Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Old McDonald Had a... gun?

Now that the Supreme Court's ruling is finally out on the 2nd Amendment, it's time to really incorporate the Constitution.

Imagine a nation where the actual words of the Constitution, and their original, plain and simple meaning actually drove our various states' legislative processes, as well as the courts' interpretation thereof.

Imagine a nation where each state recognized the official acts of the other states.

Imagine a nation where our citizens actually received equal protection under the law, even protection from oppressive governments.

Would the first official act of each state, the adoption of a State Constitution, be recognized by the other states?

Would the Rights of the Citizens, as recognized in those documents, then be given equal weight across all of the states?

If the answer to these questions is "yes", then the combined language of the various 2nd Amendment declarations from all fifty states would then be merged together, recognized by the states (and the federal government), and the Right to Keep and Bear Arms would be expanded to its greatest level.

In similar fashion, the Right to speak, to peaceably assemble, to petition for redress, to be free from unreasonable search or seizure, to be compensated for takings, to defend one's life, to rebel against slavery in any form: these Rights would be equally enforced at their greatest scope resulting in maximum freedom for the individual.

In a nation where the governments received their Powers from the consent of the governed, the citizen is to remain the ultimate "sovereign"... not in anarchy or abuse of his neighbor, but definitely in control of his government. When the founding documents of a Government recognize a Right, that Right must never be abridged.

Keeping and Bearing Arms must not be infringed.

Murder, robbery, intimidation to prevent others from exercising their Rights... when facilitated with a firearm or any other weapon: these are the acts which the people, through their governments, may prohibit and punish, not the mere act of possession.

A firearm is a tool. Like an axe, a hammer, or even a printing press, it can be used for good or for evil. In like manner, the possession of a tool should never be illegal, only an act may be illegal, and if the act includes the use of any dangerous tool, the punishment of the law can and should be more severe, for the use shows a disregard, not only for the victim's enjoyment of property, but for the victim's life.

No comments:

Post a Comment