2nd Amendment Revisited

A Bit Of History

British have enjoyed the common law Right To Keep And Bear Arms for centuries.

The British Bill of Rights of 1689 stipulates explicitly “That the subjects which are Protestants may have arms for their defence suitable to their conditions and as allowed by law;”

Unfortunately, the Framers of the U.S. Constitution were a bit vague on this subject, but the State Constitutional Right to Keep and Bear Arms are much more to the point of an individual right. Most state constitutions do not mince words. Here is respective provision of the Constitution of Maine: “Every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms and this right shall never be questioned.  Art. I, § 16 (enacted 1987, after a collective-rights interpretation of the original provision).

     1819:  "Every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms for the common defence; and this right shall never be questioned."  Art. I, § 16.”

Big Government V. Free Citizen

Individual freedom without money or guns is unthinkable historically and for the foreseeable future.

History is full of examples of despotic governments that disarmed its population.

It appears it was primarily the federal government in the U.S. that at least since the infamous Gun Control Act of 1968 tries again and again to infringe on The People’s rights.

The U.S. Supreme Court

Why on earth the SCOTUS has failed for over 230 years to settle this issue once and for all is beyond comprehension. It tells you something about our supreme justices.

Previous, Related Blog Posts

Here, here, and here.

Perspective Of An Immigrant

As an immigrant from Germany, I have never understood why gun control is such an absurdly controversial topic in U.S. politics. What a waste of time and effort! What a red herring!

Anglo-Saxon Invention Of Individual Freedom

Trigger

Just read in the Wall Street Journal a book review titled “Book Review: 'Inventing Freedom' by Daniel Hannan/The U.S. and Britain together midwifed political freedom into the modern world.” (Subscription only)

Selective Takeaway From The Review

Emphasis added to quotes.

1. “Long before the 16th century, English law had considered boys free agents the moment they reached legal maturity. Once he left home, a young Englishman could join whatever trade he wished.”
   [Wow, if this is correct! I do not know exactly what the situation in other parts of the world was at that time, but I guess this kind of freedom was not prevalent.]
2. “English law, too, allowed a man to leave his property to whomever he pleased, whereas Continental [Europe] laws required a more equitable distribution to all family members - a difference that still exists.”
   [If true, that is also quite amazing.]
3. “Long before the rise of industrialism in the 18th century, then, English society reflected a view of individual rights and economic mobility that was largely absent on the Continent.”
   [That is the summary of the afore quoted.]
4. “... England’s 1689 Bill of Rights maintained that “excessive bail ought not to be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”
   [Either I forgot already or in my ignorance I was not even aware of a British Bill of Rights that preceded the U.S. Bill of Rights by a good 100 years nor that it contains language so familiar from the U.S. Constitution. In particular, the common law Right To Keep And Bear Arms.]