The Constitution states that the Congress will not maintain a standing army past 2 years (war notwithstanding). It seems to violate the Constitution everytime it passes a military appropriations bill (this contrasted with the fact that the Constitution says that Congress WILL maintain a Navy). To the writers and signers of the Constitution, there was a difference between a state maintained army and a militia. And what is your definition of "well regulated"?
But that has no effect on my argument. The definition that everyone is the militia can come with laws requiring certains things of that militia. Requirements such as what weapon to own, how to maintain it, what equipment to own, etc. As a Libertarian, I accept that part of the responsibility of being a citizen of this free society is the duty to defend it in time of need. >Cheap shot that. I could have said that Mein Kampf may be a fantasy >of the right wing. And a dreadful read. ;') You may be right. I'm not right wing. I'm Libertarian. I think that both "sides" are wrong. >> >> From dictionary.com [regulated]: 3. To adjust (a mechanism) for accurate >>and proper functioning 4. To put or maintain in order >> >> So, read that phrase as "A[n accurate and properly functioning] militia, >>being necessary to the security of a free state..." Or, "A[n orderly] >>militia, being necessary to the security of a free state..." So, our >>forefathers realized that in order to have a proper functioning militia, a >>militia of the citizens, they would need guns, in their PRIVATE possession. >>Why in private possession? Because the milita is us, the individual. >> >> Here is my state's Constitution on the definition of militia: > >Irrelevant. The Constitution supercedes any state's constitution. >that has been well established since the whiskey rebellion of 1790, >and further reinforced by that minor fracas known as the American >Civil War. I fully support the federal Constitution's preemption. I included my state's definition of militia because it's based on (or was based at the time it was written), the general, widely held belief of what a militia is. My argument was made above. I was quoting men of the time to help bring definition. I do not use other people's statements to make my arguments. I'm not a Constitutionalist's Ditto Head. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?forumid=5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?method=subscribe&forumid=5 This list and all House of Fusion resources hosted by CFHosting.com. The place for dependable ColdFusion Hosting. Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
