Re: Alarming statistics.

[Ann Franchi <anitraf@xxxxxxxx>]

Most people quote only a part of the 2nd Amendment.  Here is the full
text, taken from The 1998 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopaedia (C) Grolier,
1998


"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."


So what does it mean?

The amendment is in four distinct parts.

1)  A well regulated Militia

2)  being necessary to the security of a free State

3)  the right of the people to keep and bear Arms

4)  shall not be infringed.

Now we have to consider each part separately, and read it in historical
context.

At the time the Amendment was written, the country was in a state of
turmoil.  The new Americans were busy colonizing a new land full of
unknown dangers (including hostile natives).  At the same time, they were
trying to make a living form the land.  In order to do this, each man
(and most women and children) had to be proficent with firearms.  Plus,
these firearms were in everyday use as tools of the trade - a pioneer did
not keep one gun for self-defense and a separate one for killing food.  

Having come from a country with a repressive government, and with whom
they had just fought a war of independence, the framers of the
Constitution realised that one way a repressive government could take
control was by denying firearms to the general populace.  Since most of
the country at that time was uncharted, the country was also vulnerable
to invasion from without, either by one of the European powers who had
colonized nearby, by the Indians, or by some other as yet unknown entity.
 However, since getting a living was so hard and had to literally be
scratched from the ground, the new country could not afford the luxury of
hiring and equipping a standing army, a body of men who would do nothing
but sit around and wait for this unspecified threat to materialize.

Therefore they organized the able-bodied men and boys of each general
geographic area into a Militia, who had the additional duty of using
their personally obtained and maintained firearms in the defence of their
town or county, and ultimately their state and the country as a whole. 
And to ensure that an unscrupulous local leader wasn';t able to take over
by the simple expedient of arming his own faction and denying arms to his
opposition, the framers wrote the 2nd Amendment into the Bill of Rights.

1)  A well regulated Militia

Today, we have a well regulated Militia.  We have a number of them, in
fact.  The Army, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the Air Force, the Coast
Guard, and the National Guard all fall under that category.  It can also
be argued that State and local Law Enforcement, and Federal Law
Enforcement such as the FBI should be included in that list.  If I have
omitted anyone else in this category I apologise - and I'm sure you'll
let me know about it!

2) being necessary to the security of a free State

We no longer have the threat of enemies from within.  The entire
continent has been mapped and apportioned.  I've got news for you - there
are no more wild Indian tribes out there!  Oh, there may be a few who
have not signed treaties with the USA, and who can still be considered in
a state of hostility, but given the levels of technology we have today,
they're not going to do anything!

(What about terrorists?  I can hear someone in the readership saying it
now!

(There have been two acts of terrorism on American soil - the World Trade
Center bombing and the McMurrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.   In
both cases, the perpetrators were caught by the 'well regulated Militia'
that already exists.  In neither case was the security of the United
States of America in any great danger, Osama bin Laden to the contrary.

(Some may argue that Ruby Ridge and the Branch Davidians may also fall
under the heading of domestic terrorism.  Again, these were handled by
the FBI.  Not necessarily well, but that's a whole other argument.  The
fact is, all those people out there insisting on their 2nd Amendment
rights had _absolutely nothing_ to do with solving those crimes.)

And again, given the level of technology, the US is even less vulnerable
to invasion from without than at any time in its history - not even to
mention a complete lack of possible enemies.   (North Korea?  Iraq/Iran? 
China?  Think about it!  The only way China could conquer this country is
with a massive nuclear strike - and the last I heard, a .45 won't stop a
hydrogen bomb!)

3)  the right of the people to keep and bear Arms

How many of you actually go out and shoot _all_ your meat-food?  How many
of you use your arms to supplement your food?  Do you _really_ use a
Thompson sub-machine gun to hunt deer?  How much of the deer is left
after you get through blasting away?

4)  shall not be infringed.

Certain segments of the population do need to carry weapons.  This
country has an armed civilian militia called the police force - disarming
the police would be not only impossible but stupid.  And since a police
officer cannot spend the majority of his off-time practicing, it makes
sense for him to own his own weapon and keep it at home.  Likewise, armed
security guards and bodyguards.  Hunters, too, should be able to own 
their own long-arms, and for much the same reason.

But no-one else.

The _intent_ of a Saturday Night Special is to be easily concealed.  This
makes it ideal for the criminal class.  As so many of you have pointed
out, when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.  BUT. 
Statistically speaking, _most_ domestic shootings happen when one family
member is startled (wife by husband coming home unexpectedly, for
example) and shoots another family member - with the gun kept in the home
for 'protection'.  Or when little Johnny is showing off to his friends -
or is really, really mad at them - and gets out Daddy's gun.

My personal opinion?

It's time to rethink and revise the 2nd Amendment, if not actually repeal
it.

Ann