Against tyranny in 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." Just in case you don't already know, this quote is from the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, in full. Why did the Framers create the Second Amendment? I mean, you know that guns are "evil". Society would be safer if the government banned all guns. Why did they put that in there?

I have to break the news to you, but it is the opposite of what you may believe. Guns are an inanimate object, like any property. Guns don't kill, people do. If you let your finger stay out of the trigger guard, the gun won't fire. Period. That is why there are many, many cops, but minuscule number of accidents. And, if good, honest people, who have the skill and knowledge to operate a firearm, acquire a gun for protection of themselves and their family, gun deaths would go down, not up. That is what John Lott Jr. says. In his book, named, appropriately enough, More Guns, Less Crime, he said that states which allow more gun freedom will have fewer violent crimes.

For example, Vermont has the most lax gun laws in the country (permits are not required for carry concealed or unconcealed for resident or non-resident alike, and Vermont has been doing this for a long, long time). Vermont has the 2nd fewest violent crime rate in the country (only North Dakota, a "gun friendly state" as well, has fewer). On the opposite side, Washington D.C. has the strictest gun laws in the country (you have to disassemble your weapon if you want to keep the gun in DC in your own home). Washington has the highest violent crime rate in the country (they nick-named Washington the "murder capitol"). The three most stringent gun law cities in America are Washington, Chicago, and San Francisco (all three cities, they outlaw carrying a weapon in their city limits). Do you want to take a guess on what cities have the highest violent crime rate?

If you read the Second Amendment, it means literally you can carry a weapon, and government officials are barred from requiring you to do anything with your gun, including having a license. The phrase, "shall not be infringed" is for the government. For the record, the Bill of Rights doesn't grant you any rights; not a one. The Bill of Rights was actually a Bill of Restrictions. The Preamble to the Bill of Rights said it best. That's why the government left it off. It states that "further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added". That's "restrictive clauses" for the government, not "open clauses" for the people. It is a big difference. Our rights are "inalienable". That means if we trash the Constitution right now, our rights are still with us, including the right to keep and bear arms. If you see the difference, maybe you can approach the government in a different, better way.

But, the most important reason why we have the Second Amendment is not to reduce crime. Thomas Jefferson said it best, "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." The most important reason why we have the Second Amendment is to offer a check on government power. Let's take a look at some history and see the reality.

• In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
• In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
• Germany established gun control in 1938, and from 1939 to 1945, 13 million Jews and others, who were unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
• China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
• Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
• Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
• Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million 'educated' people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

That means the number of defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th century because of gun control: 56 million. That makes a trivial thing like our wars (from the Revolution to today) seem meaningless.

Five months ago, New Orleans police wanted to confiscate the people's guns. New Orleans Police Superintendent P. Edwin Compass made the following statement: "No one will be able to be armed. Guns will be taken. Only law enforcement will be allowed to have guns." I pray gun confiscation was only temporary, for my sake...and theirs. If you outlaw guns, only outlaws and government officials (i.e., one and the same) will have guns.

Finally, what is the meaning of "arms" in the Second Amendment? The dictionary's definition of "arms" is synonymous with "weapons", and both are defined as "instruments of offense or defense". If my acumen serves me correctly, that includes rocks, knives, spears, bows-and-arrows, numb-chucks, revolvers, semi-automatic weapons, mortars, Uzis, howitzers, machine guns, nukes, and anything you can think of for offense or defense. Vin Suprynowicz agrees with me. Here is his article. Read the article, and ask yourself: what did the Framers mean in the Constitution when they use the word "arms"?