On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 9:33 AM, Loathe <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I have never understood how people can say the amendment isn't clearly > written. > > No laws shall be established regarding the peoples ability to keep and bear > arms. > > That's it the end. Read the founders, it's what they meant. Any other > opinion is lying to yourself.
That is not the text of the 2nd Amendment. Here is the text of the 2nd Amendment: "A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." You were actually using language from the 1st Amendment the "no law shall.." bit. Here's the text of the 1st Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. " I know you think the 2nd Amendment is very clear, but its beginning clause leaves it far from crystal. Notice that the 1st Amendment doesn't say *why* its being adopted. It doesn't say "Because we don't want a national church, congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion". The 1st amendment doesn't have any equivocation. the 2nd Amendment though says that there is a right of the people to keep and bear arms, but says that it is so because of the need for a well regulated militia. Are you part of a well regulated militia? Am I? Are the owners of most of the guns in America part of a well regulated militia? There are arguments on both sides, without a doubt, but the text of that amendment is nowhere near as clear and unequivocating as the first. You may want it to be totally clear and obvious but that does not make it so, sadly. I wish it was more clear, but it is what it is. Judah ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Adobe® ColdFusion® 8 software 8 is the most important and dramatic release to date Get the Free Trial http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;207172674;29440083;f Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:280030 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
