2ND AMENDMENT, WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU?...

What does the Second Amendment mean to you? To me, it means you can carry and own any arm or arms, purpose built weapon or improvised weapon.

(Lets not state the oblivious sanctions and limits, as I already know certain limits or restrictions are in play by the government.)

 

Without the Second Amendment, it's just a bill of suggestions.

 

It gives me the right to own a tool that I could use to defend and protect my loved ones and myself.

 

It means that we're (supposed to) live in a society where no one with any brains will mess with anyone else, because they know they can get their butts handed to them if they do.

 

To me it means the government RECOGNIZES that my right to bear arms is given to me by my creator and no permission is needed from them. Sadly it seems more and more so that it will take powder and ball to REMIND them of that.

 

A lot more than their butts.

 

It is a statement of one of my rights as a free man, spelled out in the Bill of Rights as a warning to any Government that would deprive me of the right of defending my life and Liberty.

 

With a weapon to defend myself, I am a Citizen

With only the Government with weapons, I am a Subject....

 

I have always believed it to mean that we are the Militia. The armed civilian soldier. That each man should be able to carry at least the equal firearm of any foot soldier in the world including fully automatic rifles. That was the purpose wasn't it.? Terrorists carry full auto AK-47s? I should be able to carry the same . I do however agree that convicted felons of violent crimes dont have the same rights. That would be my only restriction . Criminals convicted of violent felonies should not be able to own fire arms but law abiding citizens should be able to own any type of rifle handgun or shotgun. Zero restrictions on magazine size or rate of fire.

 

Exactly.

 

To remind our government that, what was once tried and failed, should not be tried again.

 

While I definitely respect Kingfish's opinion, this is a good example of the slippery slope. At some point, the Courts (the Government) apparently decided that if you ever commit a crime, you no longer have Constitutional Rights.

Say what?

Constitutional rights are NATURAL rights--God-given, in essence. Including the right to keep and bear arms. They have no limit and they have no end.

The Second Amendment merely restates the obvious to keep it obvious and make sure that everybody is on the same page when it comes to understanding and abiding by the obvious.

If a felon can be stripped of any Constitutional right at the Government's whim, we can ALL be striped of EVERY Constitutional right.

If a felon can be stripped of his rights, so can a person who commits a misdemeanor. Like someone who gets a parking ticket, for example. (The Public must be protected from people like that!)

Likewise, in the process of stripping a felon of his natural and Constitutional rights, our society ACTIVELY prevents a person who screwed up from ever turning his life around.

That's a great way to encourage criminality and recidivism, and insure a never-ending supply of both crime victims and the criminals to victimize them.

Why should a person who was convicted of falsifying a tax return be deprived of his right and ability to protect himself and his family in the manner of an ordinary citizen?

I know of a person who was sentenced to life imprisonment for allegedly possessing a single marijauna cigarette. (It was allegedly found, in their absence, on the front seat of their open-topped convertible car. Texas case.) Was that person's felony crime (if actually committed) so dangerous that he must be striped of he Constitutional rights? It certainly wasn't dangerous enough to warrant a life sentence, considering that a lot of people commit that crime every day without toppling Society.

The Constitution makes no limitation of a person's right to keep and bear arms. None.

It doesn't matter if they are blind, crippled, or crazy. It doesn't matter if they are serial cannibal rapists who also spit on the American Flag and Mom's Apple Pie. And also wish to overthrow the Government by force, and kill everybody that ain't white. (Enough.)

Those people have inalienable rights, too, even if we don't like or agree with those people.

And along with their inalienable rights come the inalienable responsibility to behave in a society ruled by law, or die at the hand of an armed citizen who has the right and means to defend himself. Or herself.

To me, the Second Amendment means I'll NEVER lack the right to keep and bear arms--up to and including fully automatic weapons, nuclear devices, Main Battle Tanks, and the occasional fully armed fighter aircraft.

(Which I can't quite afford yet.)

And if the Government and I disagree on my understanding of the Second Amendment, then it's time to elect a more enlightened Government.

 

Well, nowhere is it stated in the constitution that felons should be stripped of their 2A rights.

And the danger of that is, with the stroke of a government pen, virtually everyone except those who are well connected suddenly become convicted felons by a simple definition change.

All that needs to change is the re-defining of any traffic violation as a felony. Who hasn't had a speeding ticket at one time or another? They also eliminate the right to vote for hundreds of millions at the same time.

I don't put anything past these government empowered despots.

 

I have always questioned this. Where does it say in the Bible that the right to bear arms is a God given right. It was given by our creator but where does it state that in the text?

 

This would this make a great term paper for High School and/or University students!

I agree with @UncleMorgan but with a small clause. I believe felons should be allowed firearms as all citizens as the constitution dictates; however, those that were rapists, armed robbery or some violent crime or where a weapon was involved...no, I cannot condone allowing them to purchase firearms. I am open to debate but my first instinct is to deny the violent ones...and yes I know they would/could get a gun anyway. I believe this is a small price to pay for their horrid actions...but I am open to debate as mind isn't complete made up.

The 2nd Amendment:
I can protect my family, friends and myself from bad elements
It allows me to have the tools for protection and to detour crime
It makes the 86 year old petite lady equal to that 220 pound drugged up thug
It is the Amendment that protects all of the others and its power is invested in me
It gives pause to government to not extend its powers into tyranny or shape itself into something which it is not

@Motomom34
"Where does it say in the Bible that the right to bear arms is a God given right"
Interesting thought... My guess is that it does not but I think it is implied... does it say what I can use to protect myself or kill my food: a rock, a piece of sharpen wood or more advanced technology such as the sword or the bow? No, but there are many examples of all these items being used for just these purposes in the bible. Or, maybe it's as simple as a God given right to protect our lives and those we love, "be fruitful and multiply" by any means possible via rock in the stone age or Glock in the modern. God gave us life but it is up to us to protect it. Or, you could even call it a Right of Nature, Natural Rights - whatever - we do have a right to protect ourselves in a manner at least equal to those that would harm us.

Rick

 

I stated violent felons not all felons. Only violent offenders should be denied the right to bear arms. Someone who uses a gun to rob a bank and is imprisoned should not be allowed to buy a gun after he is released. A man who pistol whips a woman and rapes her with his gun to her head should NEVER be able to buy a gun if for some Liberal reason he is released from prison. Sorry, IF THAT IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE BUY SOME CLEATS.

 

Felons are not barred from black powder weapons. Even revolvers. I wonder if BP could be used in semiautomatic pistols?

 

IMO, some crimes, murder, rape and some others should be punished by execution.

 

@Tikka
Hear! Hear! Hear him! Tikka for President! Put the mad dogs down! In this I am in total agreement. Frankly, I would go farther to include looters (after a disaster) and rioters. Shoot them down like dogs...

Rick

 

I agree Tikka. We used to hang a HORSE THIEF. But then came liberal thinking and weak justice. However there is a huge difference between for instance a violent rapist and an 18 year old boy who screws his 15 year old girlfriend. Huge. If we cant execute Super violent offenders then we must have some way of keeping them from repeating. Letting them purchase modern firearms is not going to fly for me.