The 2nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States is not ambiguous. 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.
While our forefathers could not be the fortune tellers of the future, they were still clear.
The United States has a well regulated milita. It has a military which surpasses most of its counterparts, with grenade launchers, smart bombs, and everything else it needs to defend its country.
The second Amendment was never intended as a free license for citizens to own hand guns and assault weapons.
If you look at the statistics of the world's countries, the big eight had 157 gun deaths in 2003. The US had a number approaching 47,000.
There is no logical explanation but for the gun laws. Hand guns and assault weapons are destructive, not constructive.
As an animal lover, I could go further, but won't. Because I know that hunting (as heinous as it to me) is a necessary thing when hunters are responsible and hunt what they will eat. Like fisherman who will eat what they catch.
I KNOW the opposing argument to eliminating handguns and assault weapons. The criminals will get them anyway. I would hope, in my world seen through the rose colored glasses that I have been accused of, that if diligence is used, we can get the guns. We can get the guns which wreak havoc on our society and perpetuate the statistics. We CAN get them, even from the criminals. It just requires due diligence, which this country may or may not have.
We've got to get 'em. Not from just citizens, but from criminals.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Jason Koulouras
Exactly - 2nd amendment is about bearing arms in a organised state militia.
Time to bring in some laws and regulations and start going after the manufacturers instead of the consumers - cut off the source of the problem
2 - Claire
Exactly, Jason. And those who would import them for no purpose other than to make the buck. I am a capitalist pig deluxe. I admit it. But even I have my scruples. Guns and drugs can be replaced. I WANT them to be replaced. We cannot be the country we are destined to be if we don't fix it. If we don't measure up to our destiny, which we always have, then we are destined the way of fallen civilizations of the past. if we don't learn from them, we are destined to follow them into obscurity.
Claire
3 - andy marsh
I knew it was bound to happen..I knew Claire had to come up with something that would send me into a spin...
the right of the people to keep and bear arms...seems pretty straight forward to me...
granted...I own nothing but 2 shotguns...I've never used them to kill a human being...and yes...I did read that you would be generous enough to let me keep my shotguns and I so much appreciate your generousity!
I think I'd like to see the statistics on how many of those 47,000 deaths sere undeserved deaths...ahhh but now we get into the death penalty discussion...I'd bet that a good portion of those 47,000 deaths were self defense..or maybe gang related...it's my understanding that violent crime is down in FL since they instituted easier conceal carry regulations
I'd call that culling the herd a bit...and that's not a bad thing either...
4 - Claire
Andy, I will come back and defend my positions (for yours are wrong), but I have to eat first....see you in a bit :(
Claire
5 - andy marsh
Wrong??? Well I never.....!!!
6 - Claire
No, Andy, its not straightforward at all. And while I believe in people's right to bear certain arms, i.e., to hunt for food, kill Bambi (tears) and protect families, we no longer have to, as individuals protect our country with muskets, and we certainly don't need handguns. They serve as weapons to kill, and for no other reason.
What is an undeserved death? Any death by a handgun, absent law enforcement and the military (none of which was included in those statitistics for I believe they should have all the guns they want)....was a death. Deserved? What is deserved? I suspect many were gang related or blatant killing while committing a crime...those people should all be killed anyway, so, my point.
They can make regulations more stringent, they can make background checks more detailed...that will only keep the guns away from people who probably, in other times, and other places, are probably fine to have them. In order to get em all...they have to take 'em from all...
Lord, this chafes my republican skin...but it is true.
Claire
7 - andy marsh
I believe that the reasons that the forefathers put that clause in the constitution was not just for hunting, but so that we, the citizens could protect ourselves, when necessary against a government that could run out of control, not just to kill bambi. that's the necessity of a secure state thing...just my opinion...
I think the old lady in florida that defends herself with her pistol and kills a would-be attacker, I think his death is deserved. I think the local quick-mart type store owner that defends himself against robbers and kills one, I think that counts on the deserved list. I think the college student that pulls out a little .25 cal from her purse and kills a would-be rapist, I think that rapist goes on the deserved list also... I could go on and on with stories of people defending themselves with legally owned handguns and in this country that's still a right.
And I promise you this, if someone were to mess with one of my daughters, they'd find themselves on that deserved list as well.
8 - andy marsh
Oh yeah, one more thing 19-8??? damn...sounds like a football score!!!!!
