Assault weapons belong to ‘militia’

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January 11, 2013

Assault weapons belong to ‘militia’

Jay Neal Jacksonville Daily Progress The Jacksonville Daily Progress Fri Jan 11, 2013, 08:46 AM CST

JACKSONVILLE — Who can say with certainty what our founding fathers were thinking when they penned the Bill of Rights back in 1789 adding ten amendment to our Constitution. Take for example the second of those ten amendments the one everyone is talking about - the one dealing with " gun rights." Like I said, who knows what they were thinking, but they appear to have had two thoughts on that subject which they combined into a single amendment. That amendment is contained in a single sentence. That sentence begins with the call to establish a well regulated Militia. Only then does that sentence continue, adding that citizens had the right to keep and bear Arms. Was it an oversight that they began that amendment with their admonition to form a "a well regulated Militia," and only then did they add that gun ownership and practice might be a good idea too? I can't fathom these guys, fresh from fighting the Revolutionary War, writing this amendment in reverse order such as, "Citizens shall have the right to keep and bear arms and they might also consider joining a well regulated militia." It appears that their primary imperative was the establishment of a well regulated national or state militia subject to government regulations. These visionaries foresaw the need of forming ordinary citizens into well trained militias much like today's Army Reserve or National Guard . Since 1789, military assault weapons have evolved to such a lethal killing level that they now belong exclusively within the confines of a well regulated militia not on the streets where innocent citizens can quickly become next week's mass causalities.

Terry Thompson

Jacksonville

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Assault weapons belong to ‘militia’

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