The Town Hall Archives

hawkeye · Posted: Wed May 21, 2003 12:44 am Post subject:

I forgot to address the militia aspect. Funny how there was brief talk recently of forming a militia to fight terrorism...

But, my dad legally bought an AK-47 a few years ago in Florida, but he had to sell it because money was tight.

So, considering the militia aspect, how are we supposed to be able to potentially form a malitia unless we have good weapons, such as assult rifles and armor pericing ammo?

Rick_Hardslab · Junior Member Joined: 23 May 2003 Posts: 124

Well, the purpose of the second amendment is three fold.

Hunting, or just protection from animals was very important 250 years ago, and its still important in the more rural areas of america today, but concievably you could say it isn't, and guns should be banned because it dosent apply. This is actually a sound argument. It is not enough on its own though.

The second reason is personal protection. Theves, burgulars, riots etc will threaten your own personal safety or those you care about and the police cant protect you, they arent omnipresent.

The third, and most important and the foundational reason for the second amendment can be found explained in the federalist pspers.(oddly enough no longer required reading for students) An armed citizens is absolutely necessary to prevent a tyranical goverment. This is the most important reason for citizens to have the right to be armed, and its necessary that those arms be effective. Once the goverment has forbidden more powerful weapons, and developed protection against the token weapons they do allow they can become tyranical anyway.

Jared · Posted: Sat May 24, 2003 8:39 am Post subject:

Agreed. Hunting is fine, but it's not at this point a sound argument for a constitutional right. By framing the argument in "right to hunt," liberals attempt to take away non-hunting weapons. They're missing (quite purposefully) the real reason for the amendment.

As a homeschooler, I don't really know what is read and not read in public schools, but the Federalist Papers should be required reading. The founders were very clear on the matter of guns, with nearly all of them and Thomas Jefferson especially, saying that it is the DUTY of the citizen to bear arms and know how to use them -- against the government if necessary. They were convinced that no form of government could guarantee freedom unless there was a danger to that government if freedom was NOT preserved.

It's an often repeated example, but in Germany, the guns were confiscated ... and only THEN did Hitler begin his atrocities. In Cambodia, the guns were confiscated ... and only THEN did Pol Pot begin his massacres. You'll find that same pattern over and over again throughout history.

America is nowhere near that point, in my opinion. But taking away the guns makes it so much more of a possibility... It really paves the way for a type of government we definitely do not want.