Originally Posted by
RomSpaceKnight
The right to bear arms is a worn out tired argument. Originally the US did not intend to have a standing army and rely on citizen militias. Now there is a standing army the right to bear arms should be gotten rid of. This gun nut craze is a late 20th century thing. Historically the US has been as disarmed as Canada. This whole gun thing is a ridiculous fad that has been gobbled up by extremists, isolationist and conspiracy nuts. If you live in a country where you must carry a firearm to feel safe, I feel sorry for you. Why not move the the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan and feel right at home. Compare Canadian gun violence stats and the US. Divided the US figures by 10 and they should match Canada's. They do not. In some cases they are still worse by a factor of 10. Get rid of your guns and stop killing one another. If Osama wants to kill Yanks he should just contribute a few million dollars to the NRA.
It was never about a standing army against outside forces. It was about the people's protection from the government.
"Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States. A military force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power, and jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to resist the execution of a law which appears to them unjust and oppressive."
Noah Webster, An Examination of the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution (Philadelphia 1787)
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government"
-- Thomas Jefferson, 1 Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334
The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered as the palladium of the liberties of a republic; since it offers a strong moral check against usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers; and will generally, even if these are successful in the first instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them."
-- Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story of the John Marshall Court
As far as feeling safe, if you assume no responsibility for your own safety, you have no business asking the policeman to carry the grave responsibility for you. By the way, the courts have said that the state has no legal responsibility to protect you. There are bad people out there that will hurt you.
The Dalai Lama: "If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun." (May 15, 2001, The Seattle Times)
.. a government and its agents are under no general duty to provide public services, such as police protection, to any particular individual citizen...
-- Warren v. District of Columbia, 444 A.2d 1 (D.C. App.181)