One needs to remember that in 1791 when the 2nd amendment was adopted, the situation was that the militia has during the past 150 years mobilized itself and overthrown (and in one case, murdered) three kings (Charles I, James II and George III). In England the response was to get rid of the “right to bear arms”. In America, the response was to include it in the Bill of Rights. The militia, under the common law, consisted of all free adult males (but being modern, it is no longer restricted to men, and the concept of unfree people was abolished in by the 13th and 14th amendments). One should note, that unlike the people running the government today, the founding fathers of the USA were actually a bunch of radicals with a strong libertarian streak.
Menu