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To: xzins
That's absolutely right. The meaning of the ammendment can be clearly understood if the emotional connotations are removed from the ammendment, and it presented as follows:

A well educated electorate, being necessary for the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and read books shall not be infringed.
Then ask the following questions:


197 posted on 07/24/2006 9:12:11 AM PDT by raygun
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To: raygun
More accurately, "A well stocked library, being necessary for the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and read books shall not be infringed."

Given that this is a right secured only from federal infringement, it says that the federal government shall not interfere with the state constructing and stocking libraries for use by the people. Certainly, as with the first amendment restrictions, the federal government can reasonably restrict the kind of books the state library carries.

Now, if the state wishes to allow people to purchase their own books, keep them at home, carry them around, or set a minimum age for buying and reading books, well, the states retain their police powers to do that.

201 posted on 07/24/2006 11:22:11 AM PDT by robertpaulsen
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