[xm177e2]

Gun ownership is a right granted TO THE PEOPLE, just like the first amdendment.

[William Tell]

xm177e2 said: "Gun ownership is a right granted TO THE PEOPLE, just like the first amendment. "

No. The right to keep and bear arms in an unalienable right which preceded the Constitution. It stems from the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as described in the Declaration of Independence.

The Second Amendment merely states that the right to keep and bear arms may not be infringed.

Even if the Second Amendment were "repealed", the right would remain and the government would still have no power to infringe upon it. The fact that it is being infringed every day is the reason that I have withdrawn my consent to be governed.

[Freedom2specul8]

granted TO THE PEOPLE

That's not exactly right. The bill of rights was created to prevent the govt from intruding on our personal liberties. It's OUR ORDERS TO the govt, not visa versa.

[Freedom2specul8]

See, you have to remember that *we* created the declaration of independence, bill of rights and constitution. We created the govt to protect our land, so that we wouldn't have to be oppressed by foreign rulers. We gave the govt orders, aka bill of rights that tells it what it can and cannot do. Many people forget that fact because it is so engrained in their brains to think otherwise. By the people for the people...the authors of the constitution and bill of rights.

[Jerry W. Howard]

Close, but slightly off the point..The right to life, which the Bill of Rights recognizes embodies the right to the necessary means to preserve it, i.e., the right to arms, exists by nature (from G-d if you will) -- The 2nd amendment merely prohibits the government from infringing that right. :-)