REMINDER: The Second Amendment Is Not About Hunting

American Thinker ^ | 01/11/2013 | Michael Geer

[SeekAndFind]

You know it. I know it. The unspoken truth is the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America is about citizens resisting and overcoming tyranny.

A common law and natural law right considered for 200+ years as an inalienable right. Speaking plainly, the 2nd is our bulwark against government which becomes despotic.

Armed free citizens are the final bulwark against tyranny by local, state or federal government.

When the Declaration, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights committed our people to founding a new Nation guns were natural and necessary. For putting food on the table and, wait for it, personal defense against hostilities. Armed citizens have a long history of taking action to correct despotic governments. Feudal economies faded away due in no small part to enough peasants acquiring arms. And the will to use them.

Federalist 46. James Madison, known as the author of most of the Bill of Rights said of arms and the common man ...

________________________________

(excerpt) The only refuge left for those who prophesy the downfall of the State governments is the visionary supposition that the federal government may previously accumulate a military force for the projects of ambition.

The reasonings contained in these papers must have been employed to little purpose indeed, if it could be necessary now to disprove the reality of this danger.

[Vendome]

Go to an indoor range that rents guns. Start shooting what you think you want and you’ll discover what you actually want.

[Tublecane]

That statement would make just as much sense and be as relevant had he said, “No one purple monkey dishwasher. No one super karate death car.”

[Trailerpark Badass]

You might want to contact a local gun club. AR-15.com has good hometown forums for each state. If you ask for help there, you'd probably get some good tips. They probably have members who are NRA instructors.

I'd be thinking of both a handgun and a long gun for the home. An AR-15 is best in that regard, but prices/availability right now make it out of reach for most right now.

[First_Salute]

The 2nd Amendment is not *exclusively* about hunting.

Various wordings of the Second Amendment were tried during its development. The end result *purposefully* leaves out any enumeration of reasons why an individual has the right to keep and bear Arms. Any reason *why* an individual may or may not keep and bear Arms, was left to the states and the people thereof, to settle among themselves.

The only enumeration in the Second Amendment focuses on what to do about a group of men under Arms - what is to happen when individuals who bear military grade Arms are in a group, and they *are* capable of exercising martial power. What *then,* was to become of that power?

The answer was, that both the states and the federal government would rely upon *the group* being formally mustered, well-regulated, well trained to Arms, well discplined, and answerable to civilian authority.

Both the states and the federal government sought unity of function and preparedness of the militia of each state. The state militiae should be “well trained to Arms” and be capable of, and mindful of, lawfully exercising martial power and respecting lawful civilian authority.

In the old days up to around WW-I times and for a while thereafter, there was a tradition of local militia drilling on the common, the town green, or the county fairgrounds. It gave people an opportunity to remain somewhat familiar with military duty; it helped to keep them from becoming too rusty. It demonstrated the proper practices and discipline *for all to see.*

It is a shame that most communities and counties and states got out of that practice.

All the uses of weapons, firearm or not, for non-military purposes, were left to be decided by the states and their people.

Again, there would be no condition within the Second Amendment, by which you do, or do not, have the right to keep and bear Arms; because, the Founding Fathers correctly anticipated that any such enumerated condition might be used as grounds for an individual to either be forced to bear Arms or be stripped of their Arms.

[Wisconsinlady]

Yesterday, I joined the NRA.

Congrats! I would suggest you contact a local gun club about taking courses. I took one that was all for women only and it was a blast!

[Wisconsinlady]

With the history of the Jews, I do not understand how and why most American Jews are liberal and would vote to disarm themselves.

[Covenantor]

I like the way you think, my FRiend.

I can fully understand that given your FR-name.

Using the late FReeper harpseal's tag, "see you at the next Yorktown"

[Iron Munro]

With the history of the Jews, I do not understand how and why most American Jews are liberal and would vote to disarm themselves.

Hitler had the Jews.

Obama has white Americans.

[Boomer One]

Join both - I belong to Second Amendment Foundation as well. Best hope for being heard is to have more people out there expounding your view. I'm deeply upset that more politicians of both parties have not come out in support of the Second Amendment. As I see it, liberals, emboldened by their ability to limit what we eat and in what quantities (and now seeking to limit access to pain pills), are now seeking to take away the general public’s ability to oppose tyranny with force. Seems to me the press might want to look to history to see what happens when the public is disarmed.

[BlueMondaySkipper]

An AR-15 is best in that regard, but prices/availability right now make it out of reach for most...

If they actually attempt to confiscate our guns, you'll be able to pick one up for free. Every tyrant sent will have one that will become available when we the people go Minuteman on them. When the British sent those 800 soldiers to Lexington, they ended up donating their weapons to our fight for independence.

[Fresh Wind]

Replace “Jew” with “Tea Party Member”, replace “Fuhrer” with “President Obama”, and change the date and place names, and that decree is good to go.

[Yosemitest]

It's timer to mock the "Gun Control" Zombies!
"Gun Control" is a firm grip, steady breathing, accurate aim (developed by lots of practice), and a slow trigger pull.


The Swiss have got it CORRECT !
We need to learn from the Swiss and implement their "gun control measures" here in the United States right now, today!

" Today, military service for Swiss males is universal. At about age 20, every Swiss male goes through 118 consecutive days of recruit training in the Rekrutenschule. ...

Even before required training begins, young men and women may take optional courses with the Swiss army's M57 assault rifle.
They keep that gun at home for three months and receive six half-day training sessions.

From age 21 to 32, a Swiss man serves as a "frontline" troop in the Auszug, and devotes three weeks a year (in eight of the 12 years) to continued training.
From age 33 to 42, he serves in the Landwehr (like America's National Guard); every few years, he reports for two-week training periods.
Finally, from ages 43, to 50, he serves in the Landsturm; in this period, he only spends 13 days total in "home guard courses."

Over a soldier's career he also spends scattered days on mandatory equipment inspections and required target practice.
Thus, in a 30-year mandatory military career, a Swiss man only spends about one year in direct military service.
Following discharge from the regular army, men serve on reserve status until age 50 (55 for officers).

By the Federal Constitution of 1874, military servicemen are given their first equipment, clothing and arms.
After the first training period, conscripts must keep gun, ammunition and equipment an ihrem Wohnort ("in their homes") until the end of their term of service.

Today, enlisted men are issued M57 AUTOMATIC assault rifles and officers are given pistol.
Each reservist is issued 24 rounds of ammunition in sealed packs for emergency use.
(Contrary to Handgun Control's claim that "all ammunition must be accounted for," the emergency ammunition is the only ammo that requires accounting.)

After discharge from service, the man is given a bolt rifle free from registration or obligation.
Starting in the 1994, the government will GIVE ex-reservists assault rifles. Officers carry pistols rather than rifles and are given their pistols the end of their service.

When the government adopts a new infantry rifle, it sells the old ones to the public.

Reservists are encouraged to buy MILITARY ammunition
(7.5 and 5.6mm-5.56 mm in other countries-for rifles and 9 and 7.65 mm Luger for pistols)
which is sold AT COST by the government, for target practice .
Non-military ammunition for long-gun hunting and .22 Long Rifle (LR) ammo are not subsidised, but are subiect to NO sales controls.
Non-military non-hunting ammunition more powerful than .22 LR (such as .38 Spl.) is registered at the time of sale.

Swiss military ammo must be registered IF bought at a private store, BUT NEED NOT BE REGISTERED IF bought at a range.
The nation's 3,000 shooting ranges sell the overwhelming majority of ammunition.
Technically, ammunition bought at the range must be used at the range, but the rule is barely known and almost never obeyed.

The army SELLS a variety of machine guns, submachine guns, anti-tank weapons, anti-aircraft guns, howitzers and cannons.
Purchasers of these weapons require an EASILY OBTAINED cantonal license, and the weapons are registered.
In a nation of six million people, there are at least two million guns, including 600,000 FULLY AUTOMATIC assault rifles, half a million pistols, and numerous machine guns.
Virtually every home has a gun.

Besides SUBSIDIZED military surplus, the Swiss can buy other firearms easily too.
While long guns require NO special purchase procedures, handguns are sold only to those with a Waffenerwerbsschien (purchase certificate) issued by a cantonal authority.
A certificate is issued to every applicant over 18 who is not a criminal or mentally infirm.

There are NO restrictions on the carrying of long guns.
About half the cantons have strict permit procedures for carrying handguns, and the other half have NO rules at all.
There is NO discernible difference in the crime rate between the cantons as a result of the different policies.

