It has occurred to me that the Second Amendment could not fully constrain a tyrannical government if the citizenry does not have the same weapons as the government it empowers. Given that all branches of the federal government have conspired to limit the Second Amendment to allow to the citizenry only semi-automatic weapons or less, it seems that there is a major gap between the weapons the government could use to act against the people and the weapons the people have to defend themselves against an aggressive government. Limits on ammunition and body armor further emphasize the point.
This is what I have dubbed the Second Amendment Gap.
Despite this gap, I still defend the watered-down version of the Second Amendment under which we currently live. As is obvious by their calls for increasing gun control, the government does want to further encroach on our gun rights, in part, in my opinion, to ensure a desperate dependence on government for defense against everyday crime.
For many reasons, our gun rights, such as they are, must be defended to the last. But I also think that a single-issue focus on the Second Amendment empowers the GOP to maintain their place in our political duopoly while consistently delivering a lesser-of-two-evils candidate, secure in the knowledge that Republican voters won’t stray and risk a Democratic president appointing Supreme Court justices. We should be cognizant of this manipulation. In addition, a single amendment focus can take attention away from all the other amendments that are coming under increasing fire, especially the Fourth (which is as diluted as the Second) as well as the Fifth–and by extension the First. Don’t fall for the fear–this is our “live free or die” moment.
The Second Amendment concern a federally regulated militia. The individual gun ownership rights of private citizens is presupposed, and could be considered covered under the Tenth Amendment: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
“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.” Did I misunderstand your use of “federally” regulated?
Monica
Once again you hit on something that few see. Growing up in Arizona it was common to be at the range and see machine guns and small cannons. I remember ranchers having storage bunkers with dynamite. This I sadly took for granted as well as many other Americans. Many gun owners believe that their 556 Bushmaster is an equalizer against a tyrannical government forgetting that our government has gear that is downright mind boggling. With our government having high tech weapons and a Military that is quite frankly full of yes men (I earned the right to say that as I served over 20 years in uniform), I whole hearted agree with your assessment. Case in point look back to Oklahoma City Oklahoma. Up to that point ranchers and farmers could buy dynamite with little resistance. Now they’re tracking fertilizer and reading our emails. I’m of the belief that what we are experiencing should have a proper name. Some have called it the FDR affect, meaning that some believe that FDR allowed the Japanese to bomb Pearl Harbor knowing it would galvanize the populous. Unfortunately this could never be proven or disproven only a theory based upon photos of spy planes stationed in Guam as early as 1932. Their specific mission was to spy on the Japanese build up. So again I thank you Monica for being vigilant. I’ll stay in the race as long as you do.
Tony
Never heard the FDR term…but I did read this book thoroughly- my father was in the Pacific in the Navy in WWII (he was 100 when I was born)…after he died I found this book among his things – first edition from way back when…it is full of State Dept documents and other evidence to support this theory. A must read, though tragic. https://smile.amazon.com/Back-Roosevelt-Foreign-Policy-1933-1941/dp/B0032KV9GO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1471563327&sr=8-2&keywords=back+door+to+war
If history allows, historians will look back and find many a foul odor coming from the state dept. The Russians taught me a phrase that I think about when this topic pops up, (The Stink of the Fish always starts at the Head).
False …… If you own or work at a convenience store and you wear a pistol on your hip you are not doing that to win a shootout with the nayborhood gang with assault weapons you are doing so simply as a SHOW of force that you are not an easy mark and will fight back. Perfect true case in point – the Bundy ranch stand off. There were over 100 American citizens that were well armed and they CAUSED the U.S. Government to back down at that moment and I believe they caused the Nevada highway patrol and local sherif to NOT get involved. It’s not a ? Of firepower but a ? Of would american police and military kill its fellow citizens IN MASS ???
I think there was some funny stuff going on around the Bundy Ranch story so I don’t think it’s a good example of what would really happen if…But you certainly hit on the question of the week: Would American police and military kill its fellow citizens en masse? I think that’s what the media escalation of the Black v Blue conflict is all about–disconnecting the police from the people–making it us vs them and having cops feel like “them” rather than “us.” As for the military – I heard a disturbing suggestion recently…that US soldiers who weren’t raised under the US Constitution may be favored as a way to get the military to turn against the people. It’s an ugly suggestion but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
I was living close to Los Angeles when the Rodney King riots started to break out. As soon as the police saw that they could no longer control and win they literally just left , went back to there stations , locked the doors behind them and hid until the riots played themselves out , with help of the national gaurd. Who was protecting themselves and not getting hit in the riots ??? Armed citizens. When villains know you have guns and will shoot when attacked they will go elsewhere. Where was our wonderful police force ??? Hiding , scared to come out. I believe the police only fight battles they know they can win. There biggest fear ? American citizens that USE the constitution to protect themselves and there families. It’s not the governments job to protect us it’s our job to protect ourselves from them – THE GOVERMENT.
