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The original right to bear arms is about being able to stand up to an oppressive government. It's not something you are supposed to need in daily life, it's som
by Taek 11y ago
The original right to bear arms is about being able to stand up to an oppressive government. It's not something you are supposed to need in daily life, it's something you are supposed to need when your government decides that tax rates are 85%, curfew is 8pm, all electronic communication is banned, and any soldier is allowed to live in your home and rape any civilian.
The right to bear arms is ideally one you never need, but it's essential as a contingency plan. We've yet to see a government that didn't exercise horrible abuses of power and the right to bear arms hopefully keeps some of that in check.
- anon4 11y agoThat sounds a bit odd. If you're standing up to the government, why would the laws matter to you. Or is it a bit like "Here's a gun, if we ever go too bad, shoot us". Which in turn raises the question why has no-one massacred Wall Street yet.
- lwhalen 11y agoWall Street are, ostensibly, private citizens doing their private jobs, not elected officials who are supposed to be acting in the public's best interest.
- MereInterest 11y agoThe framer's intent, as far as I know, was to make it such that the populace would be well-armed before it gets to that point. You are correct that laws would mean little to someone standing up to the government, but availability of firearms would mean a great deal at that point.
- dylanjermiah 11y agoWho enabled Wall St?