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Originally Posted by JavaBlack";p="
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Originally Posted by Wolverine";p="
Myth: Nobody needs an “assault weapon”
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Regardless of feelings on the issue, this one is not a myth, unless you define "need" in a very liberal (not politically- I usually use this context of the word to p!$$ off conservatives, but since you're a libertarian I'm just using it because it's the right word) way.
You haven't demonstrated that anyone actually NEEDS an assuault rifle. |
Armed military service to country.
United States Constitution, The Bill of Rights, The Second Amendment
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A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
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United States Constitution, Section 8. The Congress shall have Power…
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Clause 15: To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
Clause 16: To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
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So, it seems that their is a Constitutional mandate to be armed. Our founding fathers wanted every militia member to be armed as well as the ground-solder in combat. In their time it was a musket or a pistol or a cutlass, in our time it should be pistols, shotguns, and M-16's or M-60's.
Now, who should this militia consist of? Who should be allowed to own such weapons?
US Code Section 311. Militia: composition and classes
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(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 commissioned officers 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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Every American able-bodied male 17 years and up! Thats who should be able to have them. Imagine if every guy 17 years and older had an M-16 and trained with it. This problem of an invading force at the Mexican border would be dealt with in about five days. Build a fence, put razor wire on it and take turns watching it. No entry for people who aren't citizens or in possession of a valid passport. Problem solved. Al-Queda operatives blow up the local military or National Guard barracks? Not a problem, every guy will get his rifle out and be ready to stand in defense of the country.
Now that doesn't necessarily mean that you "need" a firearm, granted. So I'll agree with your semantical interpretation of the initial statement in the report, their is no "need" for, specifically, an assault rifle. However, if we start judging what should be allowed based on needs, we could all be sitting in a shanty being fed gruel. I need an assault rifle because I live on a large piece of land where wolves, bears and other large animals exist. I'd like to be able to dispatch one of these creatures before they destroyed some horses. I also happen to enjoy shooting guns. I'm a firearms instructor for the local police department and sheriffs department. I think that they realize if something went horribly wrong, if riots broke out or if zombies started walking the earth, that I would be one civilian out there fighting along side of them and I think that they appreciate it.