Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
All people of this country that have and exercise free will had better take notice that they are losing their rights by increments....
Any Constitutional Right that can be successfully attacked watered down or "interpreted" by politically correct forces of one era or another is a right that is near to being lost...
One right lost will mean that the others can fall in the same fashion.
If you feel that we can "do away" with the Second Amendment...what's to stop some completely mad fringe group, firmly ensconced in our government from successfully attacking the First Amendment or the Fourth Amendment or any of the others......
Incremental right loss has got to be the scariest trend in American politics....and the negative impacts for ALL Americans go far beyond the Second Amendment....
Last edited by Happy Cells; 11-02-2009 at 05:02 AM..
Reason: Imagine trying to live with out the 14th Amendment...
Federal,State and local restrictions on firearms ownership are useless, knee jerk, measures done in a limp attempt to create an illusion of safety. This view of firearms being at the root of all crime is getting old. There are far more HONEST people in this country that own and use firearms than there are criminals, so, since they are the easiest crowd to find, and they generally obey laws, they are the only ones effected by this useless legislation. Such garbage has the bad guys dancing in the streets.
I've heard this too about NJ and I think.....it has a lot to do with the population density of the state?
I believe that most hunting there is restricted to the use of shotguns, etc. as a higher caliber rifle, obviously will fire a round......a much farther distance, thus subjecting people to the possibility of a stray round hitting them or their property?
Either way......anyone who wants to own a handgun for protection, anywhere in America.....should be able to if they aren't some convicted felon with a violent record.
It's been that way since at least the 60's (probably longer, that's just as far back as I can confirm). I don't think population has anything to do with it....of course it's more populated now but, even still, NJ has a lot of places where you can hunt and few people live (but, animals still do).....like up north or pretty much the bottom half (OK, the bottom third) of the state (in the middle) is all marsh land. Depending upon the what you're hunting like deer, there's a season for bow, shotgun (short) and rifle (extremely short)....or at least it used to be that way.
I agree with you though....I don't own any and I don''t hunt but, if someone wants to own a handgun for protection, I think they should be able to. Look at the law in San Francisco....remember the trouble Jose Conseco got in for having one in his car while it was parked some where on the street (someone noticed it and reported it).
"I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
George Mason
Co-author of the Second Amendment
during Virginia's Convention to Ratify the Constitution, 1788
Good post. I knew Mason said this just wasn't sure about the exact quote.
I don't understand these people, including politicians and judges, that want to interpret the Constitution. Seems to me, it means what it says. It doesn't nedd interpretation unless one wishes to cahnge it's meaning.
The Constitution means what it says folks. It doesn't take a law degree to figure it out. It's written in English.
Good post. I knew Mason said this just wasn't sure about the exact quote.
I don't understand these people, including politicians and judges, that want to interpret the Constitution. Seems to me, it means what it says. It doesn't nedd interpretation unless one wishes to cahnge it's meaning.
The Constitution means what it says folks. It doesn't take a law degree to figure it out. It's written in English.
I'll add to this, that if an interpretation is needed, there seems to be documents by the writers of the constitution with the clarifications.
What does a "well regulated militia" become in 'modern language'?
"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state..."
It means exactly what it says, that a well regulated (organized, disciplined, trained) militia is necessary to the security of a free state. It is a statement of fact, not a granting of power to the government. If you read the Constitution and its amendments, you'll notice that any time the government was granted a power, it's usually preceded by something like "Congress shall have the power to..." as in Article 1, Section 8 or the 16th Amendment.
The Bill of Rights confers no regulatory authority to the government, it only restricts it.
Now one can argue that the Bill of Rights was only intended to restrict the federal government, not the states. Maybe the 1st Amendment could be argued in that manner, because it clearly states that "Congress shall make no law..." but it's the only one of the Bill of Rights that mentions Congress. The 2nd Amendment has that pesky "Shall not be infringed" clause. Shall not be infringed means just that, shall not be infringed, it doesn't state that congress shall not infringe, as it does in the 1st Amendment, it states shall not be infringed.
No state has lawful authority to infringe on the right to keep and bear arms. The founders recognized that the right to keep and bear arms was necessary to protect and preserve liberty for future generations. Many states even reiterate this right in their constitutions. I like Maine's rendition in Article 1, Section 16 of the state constitution:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Article 1, Section 16 of the Maine Constitution
To keep and bear arms.
Every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms and this right shall never be questioned.
Emphasis added to the "never be questioned" part.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
