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imthevicar

(811 posts)
12. Ahem
Sat Aug 23, 2014, 08:48 AM
Aug 2014

The following are taken from the Oxford English Dictionary, and bracket in time the writing of the 2nd amendment:

1709: "If a liberal Education has formed in us well-regulated Appetites and worthy Inclinations."

1714: "The practice of all well-regulated courts of justice in the world."

1812: "The equation of time ... is the adjustment of the difference of time as shown by a well-regulated clock and a true sun dial."

1848: "A remissness for which I am sure every well-regulated person will blame the Mayor."

1862: "It appeared to her well-regulated mind, like a clandestine proceeding."

1894: "The newspaper, a never wanting adjunct to every well-regulated American embryo city."

The phrase "well-regulated" was in common use long before 1789, and remained so for a century thereafter. It referred to the property of something being in proper working order. Something that was well-regulated was calibrated correctly, functioning as expected. Establishing government oversight of the people's arms was not only not the intent in using the phrase in the 2nd amendment, it was precisely to render the government powerless to do so that the founders wrote it.

Recommendations

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Perhaps a edit is in order. whistler162 Aug 2014 #1
What did i miss? terdheadur Aug 2014 #3
Pass the ERA shenmue Aug 2014 #2
Agree. That's a federal constitutional issue. pinto Aug 2014 #7
It was in the USSR's Constitution of 1977 - TBF Aug 2014 #17
Codify non-personing of corporations. Public fund elections. immoderate Aug 2014 #4
Voter registration becomes automatic at age 18, no registration needed except to determine precinct. arcane1 Aug 2014 #5
Voters STILL won't show up! Place a fine end of year tax time, like Austrailia! 250.00 TheNutcracker Aug 2014 #9
Dump the outdated and dangerous 2nd Amendment! nt Walk away Aug 2014 #6
Here's what Justice Stevens has to say about amending the wording: femmocrat Aug 2014 #8
Ahem imthevicar Aug 2014 #12
Message auto-removed Name removed Aug 2014 #16
Citizens United. We the People have no voice because of this ruling by the courts. TheNutcracker Aug 2014 #10
Term limit for Supreme Court Justices rock Aug 2014 #11
I have ten: ancianita Aug 2014 #13
9 just might requite a ConCon Reter Aug 2014 #22
Likely so. Having lost so much civilian command of intel, armed forces and defense industries, ancianita Aug 2014 #23
Eliminate midterm elections. lastlib Aug 2014 #14
Proportional Representation in the House of Representatives. Joe Bacon Aug 2014 #15
Edits to the First and Second Matrosov Aug 2014 #18
Let me address this. IronGate Aug 2014 #20
Message auto-removed Name removed Aug 2014 #21
Assuming you don't mean adding amendments... Chan790 Aug 2014 #19
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