James Madison. When the Constitution was being crafted in 1787, Thomas Jefferson said, “[A] bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse.” The first ten amendments to the constitution were ratified in 1791 and form what was called “The Bill of Rights.” Every one of these amendments preserves rights to people, not the government!

Okay, so the argument against gun ownership is that a document which grants and preserves rights to citizens contains one single clause that for some reason pertains to the military? Ridiculous! The word “militia” is defined in Webster’s as “any army composed of citizens rather than professional soldiers.” Here is a hint; “professional soldiers” are people who work for the government and have guns. “Citizens” are people who do not work for the government and have guns. Every single word of the Bill of Rights is intended to grant rights to which “…the people are entitled to against every government on earth” (in the words of Thomas Jefferson). Not a single word of the Bill of Rights speaks to the rights of government; only the people.

The scary reality is that we have been placed in the position to rise up in violence and defend ourselves from an oppressive government should that time ever come. It is estimated that 40 million Americans own firearms. That’s one heck of an army folks. Even more insight into this concept is further revealed in The Declaration of Independence which states, “…it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.” These people weren’t talking about an open election to decide if we want a Democrat or a Republican. This is part of The Declaration of Independence and touched off the violent, bloody, and costly war for American Independence. This is the stuff no one wants to think about, but it is reality. Additionally, some guy like me talking about it scares most people. Don’t worry folks, I have no plans to overthrow the government, nor am I some extreme right wing nut job that is building a bunker or on my way to rent the biggest Ryder Truck I can find.

Other opponents of the Second Amendment will tell you that it is outdated. Okay, if that is the case, then I would contend that the First Amendment is also outdated. Free Speech was a great right when all we had were newspapers and soapboxes, but the internet should give us pause, right? I just don’t think that those smart fellas had any idea that someone could exercise free speech on the world wide web and instantly make their voice known to millions in just a few seconds. Same with T.V. and Radio (although the so called “Fairness Doctrine” is trying to kill talk radio – that is a whole different rant all together). It is equally as scary as the thought of protecting ourselves from tyranny with guns….a notion that created this nation. The simple fact is that basic freedoms and liberties never become outdated.

Here is a little exercise. Take a few minutes and read The Declaration of Independence. Think about the words, the context, and the people of the time. Think about the tyranny and the oppression they lived under. As you read it, you can almost place yourself in that time and feel the finality in the words. These people had enough and were ready to die for their cause. At the signing of the Declaration, with a British fleet already anchored in New York Harbor, Ben Franklin noted, "Indeed we must all hang together, otherwise we shall most assuredly hang separately." They knew the risk, but they would rather be dead than continue to live under the King’s rule. Now, go and read the Bill of Rights. Every single “right” listed in the ten Amendments ties back to reasons for a Declaration of Independence. You can almost pair them down and check them off as you read it.

Link for The Declaration of Independence: http://www.constitution.org/us_doi.htm

Link for the Bill of Rights: http://www.constitution.org/billofr_.htm

The REAL scary thing in all of this is that 4 Supreme Court Justices just upheld the infringement on the Second Amendment by the District of Columbia. These are justices that feel their job goes beyond interpreting the constitution. It is mind boggling to think we are just 1 Supreme Court Justice away from kissing our Second Amendment right bye-bye. Oh by the way, about that 32 year old ban on handguns in D.C.. It didn’t work anyway. During that time, Washington D.C. firmly established itself as the murder capital of the nation for several years. By contrast, virtually every single one of the 33 states which passed laws issuing concealed firearms permits to law-abiding citizens experienced a drop in crime.

Here is my favorite quote from the AP after the ruling. Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago, whose strict “gun control” laws now face a challenge said, “Does this lead to everyone having a gun in our society?” What a bonehead. The only people that have guns in your society right now are the criminals. Now, the law-abiding citizens can legally own one too!!! Oh yeah, and how is that crime rate in Chicago under those strict gun laws Mayor Daley? Ummmhm. I thought so.