In this election season, one of the biggest issues for me is the issue of gun control. This is a wide ranging topic about which many books have been written. We do not have the time or the space to address it in its entirety here, so we will focus on the historical aspect, concentrating on the founding fathers and the intent of the second amendment.
The anti-second amendment zealots would have us believe that guns are not necessary unless you are going to hunt and some even believe that hunting is no longer necessary. They believe that if you do want to own a gun for a purpose other than hunting, the process of obtaining one or keeping the ones you already own should be so onerous as to render buying or keeping one not worth the trouble. We’ll leave the subject of whether or not gun control actually works to reduce violent crime for another discussion.
Anti-second amendment militants put forth the argument that the constitution was written by old white men who had no idea what technological advancements would be achieved with respect to weaponry. They contend that it was only intended for farmers to have muskets and if the founders could have seen the types of weapons available now they would have worded the second amendment differently. Not true. So called “assault weapons” actually existed during the revolutionary war. The Belton flintlock could fire 20 rounds in about 5 seconds with a single trigger pull. The Girandoni air rifle was the first repeating rifle to see military service and had a 30 round capacity. Pepperbox revolvers were introduced in the 16th century. The earliest machine gun was invented in 1718 by James Puckle. The founders were not only aware that these weapons existed, but were fans. They commissioned the Belton to be produced for use by the military, but Belton’s bid proved too expensive. Myth busted. Now let’s examine the Second Amendment and the reason we have it in the first place.
"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."
Another favorite argument of the anti-second amendment fanatics is that it was written for the sole purpose of having a militia, however now that we have a standing army, there is no need for such. Anyone who uses this as an argument knows absolutely nothing about history. A standing army is precisely what the founders did not want. Prior to the Constitution in its current form, the governing document of the United States was called the Articles of Confederation. It was ratified in 1781 while Americans were fighting for their independence from the British Empire; a regime which used the army to oppress its people. The Articles of Confederation banned the formation of a standing army. Fast forward about a decade when the constitution was being debated prior to ratification, there was still staunch opposition to a standing army. The only way to ensure that the constitution was ratified was to alleviate those fears by making sure that the people could never be disarmed by a tyrannical government like the one from which they had just won independence.
"The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed."
- Thomas Jefferson
"I ask who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people, except a few public officers."
- George Mason
"Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed, as they are in almost every country in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops."
- Noah Webster
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
- Richard Henry Lee
“A government, resting on a minority is an aristocracy, not a Republic, and could not be safe with a numerical and physical force against it, without a standing army, an enslaved press, and a disarmed populace.” - James Madison
Mr. Madison seemed to have anticipate exactly what is happening today, did he not?
"The Constitution shall never be construed to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms."
- Samuel Adams
There are plenty more quotes where those came from. Quotes which clearly illustrate the mindset of the founders. Letters written between them, the Federalist Papers, transcripts from debates at the time all serve to debunk the myth perpetuated by the anti-second amendment extremists that the second amendment was only intended for a militia. These documents prove that the intent of the second amendment was to ensure that people were armed as a protection against a government that would enslave them. They had just defeated a regime like that and wanted to ensure that this newly formed country had protections against such a thing being necessary in the future.
Just in case you think these ideas are extreme or far-fetched, consider the following:
In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.
China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million educated' people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
In each of these instances, the common denominator is that the people were disarmed. The founders understood that corrupt governments would need a disarmed populace in order subjugate them and wrote the second amendment to expressly guard against such tyranny. The war for independence began when the British government tried to disarm the Colonial militia. The anti-second amendment radicals are all leftists who believe that the government is the supreme caretaker and its purpose is to make sure that we the people rely solely on the government for our protection and well-being. Considering the current rate of government dependency, the steps being taken to control your health care, the last step is to take your guns away. Do not be fooled, that is left’s intent. We the people cannot let that happen.
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