| Parokki said: I find it a bit silly how people think the right to bear arms is inviolable due to the 2nd ammendment. That stuff was written over 200 years ago in a pre-industrial frontier society that had little or no law enforcements, and was under imminent threat of foreign invasion. There are arguments for and against gun control, but some really smart guys saying this and that 200 years ago is a very bad one. |
I will go for the supreme court it has an actual effect on law. Obama's speech while touching upon some important issues with a nice message was also a campaign speech IMO.
The second amendment guarantees the rigth for the people to bear arms. What it means is not settled or clear. It could mean that the people(as in state) has a right to keep and maintain weapons for use in a militia that is well regulated and filled with locally placed people for the use of self defense against threats foreign and domestic. Or it means that everyone in the US has a right to own guns for use of self defense. There are differening views out there with no resolve and both sides are certain they are correct.
This is the first case in fron of the supreme court in a long time that challenges these two philosphies. The right to own a gun for self defense for instance would be violated by a law that requires all rifles to stored in a house unloaded and with ammo cases seperate. The right for a militia would not effect this and in theory woudl be satisfied by hte national guard. Gun laws would and could be decided at teh state or even city level.
For DC this case is about a hand gun ban that has been in place for a long time. If they win the ban stays in place if they lose it does not. Even the Bush adminstration says that the goverment should have the right to ban certain types of weapons but feels that the basic rights as stated in the amendment should be maintained to the individuals.
tricky and touchy stuff and one that has a more profound impact on current and future laws than a speech.
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.
