We thought you might enjoy this short chapter from our latest book, The Constitution – A Revolutionary Story. It explains the events leading up to, the drafting, and the contents of the United States Constitution. This section explains the Second Amendment…
If there’s an amendment that causes more argument than the first, it might be the second. The Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms. People fight over exactly what the second means, but much of the angst stems from the natural evolution of terminology over the years. The way we use words, even the same words, changes over the long haul. Consider these examples:
You used to get “sick” with the flu, or maybe a mild case of bunions. Or you might get “sick” of some person or thing, like Piers Morgan or perhaps Madonna. Now cool things like cars, video games, and half-pipe snowboard tricks are “sick.” This particular word hasn’t just evolved; it’s taken on an opposite meaning.
Once upon a name, “dick” was either a proper name or a synonym for “detective.” If you called someone “Dick,” you wouldn’t get punched in the face, unless the “dick” caught you robbing a bank.
Need we talk about words like “hoes” and “gay?” The point is that commonly accepted meanings of words change over time.
The same word confusion applies to the Second Amendment. Most of the arguments stem from the misunderstanding of two words in this clause: “militia” and “regulated.” Back in the day, the term militia referred to the collection of citizens, and in no way, shape or form was descriptive of a government-controlled armed force. In fact, standing armies were not to be trusted — the framers of the Constitution had just finished getting out from under the thumb of the world’s most powerful standing army and had no desire to make that mistake again.
As for “well regulated” you might think of that in terms of “properly functioning,” like a finely-tuned watch. The word “regulated” had nothing to do with governmental control or oversight. Remember, the thinking of the day was exactly the opposite — the government should have little if any control over much of anything related to the individual. Who do you think provided all the cannons used by the Colonial Army? That’s right, they were privately owned. In fact, all rights as described in the Constitution pertain to individuals only, because the government doesn’t (and can’t) have rights. While today we use “regulated” most frequently to mean “controlled” the word still occasionally serves in its original capacity. Consider that Activia yogurt pitched by Jamie Lee Curtis. It keeps you “well regulated,” right? And we all know government provides no oversight of one’s butt. Well, not counting the TSA of course.
Matter of Fact…
Having just escaped the heavy hand of the British Army, there was a deep mistrust of a central standing military. According to James Madison’s daily notes on the Constitutional Convention proceedings, on August 18, Mr. Luther Martin and Mr. Elbridge Gerry moved that the standing army should not number more than two or three thousand men. We can only assume a bit of sarcasm in General Pinckney’s response when he asked whether no troops were ever to be raised until AFTER an attack should be made.
The Constitution – A Revolutionary Story is now available in Print and Kindle eBook editions.
Even with current implications of the word definitions, the 2A still makes sense to me.
Paraphrasing: Because a well trained and supplied national military force must be maintained by the federal government to protect our freedom from foreign enemies, all citizens must be allowed, without restriction, to possess and wield contemporary weapons to protect themselves from the threat of tyranny should there be an attempt by the government to use the military to control or enslave the people.
Am I crazy to consider this a valid interpretation?
Now, now, you just stop with all that common sense 🙂
Actually I believe that the Constitution only permitted a standing Navy,,,no Army.
Close order drill was and is an important way of moving troops on foot. In the battle formations of the Revolutionary War era, close order drill was imperative in order to get bodies of troops in fighting formation. Firing drill was part of the close order drill. Firing one’s musket was part of a regular (regulated) part of ground warfare. “Fire at will” was one of the commands and that meant that the enemy formation had been broken or one’s own formations had been broken so that regular ranks of firing were no longer possible. It wasn’t a command to fire at somebody named William. “Ready, aim, fire” were continuous commands on the battlefield of yore. “Ready” meant you cocked your weapon. “Aim” and “Fire” are self-explanatory.
“Platoon, right front on to line” was the command to get the platoon lined up four men deep and on line rather than in file so that they could present the most, and most continuous fire on an advancing (or retreating) enemy force. The front row knelt and fired while the rear ranks prepare to advance to the front to fire and the front rank fell to the rear to reload. In this manner, a platoon, company or battalion could administer continuous fire upon an advancing enemy force. This was necessary as musket fire was notoriously inaccurate.
At one time I believe it was Hamilton Watch Company sold a clock called “The Regulator”. That meant it kept accurate time, it didn’t mean some minion from the federal government come in to set the clock each morning.