Wednesday, February 16, 2005
The Second Amendment
(Based on the research of Stephen P. Halbrook, although all opinions expressed are mine)
The Anti-Federalists feared a tyrannical government, and were rightly concerned that the new U.S. Constitution (as proposed by James Madison and the Federalists) was insufficent when it came to specific individual rights. One of these concerns focused on guns, and the protection to own guns eventually was adopted as the Second Amendment:
"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."
Specifically, the Anti-Federalists were concerned with a specific event of tyranny perpetrated by the British forces in Massachussetts in 1775. General Sir Thomas Gage refused to allow people to leave Boston while the situation in that city was deteriorating rapidly. Gage finally agreed to issue passes to leave the city based on the condition that those passes would be granted to those colonists who turned in their weapons, firearms in particular, with the guarantee that at some later date, the weapons would be returned to their rightful owners. Gage was fearful of the populace having weapons during the troubled times at hand. Since the people of Boston were short on food and harassed by the British authorities and troops, the Gage proposal was accepted.
Gage and the British authorities collected 1 firearm for every 5.6 inhabitants of Boston (a city of 15,000 people). That number includes women and children!
Gage reneged on his promise. The inhabitants were not allowed to leave, nor were their weapons returned to them.
This event prompted many Founding Fathers, at various times, to promote the legal ownership of weapons as a means of self-defense against all enemies including tyrannical governments.
Jefferson argued that the Virginia constitution include the phrase, "No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms." Going further, Jefferson argued that every 10 year old boy should have a gun and be trained in its proper use.
John Adams wrote, "arms in the hands of citizens [may} be used at individual discretion... in private self-defence."
In Federalist Paper #29, Hamilton wrote, "Little more can reasonably aimed at with respect to the people at large than to have them properly armed and equipped."
Patrick Henry stated, "the great object is, that every man be armed... Everyone who is able may have a gun."
Samuel Adams offered, "the said Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress to prevent the people of the U.S., who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms."
In the final debates on the wording for the Second Amendment, the Senate rejected adding the words "for the common defense" so that people would be able to have guns for more than "the common defense."
It is readily apparent that the U.S. Constituion guarantees the right of every United States citizen to own firearms. Any one who argues otherwise in an attempt to force registration or confiscation is either a fool or a liar. Or maybe they like Hitler.
The Anti-Federalists feared a tyrannical government, and were rightly concerned that the new U.S. Constitution (as proposed by James Madison and the Federalists) was insufficent when it came to specific individual rights. One of these concerns focused on guns, and the protection to own guns eventually was adopted as the Second Amendment:
"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."
Specifically, the Anti-Federalists were concerned with a specific event of tyranny perpetrated by the British forces in Massachussetts in 1775. General Sir Thomas Gage refused to allow people to leave Boston while the situation in that city was deteriorating rapidly. Gage finally agreed to issue passes to leave the city based on the condition that those passes would be granted to those colonists who turned in their weapons, firearms in particular, with the guarantee that at some later date, the weapons would be returned to their rightful owners. Gage was fearful of the populace having weapons during the troubled times at hand. Since the people of Boston were short on food and harassed by the British authorities and troops, the Gage proposal was accepted.
Gage and the British authorities collected 1 firearm for every 5.6 inhabitants of Boston (a city of 15,000 people). That number includes women and children!
Gage reneged on his promise. The inhabitants were not allowed to leave, nor were their weapons returned to them.
This event prompted many Founding Fathers, at various times, to promote the legal ownership of weapons as a means of self-defense against all enemies including tyrannical governments.
Jefferson argued that the Virginia constitution include the phrase, "No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms." Going further, Jefferson argued that every 10 year old boy should have a gun and be trained in its proper use.
John Adams wrote, "arms in the hands of citizens [may} be used at individual discretion... in private self-defence."
In Federalist Paper #29, Hamilton wrote, "Little more can reasonably aimed at with respect to the people at large than to have them properly armed and equipped."
Patrick Henry stated, "the great object is, that every man be armed... Everyone who is able may have a gun."
Samuel Adams offered, "the said Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress to prevent the people of the U.S., who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms."
In the final debates on the wording for the Second Amendment, the Senate rejected adding the words "for the common defense" so that people would be able to have guns for more than "the common defense."
It is readily apparent that the U.S. Constituion guarantees the right of every United States citizen to own firearms. Any one who argues otherwise in an attempt to force registration or confiscation is either a fool or a liar. Or maybe they like Hitler.