Strong Cities….they just need to be told who the enemy is.
Now I’m going to take another side on this or present another’s view. I grew up in the ’50’s. I lived outside Manhattan in the ‘burbs about 25 miles out. We never locked our doors, left the house open all summer while we were away and left the keys in the ignition all night in the driveway and at the supermarket. When we first started getting break-ins in the latter part of the ’60’s, they were neighborhood kids. Are you going to pull the trigger on a neighborhood kid looking to steal a radio or purse? It is a luxury to feel safe. Today we live in a different world. We have the obligation to protect ourselves and our loved ones. That would be intruders that want to inflict harm and others who want to take what’s rightfully yours away. Gun owners bear a huge responsibility in knowing their rights and behaving in a safe and lawful manner. However, “lawful” is in jeopardy. We can’t win a battle against a gov’t force with our pee shooters, but you can win hearts and minds with the 2nd amendment. However, let us not forget the other important amendments that affect us and how they have been stepped on. New leadership is needed and existing leadership needs to be held to accountability. I would like to have my grandchildren live in homes with no locks.
When I was a young teenager in junior high school we had an “open” campus. No fences , no gates , no security Gaurds and during lunch we could leave school to go anywhere we wanted. What were the biggest issues my junior high school had back then in the early 80’s ??? Boys playing tackle football , talking in class , not doing your homework. Now what is the biggest issue ? Gangs. Gangs ???!!!!!! I grew up on the beach in California next to some of the wealthiest areas in the world. Now what do young teenagers have to worry about ??? Being accosted by gangbangers and now that open campus is incircled by a large chain link fence to keep the unwanted out and the students in ….. Fences to keep them out and us in , hmmm a wall next maybe ? Our leader Monica is interested in what is NOT seen as in conspiracies. I myself see so much damage in our once wonderful American society why bother going to look for what isn’t seen let’s try to make our society safe for our children. Just read the Devils please palace by Michael Walsh. A fantastic book going back deep into how evil liberals and thus democrats are. Yes evil. Whatever is good – let’s destroy it.
I would only add that there are plenty of Republicans who benefit from and therefore contribute to a destabilized society 🙁
I believe you are diffinitly correct as far as foriegn policy goes. Oh look !!!! There is an opportunity for war over there so let’s go and help spread democracy and freedom by carpet bombing people we don’t even know !!!! I’m currently reading the trial of Henry Kissinger by Hitchens. It documents a lot of the republican administrations shady dealings in south east Asia. You recommended a book that I can’t think of at the moment but it dealt with the conservatives inability to understand the beauty of implementing a welfare state , a more corporate style of welfare state. Wish I could remember that now ? ……. The writer was the father of a modern political conservative talking head …..
https://monicaperezshow.com/confessions-of-a-neo-conservative/
I’m going to take a totally different take on everything, keep in mind I’m a veteran raised in Arizona where everyone packed. I’m Natve American, and a billboard for ADHD medicine. The one thing we as Libertarians/ Conservatives forget is the concept of self-government that the framers of this Nation brought forward. Self-government at the individual level is not viewed in the same manner today as it was 200 years ago. Today we live knowing cameras are everywhere, the framers didn’t have that, but they had their faith which to most, of their time meant they answered to a creator that saw everything. One can look at our society with secular lenses or spiritual lenses, or both. I do believe (Monica correct me if I’m wrong), that Jefferson stated if we refuse to live our lives according to boundaries and morals, then someone else will do it for you. Keeping that in mind, our framers just got rid of a tyrannical government with arms that were equal to what the British had. My people went through a period where we couldn’t have weapons, former slaves experienced the same. I’m a simple man that needs pictures that get interested in a book, but given our history concerning gun control I would hold anything with that label as suspicious, or as a good friend of mine from my war fighting days would say, “one does not need to be a doctor to know that you’re sick”.
At he end date of the day I say this as a Christian, as a Native American, as a Veteran. I’m not giving up my weapon. Not a threat, just a fact as they may get it but they’ll have to earn it.