maxparrish
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2005
- Messages
- 2,262
- Location
- SF Bay Area
- Basic Beliefs
- Libertarian-Conservative, Agnostic.
I did not intend to "name-call" the poster; I only intended to express my disdain for the great "pseudo-intellectual" herd and their use of a tired cliche as a form of ersatz profundity.Blah blah blah “you stupidone!” Nice name-calling.
The Constitution acknowledges fundamental rights that are, by definition, inalienable rights for most adults - meaning they cannot be given nor taken away.
But this absurdly contradicts the addition of amendments and repealing of same.
Amendments were added to CHANGE the things written as “absolute” in the first document. The writers were human, not divine. They made errors. (I mean, Holy shit, you thought those men were incapable of error?) ...Like permitting slavery. ...(you still think alcohol should be illegal?)
Things were not written to be "absolute", things were written to (among other things) acknowledge fundamental rights that exist independent of the document. Of course the writers and amenders have sometimes errored, but as an over-arching document made for the formation of a more perfect Union and in securing the "Blessings of Liberty" they did an unusually decent job (especially for the era).
And what they did get it right is in the explicit acknowledgement of several fundamental rights (and strongly implicit acknowledgement of others).
Hence, the right to self-defense and the use of "tools" (arms) in that defense is inalienable, unconditional, and by definition is absolute WITHIN the definition's scope and as long as it is not in conflict with other fundamental rights and constitutional provisions, (assuming it is not surrendered by the individual because of his/her unwillingness to respect other's rights (e.g. violent felons).)
Well, yeah, it conflicts with the right of others to life. That is the whole point. You know that, right? That’s what we are arguing? That the right to the unrestricted ownership of certain types of weapons gets in the way of LIFE.
Unrestricted ownership of certain types of weapons (A and H bombs) is not protected by the 2nd, and it is necessary to make sure it is not unlawfully used to murder 100s of thousands to millions. So ownership carries certain restrictions to prevent unlawful use (although some of those restrictions may be excessive). However, we are speaking of those personal arms covered under the 2nd.
So then, explain to me how my possession of my Sears single-shot .22 rifle stored in my basement, which I have owned for 45 years, "gets in the way of LIFE"? Come to think of it, how does any inanimate object or thing (knife, rock, water, wind, etc.) suddenly "get in the way", except by accident (e.g. a rock slide) or by the intentional actions of another (throwing rocks or shooting people).
Does my little rifle leave my basement on its own, float down the street, load a 22 bullet into the chamber on its own, aim, and then pull the trigger via a supernatural forces?
Far as I can tell its either nature or individual people that get get in the way of life, and guns only that get in the way of gun-haters desire to eliminate all private ownership.
a) the 2nd amendment of the constitution gives an explicit right to own "borne" arms;
as understood at the time. They did not and could not envision today’s arms. The arms at that time had no capability of being fired by a toddler in the seat of a grocery cart.
As no one thinks that toddlers have a right to bear arms (then or now), and as toddlers misusing firearms is extraordinary rare (if ever) its not a serious problem.
Finally, the founders did envision personal arms for self-defense, militias, hunting, and other uses. The did not envision that every technical change in any object razes any personal right to its use to ashes.
Because you are becoming increasingly unclear, I will simply repeat that:
a) Firearms that can be "borne" are protected by the 2nd, which acknowledges a general and inalienable right to ownership.
You leap to the assumption that bearing arms carves out certain things. But that’s not written by the divine founders. Where did you get it THAT ALSO does not represent what you object to? In other words, the same people saying you can’t own cannon and A-bombs are the same people proposing that you also can’t own rapid-fire large-magazine weapons. And Pistols on your hip.
I am unsure if what you wrote is what you intended. It is not a surprise that some of those who say you can't own an A-bomb or cannon are the same people who say you can't own "rapid fire" (semi-automatic? revolver?) fed weapons, or have a pistol on your hip. Their unrelenting hostility to any weapon, regardless of type, merely confirms their real intentions as "gun-grabbers".
And I "leap to the conclusion" because under common law, the US Constitution, and traditional rights of self-defense, 'bearing arms' for defense is a "carve out".
You haven't made any convincing argument that you are doing anything besides handwaving why your opinion of what's right should be considered as right.
People in this country have a right to pursue their lives, free of the oppression and tyranny of the threat of their toddlers and neighbors and strangers on the street to constantly kill them. The "need" to carry guns around everywhere does not accomplish what you claim it accomplishes, and therefore its intrusion into the lives of others has no justification beyond the desire to bully.
And nothing in the formation of this country or its constitution prevents us from growing up and acting like civilized adults. ...
Speaking of the failure to provide "any convincing argument" and "hand-waving" I thought I'd alert you (see my italicization) to your deluge of unconvincing polemic vagaries. Rarely is anyone is under oppression or a tyranny of a credible gun threat, and those that are would do well to carry.
Your lurid imaginings of "a need" is a requirement of your own making - I've made it clear that there is no moral requirement to show "need" for a basic right - such as those arms covered under the 2nd amendment.
While people usually don't "need" to carry arms, and private abodes and businesses may ban carrying if they wish. However, in public areas owned by the government UNLESS it interferes or is an impending threat to the function of that area, it is a right. So in your car or walking down a side-walk, you have a right to carry. If a movie theater, shopping mall, or bar wishes to let patrons carry, fine by me.
The constitution does not prevent us from regulating rights to keep them from causing harm. Nor does it prevent us from advocating a change to the amendments of the constitution itself in pursuit of the evolution of society to a greater height.
The founders of the constitution, and the history of common law, acknowledges certain limitations. Regulations that complies with those parameters may or may not be foolish, but they are not likely unconstitutional.

