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In reply to the discussion: Where do you stand on banning guns? [View all]Trunk Monkey
(950 posts)7. DU Member Francis Marion had this to say about the meaning of a weel regulated militia
facinating reading
What did 'well regulated' mean in the 18th century?Paul Revere didn't shout 'The British are coming'.
He told people 'the Regulars are out!'
Ministerial Troops- The Regulars... professional soldiers of considerable military skill. Regulars are soldiers who are well trained, disciplined, effective in battle.
In New England, it would have been clear to any observer who watched them march, drill, or practice firing that the Kings troops were indeed well regulated.
Regular skill was, deservedly so, a British point of pride. In British and Tory correspondence, contrasts of Regulars proper martial bearing to that of 'the country people' of New England are often made. American shopkeepers, farmers, mechanics, clockmakers- to the British, they were a mob, a rabble, banditi, deserving no part of the term 'regular'. One example Tory letter writer likens an American colonial shopkeeper militiaman to a goose trying to assume an air of importance.
However, British opinion changed after April 19, 1775- the day a large body of British Regulars fought for their lives all the way from Concord back to Boston. The Regulars were not alone in military proficiency.
This changing realization dawned upon one of the Regular officers at the North Bridge. After the fight, he had a chance to write down some thoughts. While at the North Bridge, he said that he saw the Americans marching toward him 'in the most regular manner'. A modern American can easily miss the significance in this British officer's diction. Considering who was speaking, and about whom he was speaking, this is high praise. Not to mention the fact that, when they returned fire on the British, half the British officers on scene were hit.
Who were the Americans that elicited this British admission? They were probably Isaac Davis' Acton minuteman company, because that is the unit which led the American militia toward the British troops guarding the North Bridge. The Americans marched two abreast, with military bearing- and military equipment. They were not set up with hunting weapons. They had muskets which could receive a bayonet, and each man had a cartridge box. Davis, the Minuteman Captain, was a blacksmith, and he saw to it that each man had a hand made bayonet, besides a cartridge box. The cartridge box is analogous to an ammo pouch full of M16 magazines. It held the ammunition supply of the individual.
Davis made sure that his minuteman company was well-regulated. Besides making equipment for them, he had them practicing shooting on his property, weekly, for the past several months.
So the original definition of a well regulated militia describes an American well skilled in the use of a firearm, and able to march, fight, and be militarily effective under their elected officers. Today, that is a far more accurate description of your National Guardsman than it is of Joe Civilian Citizen. Nevertheless, whether Joe Civilian chooses to be derelict in his duty to be well regulated or not, the Bill of Rights makes it clear that it is the Right of The People to keep and bear arms, not the right of the militia.
The wording of the Second Amendment makes the difference between a People's state and a Police state. So Joe Citizen, take it upon yourself to learn how to use an AR15 so that you'll be useful as a citizen soldier in a national emergency.
Now watch people clamor for the confiscation of your AR15, magazines, ammo.
History repeats itself, only this time, the British are our ELECTED officials.
We'll hire people to forge our shackles.
He told people 'the Regulars are out!'
Ministerial Troops- The Regulars... professional soldiers of considerable military skill. Regulars are soldiers who are well trained, disciplined, effective in battle.
In New England, it would have been clear to any observer who watched them march, drill, or practice firing that the Kings troops were indeed well regulated.
Regular skill was, deservedly so, a British point of pride. In British and Tory correspondence, contrasts of Regulars proper martial bearing to that of 'the country people' of New England are often made. American shopkeepers, farmers, mechanics, clockmakers- to the British, they were a mob, a rabble, banditi, deserving no part of the term 'regular'. One example Tory letter writer likens an American colonial shopkeeper militiaman to a goose trying to assume an air of importance.
However, British opinion changed after April 19, 1775- the day a large body of British Regulars fought for their lives all the way from Concord back to Boston. The Regulars were not alone in military proficiency.
This changing realization dawned upon one of the Regular officers at the North Bridge. After the fight, he had a chance to write down some thoughts. While at the North Bridge, he said that he saw the Americans marching toward him 'in the most regular manner'. A modern American can easily miss the significance in this British officer's diction. Considering who was speaking, and about whom he was speaking, this is high praise. Not to mention the fact that, when they returned fire on the British, half the British officers on scene were hit.
Who were the Americans that elicited this British admission? They were probably Isaac Davis' Acton minuteman company, because that is the unit which led the American militia toward the British troops guarding the North Bridge. The Americans marched two abreast, with military bearing- and military equipment. They were not set up with hunting weapons. They had muskets which could receive a bayonet, and each man had a cartridge box. Davis, the Minuteman Captain, was a blacksmith, and he saw to it that each man had a hand made bayonet, besides a cartridge box. The cartridge box is analogous to an ammo pouch full of M16 magazines. It held the ammunition supply of the individual.
Davis made sure that his minuteman company was well-regulated. Besides making equipment for them, he had them practicing shooting on his property, weekly, for the past several months.
So the original definition of a well regulated militia describes an American well skilled in the use of a firearm, and able to march, fight, and be militarily effective under their elected officers. Today, that is a far more accurate description of your National Guardsman than it is of Joe Civilian Citizen. Nevertheless, whether Joe Civilian chooses to be derelict in his duty to be well regulated or not, the Bill of Rights makes it clear that it is the Right of The People to keep and bear arms, not the right of the militia.
The wording of the Second Amendment makes the difference between a People's state and a Police state. So Joe Citizen, take it upon yourself to learn how to use an AR15 so that you'll be useful as a citizen soldier in a national emergency.
Now watch people clamor for the confiscation of your AR15, magazines, ammo.
History repeats itself, only this time, the British are our ELECTED officials.
We'll hire people to forge our shackles.
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Wow you just rendered both your vote AND your opinion totally meaningless and irrelevent.
cherokeeprogressive
Jul 2012
#31
How does that differ from the third choice? Isn't the National Guard the military, and aren't they
TPaine7
Jul 2012
#6
How did the NRA mislead the Supreme Court in the 1800s and the Framers of the 14th Amendment?
TPaine7
Jul 2012
#12
DU Member Francis Marion had this to say about the meaning of a weel regulated militia
Trunk Monkey
Jul 2012
#7
Good idea. Allowing honest citizens to legally carry concealed makes for a dangerous ...
spin
Jul 2012
#66
someone interpreting an OC as such a sign sounds fearful and paranoid to me.
gejohnston
Jul 2012
#88
Reopen the NFA registry, and remove SBRs, SBSs, and silencers from the Act. No AWB.
petronius
Jul 2012
#11
Would it surprise you to know that the militia HAS been called out as late as 1942?
Trunk Monkey
Jul 2012
#25
I am talking about actual state sponsored militias such as the Texas State Guard
Trunk Monkey
Jul 2012
#56
You make an interesting point about the implementation of the 2nd, I think it would be very odd
pop topcan
Dec 2012
#106
I wouldn't call limiting ownership of semi-auto assault style rifles to the police and the military
spin
Jul 2012
#42
Almost impossible to carry in public. Severe restrictions on guns manufactured as "assault/tactical"
Hoyt
Jul 2012
#51
Return to intent, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed
TheKentuckian
Jul 2012
#62
Federal government has no constitutional authority to ban arms. SCOTUS said "the Second Amendment,
jody
Jul 2012
#78
One quick question, do you consider double action revolvers to be semi-automatic?
pop topcan
Dec 2012
#108
The capacity of a semi-auto is dependent on the size of the magazine in the weapon. ...
spin
Dec 2012
#109