The Second Amendment is a Relic - Its Purpose is Long Past.

"There is thus no constitutional protection whatsoever for the semiautomatic rifle that killed the kids in Newtown."

The Second Amendment is a relic of the founding era more than two centuries ago. Its purpose is long past. As Justice John Paul Stevens argues persuasively, the amendment should not block the ability of society to keep itself safe through gun control legislation. That was never its intent. This amendment was about militias in the 1790s, and the fear of the anti-federalists of a federal army. Since that issue is long moot, we need not be governed in our national life by doctrines on now-extinct militias from the 18th century.

Source

This is an excellent article the explains the reasons the 2nd amendment was created, and how it's been used in the SCOTUS.

The purpose of the Second Amendment was to prevent the new Federal Government established in 1789 from disarming the state militias and replacing them with a Federal standing army. It was a concern that was relevant perhaps for a few years around the birth of the country. It is irrelevant today. Americans do not rely on state militias in 2012 for our freedom from the federal government

Now is the time to establish new gun control laws and perhaps an all out ban on all automatic and semi automatic weapons.

This exact mode of thinking: "The old generation's ideas don't pertain to today," is a disgrace....

It goes against our bill of rights, and everything America stands for.

I cannot understand why this nation is turning its back on the constitution, and our freedoms.

Just like dumb cows, you are lead to the kill house. Unfortunately once you are in you don’t come out.

The purpose of the Second Amendment was to prevent the new Federal Government established in 1789 from disarming the state militias and replacing them with a Federal standing army. It was a concern that was relevant perhaps for a few years around the birth of the country. It is irrelevant today.

How narrow minded this thinking is. How easily could a new federal army invade our lives if we were defenseless.

Irrelevant my white behind…

Shame on the writer of this, and anyone who supports it.

The purpose of the Second Amendment was to prevent the new Federal Government established in 1789 from disarming the state militias and replacing them with a Federal standing army.

With the rise of the Police State, it means more now then it ever did. These are the times and circumstances for which it was written.

Peace

Oh come on.

Dont you know relics are cool now? What with all the hipsters raising chickens, pickling, canning and homebrewing.



The 2nd A is hipper than ever.

reply to post by Julie Washington


The only thing that is a relic is leftist thinking. It is an ideology that has been tried and failed many times. The planet is reeling under those failed ideas and policies. You want to defend the worst policies and results of tyrants and murderers the planet has had to endure during the 20th century. What is about failure and lies don't you understand.

For a start, a right is a right is a right.

Secondly, i think it particularly rich that you are here posting this rubbish, when you don't even know the facts of the shooting!

Two HANDGUNS were found on the man that killed the kids, not a rifle, semi-automatic or otherwise, pistols only.

Reports of 223 spent RIFLE casings, meticulously recovered from the scene by by investigating police officers is bogus. There was a rifle found in the trunk of his car, but it was not used in the killings, so could not possibly have dropped 223 rifle casings around the school.

I think we should start thinking about banning spurious and incompetent news reporting before we talk about banning anything else...except for perhaps mental health care for profit.

Now is the time to establish new gun control laws and perhaps an all out ban on all automatic and semi automatic weapons.

Now is the time to establish a working solution to the Mental Health crisis that is ignored by the press and all but hidden by the stigma placed upon it by society. A gun did not kill those children, a human being did!

This kind of thought process has been fertilizer for every despot in history.

From your source:

The purpose of the Second Amendment was to prevent the new Federal Government established in 1789 from disarming the state militias and replacing them with a Federal standing army.

So the second amendment is archaic and needs to be abandoned because the federal government decided to bypass it and start a standing army while destroying the informal militia and nationalizing the state's formal militia?

That makes about as much sense as a football bat.

There is thus no constitutional protection whatsoever for the semiautomatic rifle that killed the kids in Newtown. Even Scalia is explicit on that point.

Actually the M-16 that Scalia referred to is radically different. It has a select fire option that allows multiple round bursts or automatic fire. The gun used in Sandy Hook was semi-automatic. That means one pull of the trigger equals one bullet fired. Obviously the article's author has a lack of knowledge about the subject he is attempting to write about.

The article is a fail on premise and knowledge. Thank you for playing, please try again.

"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing Government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it." Abe Lincoln

Does nobody read proposed laws and surveillance plans at a citizen level?

Now would be the WORST time to do that.... don't fall for it

Originally posted by MysterX
For a start, a right is a right is a right.

Secondly, i think it particularly rich that you are here posting this rubbish, when you don't even know the facts of the shooting!

Two HANDGUNS were found on the man that killed the kids, not a rifle, semi-automatic or otherwise, pistols only.

Reports of 223 spent RIFLE casings, meticulously recovered from the scene by by investigating police officers is bogus. There was a rifle found in the trunk of his car, but it was not used in the killings, so could not possibly have dropped 223 rifle casings around the school.

I think we should start thinking about banning spurious and incompetent news reporting before we talk about banning anything else...except for perhaps mental health care for profit.

I suggest you read the recent reports before you start posting rubbish about incorrect facts regarding the weapons used in the killings.

The primary weapon used in the attack was a "Bushmaster AR-15 assault-type weapon," said Connecticut State Police Lt. Paul Vance. The rifle is a Bushmaster version of a widely made AR-15, the civilian version of the M-16 rifle used by the U.S. military

(CNN) -- Adam Lanza brought three weapons inside Sandy Hook Elementary school on December 14 and left a fourth in his car, police said. Those weapons were a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle and two handguns -- a Glock 10 mm and a Sig Sauer 9 mm.

Source

reply to post by Julie Washington


Julie, The various state constitutions are much MORE precise in their writings that "The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed". Frankly speaking, It matters not what the FED thinks. The states constitutions are the first protector of the citizens to bear arms. And like i said, they're much more specific.

For example. Here's my States constitution..

Right to bear arms.

13. Every person has a right to bear arms for the defense of himself and the state.

So screw the judge and his stupid interpretation... Last I knew, we were still sovereign states.. We can adhear to certain federal rules and laws should we CHOOSE to. Not because we HAVE to.. And being a republic. we leave that choice up to our state politicians.

reply to post by MysterX


Can you post a source that says he didn't use a rifle. I could have sworn that when it first happened the police said he used pistols. Now the media is harping on evil black guns to the point I doubt myself.

That makes about as much sense as a football bat.

ROFL.....Classic!

?
Wasnt the 2nd amendment to ensure no tyranical government could have total control over its people because that leads to tyranny?

Please enlighten me as to what has changed about this fact?

reply to post by Julie Washington


If the 2nd amendment is a relic, and it's purpose is long past, then this logic must be applied to the other 9 amendments of the Bill of Rights. You can't pick and choose... you can't have it both ways.

reply to post by Julie Washington


Come take my guns mate, I dare you.
If someone at that school had a gun or at least a tazer; the principle, a teacher, anyone really, this wouldn't have happened.

This thread is one of the reasons I hate the young.

We gave you a beautiful free country and you're pissing it away.

You don't deserve it.

Originally posted by 00001
"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing Government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it." Abe Lincoln

Yes!
As a matter of fact... Let me quote that part of my states constitution as well!

Right of the people.

2. Government is instituted for the protection, security, and benefit of the people; and they have the right at all times to alter or reform the same, and to abolish one form of government and establish another, whenever the public good requires it.

ATS Thread FAIL!
No second...