Jan 24 2013: At age 80 my Father can recall that one of his classes in high school was a shooting class.
He was telling me that on any Sunday afternoon he and his friends might be seen with .22 rifles slung across their backs riding their bikes through neighborhoods to an open field where they would go shoot cans. He also recalled a scheduled competition for school that was held on a Saturday and to get there he walked with rifle in hand down to the subway and rode it to the competition location and after the match was over he walked over to his cousins house for dinner. It was well after dark when he got back on the subway to go home. A teenage boy with a firearm by himself in public on the subway and NOT ONE odd look from anyone.
Let’s have a teenager take the exact same trip today, people would be screaming, phones would be recording , and cops would be standing on is neck so quick your head will spin.
So what is the difference, it's NOT THE GUN. Because as we all know there has never been a case off a gun walking down the street shooting at people but there has been cases of a PERSON walking down the street firing a gun.
Jan 24 2013: Less than 5 minutes ago: "Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man against his own bosom? Congress shall have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American ... The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the People."
— Tench Coxe, 1788.
This speach was given during meetings that were held regarding rattifacation of the amendments.
This speach was recieved with a standing ovation.
"And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from
time to time that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take
arms...the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood
of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."
-- Thomas Jefferson
"Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared
to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic
purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice
for that freedom."
-- John F. Kennedy
Or if you would rather, take a look at the actual legal definition of the militia as set forth in the United States Code:
Section 311 of US Code Title 10, entitled, "Militia: composition and classes" in its entirety:
"(a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.
b) The classes of the militia are —
(1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and
(2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of
Jan 24 2013: "Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man against his own bosom? Congress shall have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American ... The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the People."
— Tench Coxe, 1788.
This speach was given during meetings that were held regarding rattifacation of the amendments.
This speach was recieved with a standing ovation.
"And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from
time to time that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take
arms...the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood
of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."
-- Thomas Jefferson
"Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared
to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic
purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice
for that freedom."
-- John F. Kennedy
Or if you would rather, take a look at the actual legal definition of the militia as set forth in the United States Code:
Section 311 of US Code Title 10, entitled, "Militia: composition and classes" in its entirety:
"(a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.
b) The classes of the militia are —
(1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and
(2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members
Jan 22 2013: "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed" I do not think it takes a PHD in anything to understand exactaly what that statement means. Why not leave it at "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms"? Because the men who penned our founding documents, did so from experience, from what history had shown them to be the WRONG way to govern. The Second Amendment was adopted on December 15, 1791, the screams of dying soilders, brothers, and sons, the smell of gunpowder and rotting flesh were first hand to these men. (watching CNN DOES NOT QUALIFY YOU) These were men of purpose who came together to make sure that no American would have to sacrafise so much ever again, and that's why those 4 words are there "shall not be infringed".
There is not an American alive today (with the exception of direct family of a U.S. Soilder killed in action and those who fled from other countries and became U.S. citizens) who has sacraficed TO BE an American and that is because the men who did left us with playbook so we would never have to. Oh, by the way, your local Starbucks being closed in observance of MLK Day does not count as sacrafice.
That same day in 1791 the First Amendment was also adopted. I could just imagine the uproar if the same game was played with it's clear and easly understandable language " 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" Oh...could you imagine what would happen if the Goverment tried to restrict the press!!!! Or what if later this week you recieve a ticket / fine in the mail for $5000.00 because you read this and some Senator didn't like that. I can hear it now, "well that's different".
No it's not, I wonder just how many people have been killed in the name of religion. not enough fingers & toes
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A comment on Conversation: Solving gun violence in the US in today's insane political climate requires a solution that makes it painless for everyone.
He was telling me that on any Sunday afternoon he and his friends might be seen with .22 rifles slung across their backs riding their bikes through neighborhoods to an open field where they would go shoot cans. He also recalled a scheduled competition for school that was held on a Saturday and to get there he walked with rifle in hand down to the subway and rode it to the competition location and after the match was over he walked over to his cousins house for dinner. It was well after dark when he got back on the subway to go home. A teenage boy with a firearm by himself in public on the subway and NOT ONE odd look from anyone.
Let’s have a teenager take the exact same trip today, people would be screaming, phones would be recording , and cops would be standing on is neck so quick your head will spin.
So what is the difference, it's NOT THE GUN. Because as we all know there has never been a case off a gun walking down the street shooting at people but there has been cases of a PERSON walking down the street firing a gun.
A reply on Conversation: Solving gun violence in the US in today's insane political climate requires a solution that makes it painless for everyone.
— Tench Coxe, 1788.
This speach was given during meetings that were held regarding rattifacation of the amendments.
This speach was recieved with a standing ovation.
"And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from
time to time that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take
arms...the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood
of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."
-- Thomas Jefferson
"Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared
to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic
purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice
for that freedom."
-- John F. Kennedy
Or if you would rather, take a look at the actual legal definition of the militia as set forth in the United States Code:
Section 311 of US Code Title 10, entitled, "Militia: composition and classes" in its entirety:
"(a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.
b) The classes of the militia are —
(1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and
(2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of
A reply on Conversation: Solving gun violence in the US in today's insane political climate requires a solution that makes it painless for everyone.
— Tench Coxe, 1788.
This speach was given during meetings that were held regarding rattifacation of the amendments.
This speach was recieved with a standing ovation.
"And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from
time to time that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take
arms...the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood
of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."
-- Thomas Jefferson
"Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared
to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic
purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice
for that freedom."
-- John F. Kennedy
Or if you would rather, take a look at the actual legal definition of the militia as set forth in the United States Code:
Section 311 of US Code Title 10, entitled, "Militia: composition and classes" in its entirety:
"(a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.
b) The classes of the militia are —
(1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and
(2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members
A comment on Conversation: Solving gun violence in the US in today's insane political climate requires a solution that makes it painless for everyone.
There is not an American alive today (with the exception of direct family of a U.S. Soilder killed in action and those who fled from other countries and became U.S. citizens) who has sacraficed TO BE an American and that is because the men who did left us with playbook so we would never have to. Oh, by the way, your local Starbucks being closed in observance of MLK Day does not count as sacrafice.
That same day in 1791 the First Amendment was also adopted. I could just imagine the uproar if the same game was played with it's clear and easly understandable language " 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" Oh...could you imagine what would happen if the Goverment tried to restrict the press!!!! Or what if later this week you recieve a ticket / fine in the mail for $5000.00 because you read this and some Senator didn't like that. I can hear it now, "well that's different".
No it's not, I wonder just how many people have been killed in the name of religion. not enough fingers & toes