I love the “Come and take them” and “cold dead hands!” crap conservatives spew. It proves they’re only patriotic when it’s convenient.
Of course they seem to forget the 2nd amendment reads “Keep and bear arms” not “You can take a gun anywhere you want.”

I say all that as an owner of (many) guns. I’m just capable of walking around in public without collapsing into pants wetting terror if I’m not dragging around a weapon.

Ah, you got me, of course they would be just as worried about the internet, what with it’s lolcats and all, as they would be weapons designed for quick and efficient mass destruction. Perfect comparison.

And I agree, the founders had no idea we would have this kind of technology; that’s why laws and regulations CHANGE.

I *respectfully* disagree with people who think we need to change the second amendment–that is at least honest. I don’t have much respect for people who think we should ignore the “outdated” parts of the constitution without amending it.

If the founders had any idea that we would develop guns powerful enough to take out a crowd of people in seconds, and simple enough to be used by a child, I suspect that they would have slipped a few more caveats into the amendment.

…and if they knew that we would get the capability for ordinary people to communicate instantly with hundreds or thousands of other people without even meeting face to face, simple enough for a child to operate…

since when have people been allowed to openly carry handguns to a venue where the President was speaking?

They aren’t and they weren’t–they were on the other side of the security perimeter, well out of danger range. I personally have been armed while closer than that to Bush’s motorcade, just by chance. He was in no danger either, even if I were a homicidal maniac.

As for that document, it was written by men, right? They were using “god given” to imply that these rights are universal (except for women and slaves) and not subject to revocation. It states these right include “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” and then it actually states (by the way, the Declaration of Independence, NOT the constitution) “governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” So, if the majority of the governed consider firearms to be dangerous to society as a whole, and banning them would prevent a percentage of crime, then it is for the governed to decide, not by force, but by discussion; enforcement of this decision of the people is what the government is SUPPOSED to do. As soon as you use force for you way, you are the oppressor, not the oppressed and lose any justification to consider yourself as such.

1) The Declaration and Bill of Rights are two different documents.

2) The founders also thought slavery and limited suffrage were dandy. They weren’t infallible.

3) You just told Jared that if he speaks in favor of gun control in public, he’ll be shot. You might want to rethink that.

4) A firearm is not a magic wand (no matter what yours is replacing). There are plenty of ways to effectively deal with an idiot holed up in his home stroking his handgun without using a gun yourself.

5) There are a fair number of gun owners who support tighter gun control.

6) The difference between the armed people in government agencies and you is that they understand service and responsibility. That makes all the difference in the world.

7) Nobody really says, “sheeple.”

This is organized intimidation. And the last thing we need is government by armed mob.

As one of the 80 million gun owners in the country let me say that I don’t believe in God. Therefor any rights you believe are from him I am not obligated to accept. I am a U.S. citizen and therefore I am a member of the same political/cultural contract as are you. From my perspective the gun nuts (if the shoe fits..) want fewer restrictions on guns (read zero) than are placed on speech.

P.s. I don’t need a gun to demonstrate that I’m a citizen – I walk proud with no crutches.

Jared

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights

The founders understood that what God gave only God can take. You can have all the contempt for me and my ilk as you please, but do so in the comfort of your own home brooding in the corner about what troglodytes we are. As one of the more than 80 million individuals in this country who owns guns you are in no position to do anything else.

Your offer to volunteer (big tough guy that I am sure you are) to help your local law enforcement agency in rounding up your neighbors firearms aside, the government agencies that would be taksed with this are comprosed with many more people like me than willing sheeple like yourself.

If there ever was an obligatory firearm ban I wouldnâ??t have to worry about fighting the government, they would have to worry about fighting themselves.