The Right to Life and Liberty Includes a Right to Self-Defense
On BigGovernment.com Robert Allen Bonelli makes an excellent point:
"Our God given right to life, as declared in the Declaration of Independence, is meaningless without the right to self-defense...and that right should not be impaired by government in any way.
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Rather than arguing the intent of the Second Amendment, the debate is far better framed by focusing on how a citizen’s unalienable right to life and a citizen’s unrestricted right to self-defense are connected. Without the right to self-defense, our guarantee of the right to life is meaningless."
Bonelli uses the example of the recent shooting in a New York pharmacy (where four innocent people were killed by an armed robber) to help make his case. But there is also the current situation in Peoria where large mobs of black youth are using social media to organize violent and terrorizing attacks on the local citizens.
Bonelli's insight is interesting and true. The right to life is a right to self-defense and states that infringe on the Second Amendment violate the most sovereign rights of man...life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I added the second two, because it's hard to have liberty and happiness when you're dead.
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May '10
Re: The Right to Life and Liberty Includes a Right to Self-Defense
Andrea Ryan
That's exactly right, Dave. Thank you for heading off any potential misunderstanding.
I would, also, like to say that this isn't about it being cool to have guns. This is about it being cool to have life and liberty and guns are a tool to ensure that. It's the same tool that George Washington used...a barrel, a bullet and some powder...and was affordable then to the general public and is affordable now to the generic public. There's a utility to this little piece of gear that the Founding Fathers believed was valuable enough to create a Second Amendment. That's what this is about.
May '10
Re: The Right to Life and Liberty Includes a Right to Self-Defense
CoolHand
Indeed. I'm sure you know this already Andrea, so don't think I'm trying to educate you. This is mainly aimed at Buck and those like him who genuinely seem not to realize the sheer volume of firearm regulations that currently exist.
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...Machine guns that civilians can own legally are already heavily regulated and in very limited supply (and because of that, stupidly expensive). We FFl's jump through more hoops than a trained poodle, and God help the man who works on broken guns. ...
I do, but didn't know the issue with working on broken guns. You see another side that I don't and someone else I know who sells firearms sees that ugly side. My husband has an FFL, also, and I'm furious every time we have to pay that $200 tax stamp and wait six months for one piece of metal. But, now that the ATF is no longer under the Dept. of the Treasury and is part of the Justice Dept., I want to know how they have the power to tax anything.
Mar '11
Re: The Right to Life and Liberty Includes a Right to Self-Defense
Andrea Ryan
Buck:
You're comparing owning a gun to driving a car? Driving a car is a privilege...owning a gun is a right. And that right does not allow for anyone, as well intentioned as his/her ideas are, to interfere with a citizen's ability... · Jun 28 at 10:13am
Yeah, that was a bad example. Gun laws, if we must have them (there are many who say we must), should be directed to ensuring those who own guns know how to use them safely and efficiently. They currently tend to be directed at removing guns of most types from the hands of law abiding citizens. Even though owning a gun is a right, one which I fully support, there are common sense rules that should be followed. In a perfect world, everyone would have plenty of common sense, be well trained in everything they attempted, and never panic. I don't believe there is an epidemic of accidental shooting, but there are a few. I would think even one is too many if training and practice could prevent it.
Mar '11
Re: The Right to Life and Liberty Includes a Right to Self-Defense
CoolHand
Andrea Ryan
Indeed. I'm sure you know this already Andrea, so don't think I'm trying to educate you. This is mainly aimed at Buck and those like him who genuinely seem not to realize the sheer volume of firearm regulations that currently exist.
People always approach these gun control discussions as if no "Common Sense" gun laws exist currently.
We already have NICS checks that screen for felons and the mentally defective. People who want to carry a concealed weapon already have to receive training and take a test. Machine guns that civilians can own legally are already heavily regulated and in very limited supply (and because of that, stupidly expensive). We FFl's jump through more hoops than a trained poodle, and God help the man who works on broken guns.
There is by no means a dearth of regulations as things set currently, so lets please jump off from there and skip the platitudes about keeping felons and crazies away from firearms. · Jun 28 at 1:07pm
Actually, I think there are too many laws period. Perhaps I should have said 'should only'.