"Marvin Long, Jr." wrote:
> Therefore, as a concession to the anti-Federalist-leaning states (i.e.
> anti-Constitution states, in this context), the 2nd Amendment was added to
> the Bill of Rights to prevent the federal goverment from ever unilaterally
> passing a law that would disarm the state militias.
>
> It's my theory that, in accordance with a longstanding tradtion where
> touchy political compromises are concerned, our dear founders crafted some
> waffly language designed to prevent the federal govt from disallowing a
> state's right and ability to raise a militia without actually granting any
> state the right to independently raise and arm a militia.
>
Excuse my complete ignorance here - I genuinely don't know, but aren't
National Guard units State Militia?
We hear on the news about the Governor of StateX calling out the National
Guard, and certainly the ANG units are state based... I had thought they were
completely controlled by the state governments, utilising resources actually
acquired by the individual states by whatever arrangement. So much so that if
the Feds want to use an F16 from the Vermont ANG, (which is based at
Burlington airport rather than a USAF base), it actually has to *ask* the
Vermont government. Doesn't that imply the states have the right to raise a
militia, or have I missed the point completely.
Russell Chapman
Brisbane Australia
