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.
"The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed"...powerful words. When the founding fathers sat down to write the Bill of Rights they decided that it was most important that a person be able to express their views freely. The very next thing that they thought was that a person aught to be able to defend themselves and the security of their free state by both bearing arms, and having a well Regulated (read “equipped”) Militia. If it was only a situation that guns were kept in an organization like the National Guard, then mentioning the “peoples right to keep and bear arms” would be unnecessary. And even if that’s not enough to convince some of you then by definition a Militia is
militia (m?-li(sh'?) pronunciation
n.
1. An army composed of ordinary citizens rather than professional soldiers.
2. A military force that is not part of a regular army and is subject to call for service in an emergency.
3. The whole body of physically fit civilians eligible by law for military service.
Americans are subject to a draft at the age of 18 so in effect become militia. 18 is the legal age to buy a rifle.
We are an "army" of Ordinary Citizens
As far as number three goes I guess you could make an argument to disarm the handicapped... bt that would be discrimination.
We have the opportunity in this nation to possess and carry firearms for the protection of ourselves, our nation, our families and our children. Although I disagree that a teacher should be made to carry a gun, he should have the option. He should also have training available on the safe employment of said gun and that training should be paid for on the taxpayers dime.
The US is a nation where at least 80 million homes possess a gun, many (like me) possess a lot more them one. Disarming the population is a very, very dangerous proposition for any government, and would be unhealthy for any police force. It is simply unrealistic to assume it is, even remotely possible, to disarm a population who’s arms are so ingrained in their culture. I tell you now that I would hand mine over to the authorities one round at a time. And I have things that are best described as “Belt Fed”, and I am not alone in this pint of view. I do not want to shoot at authorities, but I would if they were forcing me into an illeagal and unconstitutional action with precieved force. So it would be very bad for every one involved. So now we need a realistic solution, not a feel good solution.
It is strange to me that I walk into a place that develops computer software every day , and every day I pass men with guns that protect the front door of that facility and they check all that enter. And yet schools in this nation have several entrances that no one watches where a person ( weather they be strapped with a baby killing AKM or 8 Lbs. Of home made explosives strapped to themselves) can come and go as they please.
Schools are a “gun free zone”. I find this sentiment ridicules. I find it ridicules because it is always at these gun free zones where some nut goes and starts executing people. When was the last time there was a shooting at an NRA convention? Or a gun store? Or a company that was protected by men with guns? Never, it does not happen because as soon as your crazy butt starts waiving your pistol around you get shot by trigger happy taxpayers. So they do the logical thing, they go where they can do the most damage. In a word, they go to Schools.
If you have something that is worth protecting, be it your family, software, our children then you better have a man with a gun that will protect it.
And FMG, seriously, not better off confronting an assailant with a gun? States with little to no gun control in my country have the lowest crime rates. “Its ok to be raped and robbed as long as you just let it happen cause then its not so bad....” <Weak
BUT if you factor in murder rates and the fact that murders include terrorist victims
And man... this is weak... you have less crime if you do not include some (a chunk?) murders based on your higher terrorism rate? Come on. Well lets not inlcude murders in the states perpetrated by Illegal Mexican immigrants who continue 90% of the arrest warrant for murder in California alone...
I submit to you Ghandi wisest man ever....
"Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest. If we want the Arms Act to be repealed, if we want to to learn the use of arms, here is a golden opportunity. If the middle classes render voluntary help to the Government in the hour of its trial, distrust will disappear, and the ban on possessing arms will be withdrawn."
-Mahatma Gandhi, Autobiography. Translated from the Gujarati by Mahadev Desai. Public Affairs Press, Washington, D.C. 1948.
Even your hero "got it".