In the District of Columbia v. Heller in 2008 the Supreme Court ruled that despite state laws individuals who were not part of a state militia did have the right to bear arms. As part of its ruling the court wrote, “The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.”

The Supreme Court ruled on the issue again two years later as part of McDonald v. City of Chicago which challenged the city’s ban on private handgun ownership. In a similar ruling the court affirmed its decision in the Heller case saying the Second Amendment “applies equally to the federal government and the states.” Prior to these decisions the Firearms Control Regulation Act of 1975 restricted residents from owning handguns except for those registered prior to 1975.

Links? Look it up yourself!

“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” -Thomas Jefferson

The Constitution preserves “the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation. . . (where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.” — The Federalist, No. 46 -James Madison

“[I]f circumstances should at any time oblige the government to form an army of any magnitude, that army can never be formidable to the liberties of the people while there is a large body of citizens, little if at all inferior to them in discipline and the use of arms, who stand ready to defend their rights and those of their fellow citizens.” — The Federalist, No. 29 -Alexander Hamilton

“[A]rms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property. . . Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them.” — Thoughts On Defensive War, 1775 -Thomas Paine

“That the people have a Right to mass and to bear arms; that a well regulated militia composed of the Body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper natural and safe defense of a free State…” – George Mason

“Are we at last brought to such an humiliating and debasing degradation that we cannot be trusted with arms for our own defense? Where is the difference between having our arms under our own possesion and under our own direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?” -Patrick Henry

“A militia when properly formed are in fact the people themselves . . . and include all men capable of bearing arms. . . To preserve liberty it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms… The mind that aims at a select militia, must be influenced by a truly anti-republican principle.” –

“… whereas, to preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them…”

- Richard H. Lee, Additional Letters from the Federal Farmer 53, 1788

Just a few other “paranoids” spewing “nonsense” I suppose…

I feel sorry for you Bill. It’s obvious from your language that you know nothing of our rights or how to keep them safe. I do hope you figure it out before you lose them forever. Though you seem to enjoy licking the boots that crush your throat. SLURP!

“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.”

There is nothing in that amendment that states gun ownership is given to the people to protect themselves from some paranoid thought up government attack. It is total nonsense to believe so!

However, the Supreme Court has definitively held that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia and to use that weapon for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within ones home and the hunting of game, period!