USA Today Second Amendment Poll

Does the Second Amendment give individuals the right to bear arms?

When I voted it was at 97% Pro with over 675,000 votes cast

I just voted too. Yup- 97%

I just voted and it is still 97%. Speaking of baring arms does anyone have an optima pro elite?

Well, seeing as it says "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms," (direct quote) I am not sure how you could vote no, unless you don't count people as individuals or can't speak English. Now, your interpretation of that, that is a different story.

Why would one have to "interpret" what is written in plain English ? Is this a literacy issue ?

Dr Vorlauf said:

Why would one have to "interpret" what is written in plain English ? Is this a literacy issue ?

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RICLARK said:

Speaking of baring arms does anyone have an optima pro elite?

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No but I have a White, Knight & a Thompson Pro Hunter (all 50 cals)
The CVA's are supposed to be pretty sweet too

Yeah, that is kind of a silly poll. The debates have not been about what the text of the amendment is - a five year old could find the text in five minutes - but on what was intended by the amendment and how it should be interpreted in a contemporary context.

(Beerrific: awesome.)

SuperiorBrew said:

No but I have a White, Knight & a Thompson Pro Hunter (all 50 cals)
The CVA's are supposed to be pretty sweet too

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the wording of the question makes it useless. if it had said does it give you the right to own firearms then it would have been much better.
also I'm glad I'm not the only one who like black powder. although i prefer the percussion cap rifles and pistols. right now I'm looking for a nice hawken rifle kit with a double set trigger.

SuperiorBrew said:

No but I have a White, Knight & a Thompson Pro Hunter (all 50 cals)
The CVA's are supposed to be pretty sweet too

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I have a old Knight with the Percussion caps, and that TC Pro Hunter is Gun Porn, I was curious about the Optima because I have one it will handle the 150 Grain Magnum load but I Have heard of people that run 200 grain through it, which im kind of skeptical on it just seems too much.

Lookin to get a black powder this summer to extend my hunting season

Virtuous said:

Lookin to get a black powder this summer to extend my hunting season

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I have other guns but I only use Black Powder unless im hunting birds. Except I do use blackpowder for turkey.

I would have to vote NO as worded. The 2nd Amendment expresses that the Government PROTECTS the individual's right to keep and BEAR arms.

It is a fundamental mistake in the first place to take the position that the Constitution "provides" or gives rights. The US Constitution merely spells out those rights we already have that may not be infringed upon.

It is kind of ironic that something enumerated in the constitution would end up as a "poll."


JW

That's right. The govenment cannot take away our guns (unless you are one of those poor SOB's living in the people republic of San Fran or DC.

Beerrific said:

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"how is that confusing? every American has the right to hang a pair of Bear Arms on their wall."

well played, you beat me to the punch.

The Constitution doesn't tell people anything they can or can't do. It tells the Federal government what it can do. Also, the Bill of Rights tells the Federal government a few things it definitely can not do. The problem with the Second Amendment is that it doesn't exactly say the Federal government can not regulate arms. Instead it says that the States have the right to keep militias.

Now the question is can you extend the thought that the right to retain militias extends to the People or to the States? Some people argue that the amendment protects the rights of individuals to form militias, hence the right for people to bear arms. Other people argue that the protection only extends to the State. From there the State can do what ever the hell they want.

Beerrific said:

Well, seeing as it says "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms," (direct quote) I am not sure how you could vote no, unless you don't count people as individuals or can't speak English. Now, your interpretation of that, that is a different story.

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You're selective quoting. The complete quote is

"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."