Supporting the Second Amendment

The Second Amendment to the Constitution reads: "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."



Lots of liberal-minded folks want us to believe this is intended to mean that the states can arm official militias, not that the average citizen (that's you and me) have the right to bear arms. Well, here are just a few quotes from some folks who might have had some insight into the founders intent:


"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them." (Richard Henry Lee, Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress, initiator of the Declaration of Independence, and member of the first Senate, which passed the Bill of Rights.)


"The great object is that every man be armed . . . Everyone who is able may have a gun." (Patrick Henry, in the Virginia Convention on the ratification of the Constitution.)


"The advantage of being armed . . . the Americans possess over the people of all other nations . . . Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several Kingdoms of Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." (James Madison, author of the Bill of Rights, in his Federalist Paper No. 46.)


I, for one, don't see a lot of ambiguity in these statements. Personally, I don't consider the 2nd amendment as simply bestowing upon me a right; I consider it a call to exercise my responsibility as a citizen. Exercise your 2nd amendment rights - and responsibilities - while you still can.