While summers in Tennessee are always hot, this summer has been incredibly sultry in Middle Tennessee! So much so that I have not been doing much riding during the heat of the day. But this has brought about my Twilight Rides, which have been very popular with other bikers – and those who wish to live vicariously, through me, on the interwebs. Today, when I was out walking Jaeger, I could almost feel a bit of fall in the air – and that is great. While the days are getting noticeably shorter, they are becoming more conducive to day riding. And that means freedom! Knees in the breeze freedom. Speaking of freedom, let’s have a little history lesson on the Bill of Rights – which could be more aptly described as the Bill of Freedoms. And more specifically the Second Amendment:
“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.”
But this single sentence has been perverted by the gun control crowd more than any other sentence in our founding documents.
Our Founding Documents
Before we dive too deep into the Second Amendment, let’s take a look at all of our Founding documents:
- The Declaration of Independence was our original document. It was written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, with input from Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston and Roger Sherman. This document declared our independence and described what our Founders were striving for: a democratic republic. It would be ratified by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.
- The U.S. Constitution was the operating blueprint for the United States. It was officially ratified by all of the states on June 21, 1788 and became the effective rule of the land on March 4, 1789.
- The Bill of Rights was our next founding document and became the first 10 amendments to our U.S. Constitution. After the adoption of our constitution, many of our Founding Fathers were concerned about a lack of protection for the citizens. These Founders were primarily aligned with the Anti-Federalists and included the most outspoken critic of the Federalists, Thomas Jefferson. These wise men wanted protections for the people including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly and protection against an overarching Federal government. These ten amendments would be drafted on September 25, 1789 and ratified by all states on December 15, 1791.
These amendments obviously included the Second – which we freedom lovers cherish. Over the years, there have been continuous attacks on the Second Amendment by those who wish to limit our ability to “keep and bear arms.” The most egregious being the Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 – a law which fortunately expired after 10 years of doing nothing to prevent violent crime with firearms. But the calls for new assault weapon bans continue along with other proposed legislation including: Universal background checks, restrictions in magazine capacity, banning of all semiautomatic firearms and gun registries. The biggest fallback fallacy of those wanting to take away our freedoms is, “the founders never envisioned modern weapons.” Or, “it only applies to the militia” – which they falsely claim to be our National Guard. This is all a bunch of hooey. Every single one of the Bill of Rights speaks to individual rights, with the exception of the Tenth Amendment – which provides that all powers not reserved to the Federal Government are reserved to the states. Let’s clear this all up, with some history. History in the form of The Federalist Papers – specifically Federalist No. 46 – which was given to us by James Madison and specifically discusses the Found Father’s decision to include the Second Amendment in our Bill of Rights.
Federalist No. 46
The Federalist Papers were written by three of the Founding Fathers: John Jay, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. These essays were originally written anonymously under the pseudonym, Publius, and were used as a way for these Founders to speak directly to the “People” during the lead up to ratification.
Federalist No. 46 was written by James Madison and spoke to the “right to keep and bear arms.” Keep in mind this was before the Constitution had been ratified and the Bill of Rights hadn’t even been written. Some of the key passages of No. 46 are:
With regards to our right to bear arms, Madison writes, “The highest number to which, according to the best computation, a standing army can be carried in any country, does not exceed one hundredth part of the whole number of souls; or one twenty-fifth part of the number able to bear arms. This proportion would not yield, in the United States; an army of more than twenty-five or thirty thousand men. To these would be opposed a militia amounting to near half a million of citizens with arms in their hands, officered by men chosen from among themselves, fighting for their common liberties, and conducted by governments (states) possessing their affections and confidence.” Madison continues, “Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments (states), to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government (Federal government) of any form can admit of.”
Conclusion
So, what does this all mean? First, the citizens of the United States are the last protection against any enemy, foreign or domestic. Domestic? Yes! Madison, and all of the Founders, recognized that a strong central government, with an ambition to force its will on her people, is dangerous to all God Given rights. Including speech, the press, the right to assemble and the right to a speedy trial. Second, Madison recognized that these God Given rights are not given by the government. This includes the right to protect yourself. Someone attacking you is wanting to take away your rights to everything outlined in the Bill of Rights – with the exception of the Tenth Amendment. So, the next time a gun grabber tells you that you don’t need a gun, confidently tell them that it’s the Bill of Rights – which includes your right to live how you choose and protect yourself.
Molon Labe,
The Original Grey Beard Biker™️
gbb@TheGreyBeardBiker.com
@Yadi_Molina4 on X