The 2nd Amendment
What It says. What It Means. What It Doesn't Say. What It Doesn't Mean 2-16-22
https://www.springfield-armory.com/saint-series/saint-ar-15-rifles/
I have always found it utterly amazing that the political left can make the argument that out of all 10 amendments to the US Constitution that are included in the Bill of Rights, the 2nd Amendment is the only one that doesn’t speak to an individual right, nor does it limit government. The political left doesn’t like the 2nd Amendment because it enables liberty. They hate liberty. They hate individualism. They hate personal responsibility. They hate it when people take care of themselves because it prevents them from maintaining power, elite status and wealth.
“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.” That is the text of the 2nd Amendment. It is 27 words long and contains two clauses; the prefatory clause and the operative clause. The prefatory clause, which is everything before the comma explains WHY the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The political left has always used the phrase “well-regulated militia” to argue that the 2nd Amendment “grants” a collective right to keep and bear arms. They are incorrect. The author of the 2nd Amendment, James Madison was quoted in Congress on June 8, 1789 saying, “A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the best and most natural defense of a free country.” This confirms that the militia refers to all people and not a group.
Additionally, the 2nd Amendment does not grant the right to keep and bear arms. It recognizes and protects the pre-existing right to keep and bear arms that is granted by virtue of being born a free human being. This right comes from God. He grants us the right to defend the gift of life that He bestowed upon us. A firearm is the most efficient and effective tool ever invented for the purpose of defending our God-given gift of life. Therefore, we are born with the right to keep and bear arms.
Also, the political left loves to manipulate the term “well-regulated.” Those who hate our God-given right to keep and bear arms believe that this term means that the government has the authority to regulate firearms. This illustrates their fundamental misunderstanding of the term. They are assessing the meaning based on 21st century word meaning, rather than what the term was commonly understood to mean in 1791 when the Bill of Rights was ratified. At that time, the term “well-regulated” was commonly understood to mean “well-trained,” “well-equipped,” “well-supplied,” or “in proper working order.” Examples of this term in use during the period might include a “well-regulated clock,” which would be a clock that was accurate and kept proper time. Another example might be a “well-regulated fire brigade,” which would consist of volunteers who were trained in the procedures and skills related to responding to and extinguishing a fire in a timely manner, thus minimizing property damage. “A well-regulated militia” would therefore refer to a group of men composing a militia who possessed a familiarity and working knowledge of the weapons they owned and used. They were able to disassemble. clean, repair and reassemble these weapons and were proficient in their use and were capable marksmen.
The political left seems to have a disconnect with the operative clause of the 2nd Amendment as well. “The right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed” means exactly what it says. To keep arms means to own or possess them. We have a right to own or possess firearms. Nowhere does it say “except for automatic weapons,” “except for bump stocks,” “except for certain barrel lengths,” “except for suppressors,” or except for pistol braces.” The 2nd Amendment says that we have a right to own firearms. According to Merriam-Webster.com, a right is “the power or privilege to which one is justly entitled.” As Americans we are justly entitled to own firearms. The 2nd Amendment also says that we have the right to bear arms. To bear arms is to carry them. Therefore, we are justly entitled to carry firearms as well.
To infringe something is “to encroach upon in a way that violates law or the rights of another.” The 2nd Amendment doesn’t say that the right to keep and bear arms MAY NOT be infringed. It states that it SHALL NOT be infringed. This means that the government does not possess the power or authority to encroach upon our ability to own or carry firearms. When they pass laws doing just that, they are violating the Constitution. However, they have done it repeatedly. When the government of a state or the federal government passes a law regulating firearms, they are violating the Constitution. We have ALLOWED this for decades, and we should stop. We should not allow them to infringe on our right to own and carry firearms ever again. We should push for the repeal of laws that infringe on our right to own and carry firearms, because they are continuously trying to pass more unconstitutional gun laws. Are you going to allow it?
Love your support for the Second Amendment! After losing my congressional race against Isakson in 1999, my campaign consultant, my campaign manager, and I created the National Association for Gun Rights. The second Amendment safeguards our liberties.