Another Look At The Origin Of The Second Amendment: The central question boils down to the first two clauses of the Amendment, and this is where gun control advocates get their ammunition, as it were. The Second Amendment applies only to militias, not to individuals, goes an argument. However, historically speaking, the militia was considered every able-bodied free man between the ages of 15-45... The mindset of our Founding Fathers, who grew up in this atmosphere, was that it was necessary for all able-bodied men to be armed. The importance of the right of individuals to keep and bear arms was never in question. In modern America, it should not be in question either, considering the mountain of evidence that when the people are disarmed, the criminals remain armed, and crime skyrockets. An armed American can be called a "citizen", while those who would allow themselves to be forcibly disarmed, aspire to be known as, "subjects." http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/11/the_second_amendment_and_the_i.html Related Commentary: http://badgerherald.com/oped/2007/11/27/right_to_bear_arms_s.php CBS Sports Second Amendment Poll: Your vote could not hurt. http://www.sportsline.com/mcc/messages/chrono/5009541/0/1 --- Arkansas AG To File Brief In Heller: Arkansas' attorney general says he will join a brief to be filed with the U.S. Supreme Court saying the constitutional right to bear arms extends to individuals, not just members of a state militia... "I believe the Second Amendment confers a Constitutional right to bear arms on individuals, not just on militia members," Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said. http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1107/475840.html --- Total Gun Ban Won't Work In US: ... The other incident occurred in Japan where the mayor of Nagasaki, Itcho Ito, was shot to death by Tetsuya Shiroo. This was not the first time an assassination was carried out by a shooting in Japan, just the latest, and yet nobody is surprised even though guns are banned in Japan... It's interesting to point out that the guy who shot Mayor Itcho Ito is an alleged member of the Yamaguchi-gumi, which is not a Pokemon but in fact is the name of the organized crime syndicate in Japan. It's estimated to have about 40,000, members whereas the U.S. has fewer than 1,000 members of organized crime. Neither group seems to have a problem getting guns... http://www.newburyportnews.com/puopinion/local_story_331094119?keyword=secondarystory --- Meanwhile, From Brady Bunch President...: ...That decision was clearly erroneous for several reasons. Their opinion was an example of judicial activism at its worst - a point I've made many times before - since the Constitution in no way prevents communities from having the gun laws they believe are needed to protect public safety. More specifically, the two-judge majority in Parker ignored longstanding Supreme Court precedent, discounted the express language of the Second Amendment, and substituted its policy preferences for those of the District's elected representatives. The case was wrongly decided, and the Brady Center has the analysis to prove it... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-helmke/one-courts-second-amendm_b_74283.html --- Misguided In Mississippi: ...The problem is that the horse is out of the barn. Somehow, the muzzle loaders held by a few prosperous colonists evolved into over 40 million firearms, so by any rational measure we are a nation gone mad over weaponry. As I watch the Iraqi's dancing in the streets with their AK-47's, I have to wonder if our future might resemble theirs when it comes to guns, given our present momentum... As much as I loved target shooting, maybe the court should only allow muzzle loaders as in colonial days, when the amendment was written. My bet is that few people would carry a 6-pound, single shot flintlock pistol with a 10" barrel around, and the problem would be self correcting. Unfortunately, it would take a couple of centuries for the weapons now held by the public to rust out of service, so all the court can really do is whistle by the graveyard. Stay tuned. (Someone needs to tell Mr. Thomson that Michael Bellesiles was proven to be a fraud and that most Americans did own firearms at the time our nation was founded.) http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007711270305 --- Sen. Durbin, Next IACP President Receive Prohibition Awards: "Nearly every gun-control law in the country will hang in the balance of what will likely be a 5-4 court decision...," said U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin, who was awarded the 2007 Abraham Lincoln Award from the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence (www.ichv.org). "That makes (the council's) work even more important in Springfield and in Washington." Durbin, a two-time winner of the Lincoln award, praised Algonquin Police Chief Russell Laine, who won the law enforcement recognition award, and legislative advocacy award winners U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk of Highland Park, State Sen. Daniel Kotowski of Park Ridge and Chicago Alderman Isaac Carothers... http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=84634 --- Oops, Wrong House, Missouri Version: A 39-year-old woman and a male juvenile remained in custody Monday in connection with a foiled burglary attempt at a grandmother's home outside Carthage on Friday...Richardson said the alleged victim, who was home at the time with her grandchild, grabbed a handgun and confronted the would-be burglars as they broke in her back door. He said the grandmother tried to hold them at gunpoint for law officers. But as she stepped back inside her place to make the call to the Sheriff's Department, they slammed the door on her and fled... http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_330172437.html --- Oops, Wrong House, California Version: Police believe a man trying to break into an Indio home was shot dead after a struggle for a gun with the home's owner...Officers believe 31-year-old Genaro Munoz broke into the home. That was when the homeowner inside was awakened by the intruder. He confronted Munoz but was shot in the foot. After a struggle, the homeowner got control of the gun and shot Munoz several times killing him. (Strangely, for the last few years I lived in California, none of my students were interested in training in weapon retention and disarming.) http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=7387233&nav=9qrx --- From GOA: By now, you have probably heard the news which was delivered prior to Thanksgiving that the U.S. Supreme Court will be taking up the DC gun ban case. Gun Owners of America's foundation (GOF) will be submitting an amicus brief before the Supreme Court in support of the lower court's decision that the Second Amendment protects an individual right. The case, D.C. v. Heller, resulted in nullification of the gun ban in the District of Columbia. Judge Laurence Silberman wrote the majority opinion for the DC Court of Appeals which decided that the DC law violated the individual right to keep and bear arms protected by the Second Amendment... http://www.gunowners.org/a112707.htm -- Stephen P. Wenger Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .