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Originally Posted by wittynickname
Whoever these people are, we see fit to keep them from even boarding airplanes, but we're fine with them obtaining actual killing machines?
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I see that you are either unable or unwilling to answer my question.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wittynickname
What does "well regulated militia" mean to you?
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In and of itself?
Very little.
In the context of the Second Amendment?
I think that it means that "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms[] shall not be infringed" in order to create and maintain a "well regulated Militia" should one need to be established in quick order.
Thus, a person has the unfettered right to "keep and bear Arms" so that if the government (or, let's be honest, a group of individuals who wish to revolt against the government) believes that it is necessary to establish a "Militia" in order to maintain a "free State," the "Militia" is already prepared to go to battle. Sure, the "Militia" will be composed of a mismatched assortment of weapons, but, in times of immediate need, who can wait for procurement orders to come in?
Furthermore, and as I recall, when the Second Amendment was passed (and the Constitution in general was adopted), people who were not in any sort of militia certainly owned "Arms," and I am not aware of any legislative or judicial actions that were taken to remove or confiscate such "Arms" from said individuals. In other words, being in a "well regulated Militia" was not a condition precedent to being allowed to "keep and bear Arms."
And so it should remain today, barring any change to the Second Amendment.
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Originally Posted by wittynickname
The Constitution is a living document, that's why amendments have been made to it.
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Sure, through the Constitutionally-stated process. Good luck getting an amendment to the Second Amendment done through that same process.
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Originally Posted by wittynickname
When the 2nd Amendment was penned, it was still legal to own other human beings. Guns back then took several minutes to load for a single shot.
This is not a "well regulated militia" and the arms they're carrying aren't muskets. The world has changed. The Constitution, and thus the 2nd Amendment, should also be changed.
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Sure, and when the First Amendment (and the Constitution itself) was passed, it took days--if not weeks--to publish and widely disseminate information throughout the nation. Consequently, due to the creation of the Internet and the speed at which information can now travel, would you likewise support changes to the First Amendment?
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Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist
What does "as part of a well regulated militia" mean to you?
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See above, although I do not believe that the phrase "as part of" appears anywhere in the Second Amendment.
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Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!
What does "well regulated militia" mean is the more important question.
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See above.