Gun Control & RKBA
In reply to the discussion: The meaning of the Second Amendment (One Perspective) [View all]jimmy the one
(2,712 posts)hans: Wilson says that self defense is a great natural law that is expressly recognized in the PA Constitution and cites the right to bear arms provision of the PA Constitution.
Certainly, the right to bear arms in defence of themselves, indeed recognizes the higher 'natural law' pertaining to self defense, justifying why pennsylvania citizens were given a right to bear arms in pennsylvania along with bearing arms in militia, as wilson ALSO wrote.
But this isn't the federal 2nd Amendment hans, it's a state's constitution, & there were 6 other states constitutions at the same time restricting rkba to the collective militia.
He then quotes your newest pal Mr. Seldon saying they were bound to keep arms for the preservation of the kingdom and of their own persons -the latter an obvious reference to self-defense.
You first mentioned selden, I'd not heard of him prior; evidently he lived ~1560s - early 1600s, prior to english 'have arms' decree in 1689. It's incongruous selden, at that time, could've been referring to an individual right for english subjects disconnected from militia service, unless perhaps he was talking of landed english gentry only (landowning, wealthy etc).
Wilson lived in scotland till he was about 20, moved to america & studied in US before going into military & politics etc, his perception of english law influenced by his american education. Ambiguous remarks means little in the big picture hans; Wilson still inferred the militia was primarily the 'pennsy' constitutional reason for rkba.
Now I suppose you will inform us that the great natural law of self defense falls only on those serving in the state militia, or perhaps "expressly recognized" is same as "only tangentially related".
No I won't do that, that's your twisted portrayal of what I've said; .. the natural law of self defense predated the 2ndA by thousands of years & the two are different concepts, tangentially related.