: It galls me be treated like
: : a criminal in order to get a "permit" to exercise a Constitutional right,
: : but I may end up doing so, rather than have our Boys in Beige lock me up
: : should I ever have to defend myself.): Actually, you don't have the Constitutional right to bear arms. No Federal court has ever upheld this as a right. Look it up.
Don: A federal court HAS upheld it as an individal right. The Emerson case, which the feds just appealed.
Don: Numerious other federal court decisions have held that the right to keep and bear arms is an individal right, including a number of Supreme Court decisions. These have not struck down gun control laws, but they have indeed indicated that gun ownership is an individal right. There has NEVER been a US Supreme Court decision that held the Second is not an individual right.
Don: Further, the vast majority of Constitutional scholarship agrees that the right to keep and bear arms is an individual right. A recent example is the opinion of Laurance Tribe, of Harverd.
: Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you. Of course, it doesn't mean that they are either.
: Sheesh. You crazy Americans...
Don: It sure is funny how the violent crime rate down under has gone up after banning all those nasty semi-automatics. Maybe you guys can place some more restrictions on law abiding citizens while increasing your crime rate.
