Guns in public

The following is a summary of the discussion a few friends were having.  The discussion outgrew email exchanges and the Conversations Around a Wood Stove Blog was born.  This summary was authored by Jerry an original member of the original group.

The founders intended that citizens be guaranteed the right to bear arms as a precaution against tyranny from their own government.  When the constitution was written citizens might well have been able to equip and train themselves well enough to protect themselves from tyrants in their own government.  That would be somewhere between difficult and impossible today.  I also personally believe that by the time citizens are in armed conflict with our troops or our police, our cause is already lost, and I will not spill blood for a lost cause.  I think George differed with me on that.

The right to bear arms for personal defense against violent criminals, and even political thugs such as the modern equivalents of the brownshirts of Nazi Germany is still a reasonable use of the second amendment.  If we continue down the road toward socialism there will be more of these.  In fact, there are indications that the current administration is using such already.

 I mostly agree with Jerry's summary.  I would add with emphasis that it is my strong belief that those who stockpile all manner of black rifles, shotguns and pistols along with tens of thousands of rounds of ammo are seriously deluded.  Their stated goal is to deter the central government from some vague and nefarious purpose.  I have said it before and I say again, ''Those who expect to mount a winnable armed revolution against the US Government are suicidal.  A platoon of grunts, raw out of Boot Camp will make mincemeat of them before they empty the first magazine from their Belchfire Magnum".

I have a sufficiency of weapons; all, except some handguns, suitable for hunting.  There is not a black rifle or "assualt" rifle in the safe.  My battery is sufficient to protect against varmints, and feed my family in emergency.

The present purpose of the Second is to gaurantee to non criminals the right to possess and bear arms for personal protection against varmints both human and animal.  The Second has nothing to do with hunting.