The Modern Defensive Rifle

The San Fernando Valley NRA Members' Council ^ | 6/1/2013 | Me!

[Redcloak]

After some careful consideration, I've decided that I don't like the term "Modern sporting rifle" to describe firearms like the AR-15 or semi-auto versions of the Kalashnikov. Yes, they're modern. Yes, they're rifles. And yes, they can be used for shooting sports. But the 2nd Amendment isn't about sporting goods. Calling these guns "Modern sporting rifles" is like saying that the Founders bled and died to preserve our right to engage in sports; to play games. It would be like saying that they fought to ensure that they and their descendents would forever have the liberty to engage in Pilates or badminton.

The purpose of the 2nd Amendment is to protect the right of The People to keep and bear arms; from the Latin Arma, meaning weapons. The State's interest in all of this is to maintain an armed populace from which to draw upon to form the Militia. But, the State's interest in the Militia is not the reason for the Amendment. The 2nd Amendment is a recognition of the People's preexisting right to have weapons for their own purposes. The "Sporting purposes" provision of the Gun Control Act of 1968 is a perversion of that concept. It treats the firearm as a sort of dangerous toy in need of regulation rather than as a Constitutionally protected weapon. Calling these rifles "Modern sporting rifles" adds legitimacy to that view.

[TigersEye]

40 years of history is not a short term view of anything.

[wintertime]

150,000 years of human history has shown that how children are educated determines the direction of a culture and nation.

[ak267]

Just saw a bumper sticker that got my attention...

“You can take away our rights, but we still get to vote under Rule 308,”