9 - Claire
No, the forefathers put it in there so that we, as a baby country, could protect ourselves against a world who didn't like the fact that we had broken away and were free, and felt that we were ripe for the taking. We have military that does that now.
They could never conceive that a few years down the line we would be a superpower with the most powerful military on the planet.
:)
Claire
10 - andy marsh
I think maybe you're trying to convince me that you were there when they wrote it! I think that's your interpretation of what they wrote and what I gave you above is mine.
11 - Claire
I believe the numbers you are looking for are 10-10.....:)
Claire
12 - claire
Yes, I have a seminal link with at least one of them...i know what was in their minds....and so do YOU :)
Claire
13 - andy marsh
nah...last time I cared about the score of a cowboy game it ended up 26-10 and my giants won!!!
14 - Claire
But there is table dancing riding on this one :)
Claire
15 - andy marsh
GO COWBOYS!!!
16 - Mac Diva
Andy said:
I think I'd like to see the statistics on how many of those 47,000 deaths sere undeserved deaths...
Nearly all of them, genius. Unless one defines 'deserved' as someone got their hand on a gun and used it for an accidental shooting, homicide or suicide, it is hard to be more off base than you are. To believe what you do is also a sad commentary on your thoughts about your fellow Americans. Apparently, to you, we deserve to die. Yet, you're the same guy playing the Ugly American role on other threads. You have some serious cognitive dissonance going on.
The statistics Claire cited are irrefutable. They point to a country with a huge problem its legislators are refusing to address. And, it gets sadder than that. But for improved care in emergeny room trauma units, the number of deaths per year from gun fire would be even higher.
17 - Lono
Hot shit! A Republican with the first reasonable Republican take on control in history. Careful, Clare...you are charting untread waters with your angle of reason and logic.
Soon, you'll be voting Democrat like a real person with a heart and mind. I loved your piece, and you still remain the nicest of all of us here in the group. Keep up the great work!
Lono
18 - andy marsh
Thanks Diva, I always knew I was a genius! I personally don't think that all deaths are undeserved!
But I guess, if someone disagrees with someone else around here, that's call for sarcastic name calling. Like I said earlier, touch one of my kids and I'll show you a deserved death!!!
19 - Claire
You know there is really an easy fix to this problem. The NRA has 2,000,000 members and a really strong political lobby. We just need to get 3,000,000 people in favor of gun control to join, vote a position change, let the elected officials off the hook (and dictate the new position)...want to see how fast those laws would change?
:)
Claire
20 - andy marsh
That is the way this democracy works..I don't see it happening, because all of us gun nuts would stand outside the polling places loaded for bear....keep all you pacifists away!!!
21 - andy marsh
that was a joke people...it's Monday...so don't start!!!
22 - Claire
Andy, I know it was a joke...and won't start...but I'm not a pacifist...Im a warmonger in certain situations (as you've undoubtedly heard)....but thats military, not citizenry killing other citizenry with guns that are completely useless for any other discernible reason.
Lono...not a chance that I will change sides unless the economic and military policies of the dems change...but on this one, I'm with ya. Thank you so much for commenting....
Mac...what can I say? Eloquent and I thank you so much as well, for both reading and commenting...
Andy...you know I love you, and you cheered for the "boys" so....so we can agree to disagree...:)
Happy Monday to all....
Claire
23 - andy marsh
I figured YOU knew it was a joke Claire, that was for the benefit of the rest of the people out there that like to jump on here and yell at me...I mean, you know how sensitive I am!!!
24 - Claire
Andy, I have it on good authority (your wife) who confirms that you are sensitive to touch, to many things. But how sexy is it when those attempts at 'raising' sensitivity meet the cold hard steel of the handgun in your shoulder holster....when they are supposed to be concentrating on other things :)
Claire
25 - andy marsh
I don't have a shoulder holster...I don't have a concealed carry permit...besides, my work takes me to military installations that would not allow me to bring a weapon on board anyway! I believe I could easily get one, as I already hold a security clearance from hell anyway and have had all the background checks done on me, but I don't really feel the need for one.
Like I said before, I only own 2 shotguns and they are strictly used to KILL BAMBI!
All that said, I still believe in the right to own a handgun for your own self protection...
I think the main reason I don't own a handgun is because my wife probably would have shot me a long time ago!!! Because, I can be a real jerk sometimes!!! Really, I can!