While I appreciate the collegial tone of Mr. Borenzweig’s response to my thoughts on the RKBA, I must protest that he has misstated my position, while mischaracterizing both history and the political structure under which this nation was founded. [Response to “Citing second amendment is a cop-out,” March 7.] His primary error lies in the tacit belief that the federal government was intended to be superior to the citizen, so as to be able to dictate the terms of the relationship. Not so!
Recall that it was the states which created the federal government, not the other way around. And the citizens were superior to the state government, as it was they who created the states. Thus, it was the citizen who was intended, prior to the 14th Amendment, to sit atop the political power curve. To argue otherwise would be to suggest that a precocious teen should be running the household, as opposed to mom and Dad.
I never said that the Second Amendment granted any rights. It did not, it merely memorialized the natural, pre-existing right of self-defense. The founders were revolutionaries who threw off the British yoke and were determined that such should not happen again. Mr. Borenzweig may argue that was then and this is now, but I would refer him to the President and the Attorney General who argue that the former has the right to assassinate a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil, absent due process. That is why the constitutional oath of office requires one to defend against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
Finally, the militia still exists. I refer to the Dick Act of 1902. I would also point out that “shall not be infringed” means precisely that. This is not about hunting or sport shooting. It’s about the right to life, the right to property and the right to water the tree of liberty with the blood of tyrants and patriots, should that be necessary. At least that was Thomas Jefferson’s view of the matter. I challenge Mr. Borenzweig to point to that section of the Constitution which authorizes the government to dictate to a law-abiding, free man or woman. The founders gave us a constitutional republic, not a democracy. And there is a huge difference between the two.
Steve Jones