'Right to bear arms' right?

Question

Is the right to bear arms as enshrined in the American mentality really more important than the right for innocent people to go about their legitimate business without being shot be a gun crazed maniac who carries a gun because it is his 'right'?

Answer 1

I have a right to bear arms. Now I just need to find a bear...

Answer 2

The 2nd Amendment 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.

This amendment gives all the other amendments the right to be heard. Unfortunately, the 2nd Amendment has been misrepresented and misinterpreted by people who do not understand the Constitution. Our founding fathers put this amendment in knowing that a tyrannical government under a despotic ruler would always oppress the people. History has shown this to be true in every single case when a citizenry is disarmed and has no remedy or recourse. The 2nd Amendment guarantees your right under the Constitution even if those abuses are outside the purview of government; The right to life, liberty and property; Pursuit of happiness is a relativistic term and only was embraced because of the slavery issue, ie..., property. What Charlton Heston and Michael Moore fail to understand, I think by design, is that possessing firearms number one mandate was not about hunting wild game or protection from common law disputes among citizens, but owning firearms was a DETERRENT against a centralizing power that would take our unalienable rights away. The Militia Act of 1902 (also Known as the Dick Act) settled this argument about the intent our founding fathers had in mind. This right, your right, my right, is as important to your liberty and the liberty of others; no one and I mean no one has the right to take it away. Even if there are abuses by other citizens, or for that fact non-citizens, especially the Virginia Tech massacre, nobody has the right to legislate your freedom away. It is important to understand this distinction. Yes, I agree that there are a great many irresponsible people who should never have a gun. However know this, guns don't kill people, people kill people. There are many social ills in our country that have to be addressed and rectified as to the causes; particularly spree, serial and random killings. The question should not be directed at the 2nd Amendment itself, it should be directed at the person or persons responsible for the atrocity.

In closing, I would like to quote Benjamen Franklin about guaranteed safety: "Those that are willing to give up liberty for a little temporary safety, deserve neither libery or safety."

Answer 3

Having the right to carry a gun doesn't give you the right to shoot people indiscriminately. Me carrying a gun in no way infringes on anyone's right to not be shot.

Some people, like maquire above me, seem to not understand how our society is designed. There are no classes of people. Just citizens. And all rights flow from the citizens. So, in order for the 'militia' (which is not the police force) to have the rights to guns, the citizens must have the right to guns. Also, the second amendment is important in that we have the right to overthrow the government if it become too oppressive. "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson. You should read the federalist papers. Maybe then you'd have a more thorough understanding of how our society is constructed.

Answer 4

No right is "more important" than any other. They are all applied equally, in a perfect world.

Once rights overlap, that's when this conflict must be resolved. This is true of just about anything.

For example, say you have a brother, and HIS toy is in your room. The toy belongs to him (right to own personal items) but you found it in your room (eminent domain/private property). Who gets to keep the toy? Usually, this will require intervention of a "higher" power, a parent.

Arguments can be made on both sides: "It is my toy and therefore I own it no matter where it resides", vs. "It was in my room and therefore is mine by right of acquisition."

People do NOT have a right to "go about their legitimate business". Show me where this is written in the Constitution. The "Declaration of Independence", on the other hand, does say we have a right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" but it is understood that there are those who will try to affect these rights. That is one reason why we have police forces (empowered by the very people they are charged to protect).

The right to bear arms has one purpose: to allow an armed civil populace to rise up against a corrupt, oppressive and overbearing government, in its truest sense (not in a political sense). This sense of wrong or injustice, it is assumed, must affect the entire nation (not just the Liberals or the Conservatives, for example,) but EVERYONE, for this to be true.) In other words, if the USA started turning into the USSR, we have a right to put down this government with violence. This is one of the true powers of "we the people..."

Answer 5

Well "right to life" was there before there were any amendments, but it gets infringed daily.

And it isn't clear from the statistics that I've seen
(I'd welcome other sources for reference) that wider gun ownership and carrying *reduces* loss of life.
Accidents and bystander casualties go up, and a fair number of people get shot with their own guns.
I suppose I don't trust everyone to be well-ordered about guns, whether in a militia or not.
(where are all these well-ordered militias?)

Answer 6

I agree with those who say that the crazies will get guns if they really want them but the 'right to bear arms' does make it more normal and socially acceptable to have guns around, which can never be a good thing.

Answer 7

not having the right to bear arms, I'm afraid would not have anything to do with a crazed maniac, gun carrying or otherwise, from killing you. in fact you being able to carry a weapon could prevent this maniac from killing you or someone else. there are no stupid questions just..................

Answer 8

It's in the second amendment of our constitution, we are guaranteed that right. There are thousands of gun laws here, but if a criminal or a crazy person wants to get a gun, they will. No law will prevent that. Just like the drug addict knows where to get his fix, there is always a way.

Answer 9

Yes. Gun control only puts the guns in the hands of the criminals. As here in UK.

Answer 10

The neo-con Chickenhawk-Bill of Govt. Contracts-the Right to Bear Wings...