"The Right To Keep & Bear Arms"
SSRsi believes in & supports
the original U.S. Constitution & Bill of Rights. However, we also believe it
is wise to keep track of what those who would pervert, subvert or destroy it are
saying and doing. Since we believe that (as history has repeatedly shown) an
unarmed and defenseless Citizenry soon becomes a nation of fearful and abused
slaves, the disarmament groups and laws restricting law abiding Citizens from
keeping & bearing small-arms of a conventional and technically equivalent
nature pose a very real (although possibly unintentional) threat to the
security of our nation, its people, and our way of life.
SSRsi believes that the founding
fathers of our nation held all forms of government in suspicion, yet recognized
them as a necessary evil - to be kept in check by the people they governed. We
believe that the intent of the second amendment to the Constitution, in
complement to the provision that no standing army be kept for a period greater
than two years (Article 1, Section 8:12) and the further provision to call forth
"the Militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections, and
repel Invasions," (Article 1, Section 8:15) clearly indicates that the
right to keep & bear arms was not intended to apply merely for sporting
activities firearms. We believe that every able-bodied man was expected to keep
a serviceable small arm of current design and ability, and a
sufficient supply of ammunition for it, in the event that they be called to
service in the militia. This could reasonably be expected of every man as the
small arm served the dual purpose of protection & provisioning in those
days. While we are no longer required to hunt for our food anywhere other than
our grocer's aisles, none of the other factors requiring ownership of weaponry
in those days have changed in relation to modern times. There may not be any
Indians left fighting for their way of life and their lands, but there are gangs, drug lords and criminals fighting for
their way of life and their "turf! " And they are as indiscriminate and ruthless as any of the
raiding Indians of old - and a great deal less honorable or admirable.
Since Article 1, Section 8:16
provides for the "organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia,"
we do not believe the 2nd Amendment assumes we have the right to cannons, mines,
atomic bombs, tanks, and other weapons of mass destruction, but we do believe
the right to keep & bear arms includes rifles, pistols and shotguns of a
similar design and capability to those used by the military services of the
world. The establishment of a permanent standing army, is in direct conflict
with the powers conferred by the Constitution. The National Guard & Reserve
system may be viewed as being in line with the Constitution, yet the individuals
making up this force do not own or keep their small arms weapons, nor do they
bear them, unless involved in tactical training. Their "issue"
small-arms are kept in a locked armory with limited and restricted access. They
can only familiarize and train with their weapons when the government
"allows" and instructs them to. Not exactly a formula for success!
Our forces met and defeated an
army of superior numbers and equipment in our revolutionary war largely because
of grim determination - but it would have been unlikely that they would have
succeeded if they had only been allowed to familiarize themselves and train with
their weapons only once every six months or so! These people lived with and used
their small arms on a daily basis. Even the most avid hunter and sportsman today
cannot make that claim, with very few exceptions. This is not true of our
friendly neighborhood criminal. You can bet that they know all about their
weapon, its use, and its capabilities.
meg
26 October 1997
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