If I am unpatriotic because I don't vote...?

Question

Are you unpatriotic because you don't own a gun? I mean you did realize that this was a right given us by the founders as well, right?

Answer 1

Wrong about the gun thing. Read the second amendment paying special attention to where the comma is placed. It states: "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." It doesn't say "and" anywhere. It doesn't say a well-regulated militia AND the peoples' right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The right of the People to keep and bear arms IS a well regulated militia. As such, an individual does not necessarily have a right to bear arms. Moreover, the 2nd amendment is a restriction on the federal government not on any state governments. In fact, all the first 10 Amendments are restrictions on the state government. Later, the 14th Amendment incorporated, through case law, some, but not all, of the first 10 amendments, so that some of the first ten amendments restricted state governments as well as the federal government. However, the second amendment has never been incorporated into the 14th Amendment through case law, so a state, theoretically, could ban guns even if the Second Amendment says what some people think it says.

The bottom line is that the second amendment allows well-regulated militias. Militias are citizen formed volunteer groups that did the duty that the police, national guard, and military do now. Back in the 18th Century when most places didn't have a police force, national guard, or military to come to their rescus, citizens had to form militias to protect themselves in times of crisis. Obviously, the government would be afriad of some militias, because they could be used to strong arm the government or even destroy it. In fact, the confederate army in the civil war began, to some extent, with militias in the south.

But these militias are to be well-regulated. Regulated by whom? Probably regulated by the states. In fact, it says that the militia is necessary for the security of a free state, so the right is really toward the states, not the people. However, one must understand that the framers did not see the extent to the division between the state and the "people" that you and I see today. As such, the framers were not thinking about individuals owning guns. Frankly, I suppose that the government was not thinking about banning guns at all. Guns were a utilitarian tool necessary to life in the country at that time. The question was militias.

Therefore, your analogy of the right to own guns to the right to vote doesn't work.

Now, are you unpatriotic if you don't vote? Certainly not if you are uninformed. A lot of people vote without really knowing what they are voting for. And there are so many things to vote on, it is hard to know everything. But you shouldn't make a decision unless you take the time to become informed. Otherwise, you are likely to make a mistake and voting is just too important. One should also note that our choices aren't that good. As such, sometimes you can't make up your mind, so why vote at all?

But if you are informed and can make up your mind and you still don't vote, then you are just letting a lot of dumb uninformed people make your choice for you. And it might matter. So I'd just say you are stupid and probably don't care about a lot of things. Also, I say your right to complain ends if you don't vote.

Answer 2

If you find no palatable choice on the ballot, don't vote. Fine. I think that's better than registering a false choice that counts in the tally as much as somebody else's strong preference.
Firearms ain't flags. They're tools (and something of an insurance policy). If you don't want either, that's OK, too. And yes, rights are individual rights, including the right to bear arms. This is consistent through the entire document. No need to parse and make a false exception.

Answer 3

Although our government isn't perfect; I feel privileged that i don't live somewhere where cops come busting through your door because I own a bible or because I made negative comments about our dictator. If you want our current trend to continue then its wise to vote! If people stop voting, then our goverment could possibly turn into anything! Even a communist government! Its up to us; who is in charge of our government. And there is nothing wrong with owning a gun. Its our constitutional right!!! Guns don't kill people. People kill people.

Answer 4

You may not be unpatriotic because you don't vote. However, I don't think you have a right to complain if things don't go the way they are going in the US either.

Answer 5

i don't be attentive to in spite of if this is unpatriotic of not. this is quite stupid, shortsighted and self serving. through fact the invoice exceeded with purely 3 republican (incredibly rino) votes I doubt if the dems concept analyzing it replaced right into a concern besides.

Answer 6

Voting is a right, but it is also a responsibility. One can, but need not own a gun. Voting is our best tool in a Democracy.

Those who choose not to vote, in my mind, have no say in Government. They could, but chose Not to.

This sort of apathy brought us the Bush/Chaney/Rove debacle.

If you care about your Country and the future of it's children you need to accept personal responsibility and educate yourself on the issues and vote .

Answer 7

It depends, do you not vote because you're lazy, or because you feel a sense of hopelessness and don't feel that your vote will actually affect any change? At this juncture in history, which do you think has the most influence on our gov, the vote, or a gun?

Answer 8

No that doesnt make you unpatroitc, but it leaves you little roomto compplain if you arent envolved in the political process, it is a right , and thus you arent forced to do so, but if you are disastified then you owe your self and your children an obligation to vote and become aware and involved in the political world.

Answer 9

Erik B two points! I'd give him ten, but, well....you know.
However, I do vote that you don't get to own guns. Someone needs a time-out.......

Answer 10

Don't vote or don't own a gun, it's your right.