arms control

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The second amendment reads,
"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."

and a lot of people foam at the mouth about how this means that they should be allowed to carry any sort of gun, up to and including automatic rifles that can carry huge clips of rounds.

What I always want to know is, where do these people draw the line? The amendment specifies ARMS, not GUNS. Should American citizens also have the right to buy rocket-propelled grenade launchers? How about anti-aircraft missiles? How about nuclear weapons? For that matter, should chemists be allowed to whip up batches of sarin in their basement? Should I, as a biologist, be allowed to culture Yersinia (which is endemic in the American southwest), or ferment up some Botulinum or Anthrax (the former of which can be found in bad food and the latter of which can be found in the dirt)? Just in case I "need" them, of course.

also, prohibiting convicted violent felons from owning weapons is an infringement on their right to bear arms. Should we allow known felons to 'bear' whatever level of weapons their paranoid minds insist that they need?

Back in the early days of the republic there were a great many more bears and they were something of a menace. So, in the general solution to kill a few bears it was discovered bear arms were delicious when grilled properly and it was determined that all citizens should have the right to eat a few once in a while.
This amendment has been horribly misinterpreted ever since.

In the Old Days, arms meant muskets, pistols, swords, knives, spears, bow/arrow, slings and clubs. It was Simpler back then. The closest thing to a weapon of mass destruction was the black powder charge.

ruveyn

The non-government militias also had cannons.

Really? What was the name for that thing with a hand at the end in those days?

Fist is a club and it is not a weapon of mass destruction.

Alternately, club is an extended fist.

ruveyn

You're weaseling. Do you have a club attached to your shoulder? No wonder you've got such an evil temper!

Yes. It is called my anatomical arm. If you think about it youj will also see that bullets are just jet propelled rocks. A fire-arm is a type of sling. Explosive shells kill by both shockwave and penetration so it is more than just a rock. Once explosive shells with some kind of nitrogen based explosive were invented artillary advanced beyond rock or stone throwing. By the way the first mortars throw large rocks or stones.

ruven

Arms is the general term that includes guns and other firearms in it as a subset, such as the word armament, and yes, even weapons used by the Army provided the person seeking to purchase such firearms has a collectors license. Chemical and biological weapons? You'd need to have a long talk with the CDC for that, and I think their answer would be "no" on the basis that, at least the biological weapons, could get out of control far too easily. Chemical weapons wouldn't be as dangerous, but I think the most that are allowed are explosives and you need to acquire a license from the ATF.



Criminals forfeit their rights, provided they are guilty of the crimes they are accused of committing.

"Arms" can mean a lot of things. "Shall not be infringed" can only mean one thing. Any restriction on the sale or ownership of any sort of weapon is unconstitutional, regardless of whether it's right or wrong.

Arms = weapons

ruveyn

Like sharp elbows?

Ok, so anti-aircraft missiles = check, but no biologicals.

Come on! Do you really think that the founders wanted citizens to have the power to kill dozens or hundreds of people at once when they get a chip on their shoulders?

It is better for the capability to rest in the hands of lawful citizens than it is for the capability to be only in government hands. Governments when left unchecked tend to act maliciously and treat their citizens like cattle, and also governments are inherently bureaucracies with all the inefficiencies and faults accompanying them.

Well as much as I love using a firearm, my uncle who taught me to use them usefully died at his own discord. Now I'm not saying it was so much the gun but I look back and wish he'd stop drink'n before he used that gun on himself and that's what I think happened.

My gun, a gift from uncle on my birthday was stolen two years ago after that.

That sucks.