Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Who IS the "Militia"?

While we're on the topic of self-defense, the NRA, and the 2nd Amendment (see below post,) another acute observation was made by the NRA's President Sandy Froman, a lovely lady lawyer from San Francisco, in her column in this month's Rifleman.

The very definition of "unorganized militia" (see the Second Amendment) was personified by the group of US citizens headed by Todd Beamer, who gave their lives in defense of the United States on Flight 93.

This "militia" (organized or not) is, as Ms. Froman points out, the entire body of citizens of this country.

Think about that as you ruminate on "gun control."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

So if the passengers on Flight 93 were the militia, then they should have been armed. Metal detectors infringe on our rights.

Forget the pilots--let's arm the passengers!

E. David Quammen said...

While it is true that the Militia is We The People, divided into two classes - Organized and UnOrganized. The Militia is entirely distinct from the Right of The People to Keep and Bear Arms. Witness:

Preamble to the Bill of Rights;

"The Conventions of a number of the States having, at the time of adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further DECLARATORY and RESTRICTIVE clauses should be added, and as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution;



Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two-thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the United States; all or any of which articles, when ratified by three-fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the said Constitution, namely:

Declaratory clause;

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state,

Restrictive clause;

the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

As evidenced by this:

"The defence of one’s self, justly called the primary law of nature,
is not, nor can it be abrogated by any regulation of municipal law.
This principle of defence is not confined merely to the person; it
extends to the liberty and the property of a man: it is not confined merely to his own person; it extends to the persons of all those, to whom he bears a peculiar relation -- of his wife, of his parent, of his child, of his master, of his servant: nay, it extends to the person of every one, who is in danger; perhaps, to the liberty of every one, whose liberty is unjustly and forcibly attacked. It becomes humanity
as well as justice."

- James Wilson, 'Of the Natural Rights of Individuals', 1790-1792
(Signed the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, Congressman, Delegate to the Constitutional Convention and Supreme Court Justice).

And this:

http://gunshowonthenet.com/2ALEGAL/CitizensRight.html

The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a God-given, Natural, Inherent and indefeasible Right. Congress, nor ANY other form of government has ANY delegated authority over it PERIOD

Our Right has been and is continuing to be Usurped against by those in ALL levels of government. It is unconstitutional, immoral and evil.

More proofs found here;

http://gunshowonthenet.com/index.html