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Right to Bear Arms

The second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America states:

“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.”

While this Amendment seems clear enough, many would like to argue that the preamble, the piece specifying a Militia, changes the meaning of the entire statement. They claim that it grants the right to bear arms only to members of a Militia, and a “well regulated” one at that, leaving the people on the whole out of the equation. For the purpose of this article, I will neither agree or disagree with this argument for the time being. However, I would direct the attention of the populace to another Amendment found in the Constitution’s Bill of Rights. The ninth Amendment reads:

“The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”

This Amendment, coupled with the “interpretation” of the second Amendment detailed above, shows only one conclusion. Unless the Constitution specifically removes the right to bear arms from the people, the ninth Amendment secures it permanently. The American people maintain the right to bear arms, and it shall not be infringed.

-That’s the John Galt line.