General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Seven in Fourteen [View all]X_Digger
(18,585 posts)As the right to bear arms would be seen as a (then) unenumerated right, just like the right to medical privacy. And the long legislative history of the right would be presented as evidence that the right exists and should be protected.
That's one reason some of the founders were hesitant to even pass the Bill of Rights- they were afraid that future generations would read it as an exhaustive list of rights. Others argued that no government would impede on citizens' rights because the constitution limits the government's power. (Naive? You betcha. We see how well *that* attitude fared, eh?)
Thing is, once a right is recognized, legislatively or judicially, it's damned near impossible to make it go away.
A good example is the right to travel. You'll find it nowhere in our founding documents, but it's protected.