Thanks to a lawsuit brought by the Swiss gun lobby, semi-automatic rifles require NO PURCHASE PERMIT and are NOT registered by the government.
Thus, the ONLY long guns registered by the government are FULL AUTOMATICS."

The Swiss have got it CORRECT !
Let's adopt THEIR LAWS !

Remember:

The beauty of the Second Amendment is
that it will not be needed
until they TRY to take it.

Read Second Amendment: It’s Not About Hunting, IT'S ABOUT TYRANNY .

[stevie_d_64]

If you look at the inspired wording the founding fathers utilized, it is clear that the inspiration came from an “authority” higher than any that could be instituted among men at the time...

So, in a very simplistic analysis of an unalienable right to keep and bear arms, it seems to me that God had intended for thisto be the one thing that citizens of this country could do, and nothing, repeat NOTHING can infringe upon that right...

A virtuous nation, one that has a citizenry and electorate that recognizes that the founding documents need a population that fundamentally understands the vituous nature of our beginnings, it’s foundation in a faith that God IS the ultimate backup...

This country has almost totally lost that virtue, and untill it is recovered to a point where we (the people) stop voting in others that DO NOT recognize this fundamental concept, and apply that virtuous template (one that truely understands the difference between right and wrong), this country will continue to decline in its greatness, and our destruction is near at hand, both morally and economically...

Look into the Saul Alinski #27, IIRC that proves their intent to secularize the nations Judeo-Christian faith and turn our religious institutions into these “non-Denominational” performance centers that entertain the audiences, rather than worship the true audience which is God himself...Let me clarify...

The congregation IS NOT there to be entertained by this idea of this “new” non-denominational presentations on our Sundays...

If a traditional worship service is not to your liking for you or your family, and you are bored by the idea of it to be something you do not wish to attend because of this idea that worship services need to be entertaining in some way, shape or form...You need to take a long hard look at yourself and determine the real focus of your faith in God, and determine if that is the direction you wish to go...

I am by no means a bible thumper, by any stretch of the imagination, I am a sinner, and always look to do better everyday...Our country is failing to remain focused on the real problems this citizenry faces, and pure evil is, adn has been infiltrating every aspect of our lives for decades...

They are winning, and it is apparent that the beginning of the endgame is to remove our ability to resist the tyrrany which IS to follow, incrfementally if need be, that is their committment to “fundamentally change this country” (President Obama) into a secular facade’ of what it once was...

Sure, most of us have guns for the correct purposes they are intended to be utilized for, if need be...

When folks say that it may be time to bury them to keep them from the hands of tyrrany, or lose them in these massive boating accidents, maybe it might be better to be very public about our keeping them CLOSE AT HAND, to illustrate our resolve and intent to take the fight right back at those that wish to remove our ability to resist their agenda...

Just my opinion...

[stevie_d_64]

Case in point...

Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history (and who is to know where mythology leaves off and history begins—or which is which), the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and
did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom—Lucifer.

—SAUL ALINSKY

(still looking for the #27, if anyone finds it, feel free to post it here)

[Impy]

You should quit the NRA and join the GOA.

[Impy]

The left invariably and constantly mentions hunting whenever they talk about it.

[Lexinom]

No, indeed, it is not about hunting. James Madison, its author, understood it as a bulwark against tyranny.

Law Review on the Second, linked from this article. Well worth a read.

[Smokin' Joe]

Either GMTA, or I am glad to see the Federalist Papers have been rediscovered. As noted here before, the passages thereof pretty much clear up any notions about the purpose of the 2nd Amendment, and for that reason, any of the nonsense about what 'type' of arms should or should not be covered.

Any arm the military has should be fair game, as personal economic considerations will limit.

[quesney]

hunting as a rationale.

It’s always been ridiculous. As if the Founders inserted the right to bear arms between freedom of speech/press/assembly and protection from quartering of troops and unlawful search and seizure because they were focused on the right to hunt. Yeah, it was about hunting...right.

Absolutely laughable on its face.

[miss marmelstein]

Thanks to you and everyone else for the support and suggestions! I will definitely check out a local gun range - there is one several miles from my house. I’ll take it from there.

Should I send a telegram to Obama & Gov. Cuomo thanking them for the encouragement they’ve given me to take the first step to gun ownership?!