Dawn of the Wiki Weapons

[lostinblue 1,989]

The problem with the whole gun control debate is the left doesn't understand "shall not be infringed" and the right doesn't understand "well regulated militia".

"well regulated" referred to the necessity that the armed citizens making up the militia(s) have the level of equipment and training necessary to be an effective and formidable check upon the national government's standing army.

This view is confirmed by Alexander Hamilton's observation, in The Federalist, No. 29, regarding the people's militias ability to be a match for a standing army: " . . . but if 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 use of arms, who stand ready to defend their rights . . . ."

It is an absolute truism that law-abiding, armed citizens pose no threat to other law-abiding citizens. The Framers' writings show they also believed this. As we have seen, the Framers understood that "well regulated" militias, that is, armed citizens, ready to form militias that would be well trained, self-regulated and disciplined, would pose no threat to their fellow citizens, but would, indeed, help to "insure domestic Tranquility" and "provide for the common defence."

http://www.lectlaw.com/files/gun01.htm

We understand it very well

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

"self-regulated and disciplined" and "well regulated" are contrary terms.

[JohnR! 5,495]

"well regulated" referred to the necessity that the armed citizens making up the militia(s) have the level of equipment and training necessary to be an effective and formidable check upon the national government's standing army.

There was another interesting topic about the meaning of 'militia' in the context of the USC, which someone pointed out is the definition of the National Guard, and local and state police.

IMHO the lack of understanding to which the other poster referred goes far deeper than semantics and grammar.

[DaveE 178]

Just updated in 2012 10 USC Sec 311 chapter 13

-CITE-
10 USC Sec. 311 01/03/2012 (112-90)

-EXPCITE-
TITLE 10 - ARMED FORCES
Subtitle A - General Military Law
PART I - ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL MILITARY POWERS
CHAPTER 13 - THE MILITIA

-HEAD-
Sec. 311. Militia: composition and classes

-STATUTE-
(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 of the National Guard or the
Naval Militia.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Just updated in 2012 10 USC Sec 311 chapter 13

-CITE-

10 USC Sec. 311 01/03/2012 (112-90)

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 10 - ARMED FORCES

Subtitle A - General Military Law

PART I - ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL MILITARY POWERS

CHAPTER 13 - THE MILITIA

-HEAD-

Sec. 311. Militia: composition and classes

-STATUTE-

(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 of the National Guard or the

Naval Militia.

Awesome. So folk over 45 are clearly not part of the militia. turn in them guns, yer old geezers.

[GandD 5,966]

Several things:

"well regulated" referred to the necessity that the armed citizens making up the militia(s) have the level of equipment and training necessary to be an effective and formidable check upon the national government's standing army.

This view is confirmed by Alexander Hamilton's observation, in The Federalist, No. 29, regarding the people's militias ability to be a match for a standing army: (Not in this country, our military is too advanced) " . . . but if 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,

(If you believe this, make sure you support decreasing military funding and vote accordingly) while there is a large body of citizens, little if at all inferior to them in discipline and use of arms, who stand ready to defend their rights . . . ."(If you believe this, make sure you support decreasing military funding and vote accordingly)

It is an absolute truism that law-abiding, armed citizens pose no threat to other law-abiding citizens. (This is assuming law abiding armed citizens will always be law abiding citizens. As in criminals have been criminals their entire life. At some point Ted Bundy was a law-abiding citizen.) The Framers' writings show they also believed this. (They also showed they didn't know what the future america would need in its constitution by allowing us the ability to change the constitution if need be, so stop hiding behind them.) As we have seen, the Framers understood that "well regulated" militias, that is, armed citizens, ready to form militias that would be well trained, self-regulated and disciplined, (Like the National guard?) would pose no threat to their fellow citizens, but would, indeed, help to "insure domestic Tranquility" and "provide for the common defence." (This assumes the Framers knew everything about everything in the future. Like I said, if they thought that, why did they create a process for amendments? Guns have changed since the framers were around as well as military capability yet you would have us not change anything setup before that change."

http://www.lectlaw.com/files/gun01.htm

We understand it very well