Virginia Tech anniversary creates difficult moment on gun control for lawmakers

[rrneck]

14. What do the terms

"people" and "corporation" mean today? Which should be empowered and which should have their power curtailed?

You can demand to have militias regulated all you want, but the people are guaranteed the right to bear arms. Period. So yes, they knew exactly What they were writing.

"...the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed".

But that, again, is beside the point. About half the voting population owns guns - you know, the "people". They are real. They aren't some ideology based on a construct derived from an esoteric understanding of eighteenth century social organization. When they read the constitution they will recognize the word "people" and understand it for what it is and how the phrase in which it is used applies to them. They don't care what you think. And if you're a politician or a political party that tries to sell them on any ideology ignores their humanity they will hand you a one way bus ticket to the political wilderness and tell you to go fuck yourself.

Bet on it.