What the Right To Keep And Bear Arms Means to Me

First of all. I have no interest in fomenting rebellion beyond swaying public opinion to get laws changed. Though I despise democracy, it’s what we have to work with for now. Also, I believe an unsucessful rebellion self-defines itself as deserving to get squished. The devil in the details is finding what caused them to deserve it.

As to your question, I think that the American revolution and the events leading up to it provide a good historical example. Various groups formed according to their grievances, then connected by communication. The government was unresponsive to their complaints and then made the attempt to remove the ability for the populace to revolt. As long as the people had the means to revolt they did not do so beyond protests. Things only got hot when the populace realized their ability to revolt was in jeopardy.
I think this directly relates to the 2A.

BTW, I don’t think "it" will happen because of several reasons. My crystal ball says the people will continue towards dependency until they have no ability to be individuals, and individuality will be suppressed. My best hope for the future might be a fanciful notion of technology advancing enough to colonize Mars, build an economy, then declare independence from a tyrannical Earth … (my crystal ball is cracked:p:D )
 
Everything you say may be used against you.

So you do believe in a monarchy? I mean, if you don't believe in democracy, then we might as well have a monarchy. They used to elect kings and emporers some places, you know. But regarding dependency, people have always been dependent on one another, always will be. You can't have a revolution without having others to depend on.
 
The second amendment for me means if I have to go to camden (one of the MOST dangerious cities in the entire country) That I must do so with nothing more then 3/4 of an ounce of pepper spray and a prayer....

It means that if on my way to (an approved) range and I stop and pick up a friend of mine from his residence I'm comitting a felony.

It means I can only purchase one handgun every 30 days and thats after waiting for a set of permits that costs >$20 and more then a month to obtain (times of 2-4 months are not uncommon). Also said handguns cannot be on the banned list OR "significantly identical" to anything that is.

It means that if I want a (semi auto) shotgun with a pistol grip in I'm SOL. Only that bad guys can have such things

It means that if I'm caught with a marlin 60 with the 17 round tube instead of the newer 15 round one I'm going to jail for a long time.

It means that my grandfather a veteran of multiable foreign wars HAD to sell his M1 carbine out of state instead of leaving to one of his 3 grandsons to help preserve his memory because doing so would make them a felon just as he was for storing it in his attic for 25 years.

It means that I have to live every single day of my life in my home state at the mercy of criminals and thugs. Those who have no reguard for the lives of others and value their next high more then your existance.

To me the second amendment doesn't really mean much of anything really. It's no good if you can't exercise it and its no good if the federal goverment isn't willing to enforce it.

Enjoy the rights you have, becuase not every american is lucky enough to have them
 
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Might be time to find a new state Redbow... I know our lives are built around where we live but if I was you and had any ability to move to a new state I would... Simply unacceptable and unconstitutional..
 
Thats what everyone says, but it's simply not feasable. I have family and a business I can't just leave behind. Not to mention I love where I live...besides the goverment thats running it (into the ground).
 
Everything you say may be used against you.
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Now that’s funny, on several levels. Thanks, I needed that:)
So you do believe in a monarchy?
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I see no great advantage of democracy over monarchy, just a different set of power brokers, so I don’t believe in either. We’ve moved towards democracy and lawmakers continue to use majority to justify deviation from the law they are supposed to follow. I would suggest that all of the problems concerning infringement of our rights stem directly from this. Democratic input to the system allows growth of the government to account for advancements in technology and other areas. The problem arises when that input becomes control.

What I do believe in, is Providence… what we as humans have been provided as part of our nature, and the workings of nature itself.
The realization of what makes us special among creatures, also defines us as human… the chance to become more than what we are now through the ability to make choices, and the recognition that laws of consequences govern all actions. This, of course, gives rise to a system of natural rights, unalienable from humanity.
The only king we need as far as government is concerned, in one which recognizes this providence and refuses to take it away from any man. It wouldn’t matter how that king were chosen, whether by election, primogeniture or other means ; because he would not interfere with our lives, fortunes, or sacred honor … except when we define ourselves as undeserving by attempting to deprive another of their provenance, or by just payments in common for the common good.
The king rules over the people through the lawmakers and over the lawmakers directly. The Constitution reflects the law for representatives and executives to follow in doing their jobs, and all of their work should reflect the law that they are supposed to follow. My king is the Rule of Law based in individual liberty. His body is represented by the Constitution, and his spirit by the Declaration. It’s the only king on Earth I could swear allegiance to, and the only one to which I have.
Long live the king.;)

Though I see the 2A as an aspect of providence, some might not. So, to get more directly on topic :

To me, the second amendment is not only a guarantee of the right to self defense against unjust aggressors, be they criminal men or criminal governments. It’s not only the guarantee to have the means to protect ourselves and others. The symbolism associated with the ancient tradition of free men being armed is a nice sentiment, but remains empty without utility. It has little to do with recreation or hunting, though those are valid proper uses of arms, and are thus protected. It’s not just the burdens and responsibilities that come with the right to have and use arms. It is all of these things and more, but what is most striking is that it also an expression of humility by the founders of this nation.
They were well aware of some imperfections in their design, and knew there could be more. They also knew that through those imperfections, their creation could turn into the very thing they despised. Most leaders in history focus on how they can control, whereas their focus was on where not to control. In defining what would constitute our government, they left open the definition of the nation’s character to the People. Their logical consistency and belief in natural law on this point is especially admirable because it even leaves open the self-destruction of their creation, iff it ever reaches the point of deserving judgment by natural law.

It is our right and responsibility to use the 2A correctly, our responsibility to struggle with moral implications, questions of utility or futility, and when to exercise the right. For me, the time to exercise the right to self defense is when there is no other choice, or when the ability to choose is about to be lost… a simple statement, but with many permutations.
 
I’m not really shooting for a dissertation on types of government. Democracy certainly can become mob rule when legislatures purposely defeat the protections the founders set up (electoral college) and the average citizen knows and cares little about laws. Our country was designed to be free, not to be cared for and coddled from cradle to grave.

To me the heart of the 2A is about maintaining the right of the individual to not be dictated to in all matters and to have a intentional defense against grevious wrongs and death. This is condensing many ideas and probably not the best way to explain things but it works..
 
One of the first things hitler did when he came into power was outlaw firearms.
All the Amendments in our Constitution depend on the 2nd Amendment, for without the power of the people to enforce all our Amendments they will be meaningless. The 2nd Amendment is that force but hopefully it never comes to that.
 
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