General Discussion

jmowreader

(53,219 posts)

15. Several of the Founding Fathers were opposed to America having a standing army

Sun Jan 10, 2016, 05:53 PM

Jan 2016

The Bill of Rights is best understood as the Founding Fathers' plan to keep the tyranny of the Crown from ever happening here. The reason we have a Second Amendment is because Jefferson didn't want a standing government-owned army. His idea was pretty decent for the time: if we allow free men to own weapons of war (some rich guys raised private artillery companies and there were a LOT of horse cav and horse infantry units) they'll be ready and willing to muster and defend America if there's ever an invasion. Problem is, private citizens with no outside control will go home when it's time to put in the squash crop - or when the Other Side drops a red-hot cannon ball on their neighbor's roof from three miles away. The original justification for the Second evaporated when America raised a permanent military, but the Amendment is still with us like a rash that won't go away.

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For the constitutional scholars amongst you... [View all] 63splitwindow Jan 2016 OP

Not bolded in the original, elleng Jan 2016 #1

"The Amendment�s prefatory clause announces a purpose" 63splitwindow Jan 2016 #3

The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: elleng Jan 2016 #5

Notice it addresses "a free state" as opposed to "the State." Nuclear Unicorn Jan 2016 #2

But why announce purpose at all? 63splitwindow Jan 2016 #4

Because it was drafted by a different group of people dumbcat Jan 2016 #9

That makes sense. nt 63splitwindow Jan 2016 #11

In other 18th century writing, yes. X_Digger Jan 2016 #23

Semantics Old Codger Jan 2016 #6

I am not asking what it means... 63splitwindow Jan 2016 #8

Ok I get that Old Codger Jan 2016 #14

:) Ask the NRA why they carefully did not engrave the Hortensis Jan 2016 #19

I really Old Codger Jan 2016 #24

Strictly speaking, my humor was directed at Splitwindow, Oldcrabby. Hortensis Jan 2016 #25

Oldcrabby??? N/T Old Codger Jan 2016 #26

Oh, sorry! Hortensis Jan 2016 #27

Apparently it's semantics until it isn't. Nuclear Unicorn Jan 2016 #20

Our opinions on this don't much matter. Judges have given interpretations HereSince1628 Jan 2016 #7

I agree on both your points... 63splitwindow Jan 2016 #10

Not opinion so much as what I was taught... HereSince1628 Jan 2016 #16

Thank you. nt 63splitwindow Jan 2016 #17

The first clause does not limit the second clause. It's actually common to Constitutions. NutmegYankee Jan 2016 #12

Its justificatory. beevul Jan 2016 #13

Several of the Founding Fathers were opposed to America having a standing army jmowreader Jan 2016 #15

Thank you. nt 63splitwindow Jan 2016 #18

Just ignore that part. moondust Jan 2016 #21

"Because I'm out of soda, I'm going to the store." -- do stores sell more than soda? X_Digger Jan 2016 #22