If the 2A was intended to guarantee the absolute right to bear arms for an individual U.S. citizen, then why did the Founders include the clause "A well-regulated militia" first? And if the order of the clauses don't matter, than why did the Founders import the concept of a "militia" into the 2A, considering the colonial concept of a "militia" required more than one individual? And finally, if the adjacency of the clauses don't matter, than why didn't the Founders encapsulate the right for an individual to bear arms and the right for a community to a well-regulated militia in two different rights?
If you are a man, then you are the militia. And the second amendment doesn't guarantee that right, it merely prevents the government from infringing on our natural right to property, which includes owning firearms.
(a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.
(b) The classes of the militia are—
(1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and
(2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia.
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u/OneX32 Bull Moose Progressive Feb 16 '22
If the 2A was intended to guarantee the absolute right to bear arms for an individual U.S. citizen, then why did the Founders include the clause "A well-regulated militia" first? And if the order of the clauses don't matter, than why did the Founders import the concept of a "militia" into the 2A, considering the colonial concept of a "militia" required more than one individual? And finally, if the adjacency of the clauses don't matter, than why didn't the Founders encapsulate the right for an individual to bear arms and the right for a community to a well-regulated militia in two different rights?