The language is pretty clear, its more of a collective right based on the state(s) to defend itself from an overbearing federal government:
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. The phrase "A well regulated Militia," refers to organized militia units, not the general militia concept. Accordingly this applies to the states, as also evidenced by the phrase "being necessary to the security of a free State". Given the technology at the time there was relatively little difference between a weapon used for hunting (a flintlock with a rifled barrel) vs warfare - a musket. So members of the local militia were required to keep their own weapons available and in keeping with the concept of well regulated militia, were required to train and drill on a regular basis. >So this big case is coming before the SCOTUS today. For me, I would >say that, as the constitution is written, the federal gov't DOES NOT >protect *an individuals* right to bear arms. Technically it would >seem that's a matter left up to the states. Whether that's the right >choice or not I'm not claiming, but technically I don't think the >constitution protects the right for individuals to bear arms. > >-- -- >WASHINGTON - The District of Columbia is asking the Supreme Court to >preserve the capital's ban on handguns in a major case over the >meaning of the Second Amendment's "right to keep and bear arms." > >A Washington resident who wants to keep handguns at home for >protection is challenging the 32-year-old ban as a violation of his >constitutional rights. A federal appeals court in Washington agreed >that the city cannot ban handguns. > >-- >"A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless >interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull >day." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Adobe® ColdFusion® 8 software 8 is the most important and dramatic release to date Get the Free Trial http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;160198600;22374440;w Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:256670 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
