Stupid media tricks
Letter sent to editor:
Mr. Thomasson needs to do research. He writes:
“The amendment states that 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.”
Now a strict interpretation of that amendment would seem to take into consideration the operative clause about the “well regulated militia,” a condition that no longer exists. When was the last time the freedom of Virginia or Maryland or the District of Columbia or New York City or South Dakota, for that matter, depended on forming its citizens into a military unit and making sure they all could grab their long rifles at a moment’s notice to repel invaders?”
The militia does exist: USC Title 10, Sec 311: The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States …
He misquotes the second amendment, which reads: A well-regulated Militia, being necessary for the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Additionally, The words ‘A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state,’ contrary to the interpretation cited in your letter of July 26, 1991, constitutes a present participle, rather than a clause. It is used as an adjective, modifying ‘militia,’ which is followed by the main clause of the sentence (subject ‘the right’, verb ‘shall’). The to keep and bear arms is asserted as an essential for maintaining a militia. (source)
July 15th, 2005 at 10:49 am
He aint got no good grammars.
July 16th, 2005 at 9:12 am
Boo. Uncle, I’m calling your post here yet another example of someone trying to “mothball” language that was written when women couldn’t vote, people could own other people as slaves, etc., and to apply it as if times and conditions just haven’t changed in the slightest. Newsflash: 2005 is not 1805. The USA is not a fledgling federal democratic republic that needs every protective device possible to ward off, say, Britain coming back and overtaking New England, and thus New York and Pennsylvania might stand up and fight them off _their_ respective territories. The USA has become a corporatist state where democracy is indeed endangered (if not extinct), but that endangerment is not of the same causality.
And, even though I’m under 45, I ain’t in no militia. And I ain’t gonna be.
July 16th, 2005 at 9:49 am
Joe: There’s a proper procedure to change the Constitution, and it’s not ignoring the original meaning of the text. You get an Amendment passed. It’s how slavery was outlawed and women got the vote.
Don’t they teach civics in school anymore?
July 16th, 2005 at 11:32 am
Joe, what mark said. Change the constitution, don’t act like it isn’t there.
July 18th, 2005 at 9:52 am
Yes, but taking people’s guns away is sooooooo much more urgent than piddly stuff like abolishing slavery or enfranchising women.